Welcome to Paradise! Continue reading for our in-depth guide on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to help aid you in your transition to your new post home. JBPHH has a population of more than 19, active duty members as well as over 22, family members and 12, retirees. Located on the south side of the Hawaiian island of O'ahu, the base sits in a harbor known as Wai-momi, which butts up against the west side of the city of Honolulu.
Construction of the base began shortly after the turn of the 20th century as a base to project naval power forward across the Pacific and protect American shipping interests in the Far East. This was a challenging task as the site is a coral reef with minimal soil on top, yet the Army was up to the task and nestled the base near Pearl Harbor between the Waianae and Koolau mountain ranges.
Named after Lt. Horace Meek Hickam, the base officially welcomed the first units on site in September before opening up a year later. Hickam AFB became integral to national defense and was the only facility capable of housing and maintaining B bombers. During the war, Hickam AFB was an important facility for training, assembling aircraft, and providing supplies throughout the Pacific Theatre. The installation has participated in various missions around the world and even assisting NASA over the decades.
Efforts in the next few decades created a base capable of handling the largest ships in the U. The U. Pacific Fleet being brought over to defend against Japan in , would remain permanently before the infamous attack on December 7, , which threw America into WWII. While more than 2, people were killed and 21 ships damaged, all but three vessels would be repaired and re-enter service.
All new personnel should be assigned a sponsor who, upon their arrival, will meet them at baggage claim at the airport and have arranged transportation to the base. Here are a few important things to remember:. All base access regulations can be found here. New personnel will be given a sponsor prior to arriving on the island who will meet them at the airport and assist in transportation to the base.
