Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor is a U.S. Navy deep-water naval base located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, and is also the headquarters of the United States Pacific Fleet. The harbor was originally an extensive shallow embayment called Wai Momi or Puʻuloa by the Hawaiians, and was used for navigation in the 19th century after a navigable channel was cut by the Ewa chiefs. The U.S. government obtained exclusive use of the harbor in 1887, and its importance grew as a result of the expansion of trade with countries in Asia and the desire for a duty-free market for Hawaiian staples, leading to the formation of the North Pacific Squadron and the assignment of warships to Hawaiian waters.learn more on wikipedia