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.

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 there.

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 - Photo

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?

See also:

Introduction to Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor Aerial Photos

Related Links
Oahu Island - Main Menu
Islands of Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors

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Introduction to Ford Island Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Introduction to Ford Island
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii