U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Operations Building, Ford Island, Enterprise Street near Intrepid Boulevard, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Significance: The military presence on Ford Island began when the United States entered World War I in 1917. At that time the U.S. Army assumed control of Ford Island and established Luke Airfield. This airfield was located on the west side of the island and named for Lieutenant Frank Luke, a World War I flying ace. To support the increased naval activity in the Pacific, the Navy created the Ford Island Naval Air Station in January 1923. However, Ford Island eventually proved to be too small for both Army and Navy activities and the Army transferred its operations to Wheeler and Hickam airfields. The Ford Island Naval Air Station served as a repair and supply base for most of the Pacific Fleet planes. Many of its steel and concrete structures were constructed in 1939 as a result of growing American concern over its defenses. Ford Island also provided mooring and wharf facilities for the Navy's battleships and destroyers. The initial Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 were intended to destroy and disable the planes at the Ford Island Naval Air Station. This then allowed the battleships moored around Ford Island to be attacked with minimal resistance from the air. The Japanese dive bombers attacked and inflicted severe damage to seaplane hangar number 6 and also to 33 Navy patrol planes parked nearby. Hangar number 38 and the Ford Island Dispensary were also substantially damaged in the attack. There were some damage (of lesser degree) to other buildings from bomb fragments and flying debris. The Naval Base at Pearl Harbor (which included Ford Island) was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1964. Building S84 is registered as a Category 1 historic preservation facility in the Pearl Harbor Naval Base Historic Preservation Plan.
Survey number: HABS HI-145
Building/structure dates: 1941 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1970 Subsequent Work
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 66000940