Introduction to Ford Island
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
General information, photos, articles, and news about Ford Island
in Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
Kathleen Walling Fry
Ford Island was named after Doctor
Seth Porter Ford,
a physician who owned the island in the mid 1800's.
Before the 1800's, the island was called
Mokuumeume by the Hawaiians, and later it was known
at various times as Rabbit Island, Little Goat's Island,
and Marin Island.
After Ford Island was purchased by the United States
military, it was turned
into a Naval base and airfield. The area along
the south side of Ford Island is known as
"Battleship Row". The east lock of Pearl harbor
is on the northeast side of the island and the
middle lock of Pearl Harbor is on the northwest side.
The airfield on Ford Island is called Luke Field,
and it was named in honor of World War I aviator
Frank Luke. Luke Field is no longer used as a runway
because it is too small for modern jets, but the
control tower and several hangers remained standing
and they are sometimes used in films about Pearl Harbor.
There are plaques on Ford Island to mark
the spots where the eighteen battleships
were sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
There is a memorial to the USS Arizona that
was dedicated by the Navy Club in 1955.
There is also a plaque welded to the deck of the sunken
USS Utah battleship,which is resting on
the bottom of the harbor on the opposite side
of Pearl Harbor.
The Ford Island Museum is a future project that
will help visitors remember the military aviation history
of the area. Several wartime aircraft will be displayed
Photos of Ford Island
Six pictures of Ford Island, including
a photo of the Ford Island Sign, a picture of the bridge
that connects Ford Island with mainland Oahu, and photos of
the USS Missouri Battleship and the USS Arizona Memorial.
News About Ford Island
News about Ford Island in Pearl Harbor that was
published in newspapers and other news sources,
including the Honolulu Advertiser, the Honolulu
Star Bulletin, the Pacific Business Journal,
and the Federal Register.
Ford Island Timeline
-1906 - U.S. Began using Ford Island
-1936 - U.S. "bought" Ford Island
and it began being used by the Pan American
Clipper as a terminal for their pioneer
efforts to fly between the Mainland and Asia.
-1937 March 20 - Amelia Earhart crashed on Ford Island
-1941 - Attack on Pearl harbor
-1962 - Island was decommissioned as a naval field
-1964 (approximately) received National
Historic Landmark designation
Facts About Ford Island
-Hawaiian Name: Mokuumeume
-Current Name: Named after Physician Seth Ford
-Size: 450 acres
-Army's Purchase Price: $236,000
-Navy Took Over Control: 1923
-Naval Station Decommissioned: 1962
-National Historic Landmark: 1964
-National Register of Historic Places: 1976
More About Ford Island
Ford Island: A National Historic Site
Biography of Doctor Seth Porter Ford
Special Authority for Development of Ford Island
Historic Hawaii - Ford Island History
National Parks Service PDF File
Ford Island Redevelopment Plan - 1997 Article
Driving Directions from Waikiki to Ford Island
From Waikiki, drive west on the H-1 Freeway,
past the Honolulu International Airport, and exit
a the Arizona Memorial off ramp onto
Kamehameha Highway. Continue west on
Kamehameha Highway about one mile,
to the fourth traffic light. Turn left
into the Halawa Gate. You can also take
a city bus from Waikiki to the Arizona
Memorial visitors center.
Is it true that Visitors can only visit Ford Island
on the USS Missouri or USS Arizona tours?
Introduction to Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor Aerial Photos
Oahu Island - Main Menu
Islands of Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors