[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7943]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING PEARL HARBOR NAVAL SHIPYARD'S 100TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, today, Senator Inouye and I celebrate the 
100th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. The Pearl Harbor 
Naval Shipyard has held a significant place in both Hawaii and our 
Nation's history. Even before Congress passed an act in 1908 officially 
creating the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor has been an important 
port for ships and sailors from across the world.
  Early in the 19th century, Pearl Harbor, or ``Wai-Momi,'' served as a 
primary port for exploration and trade. By the late 1800s, the United 
States was looking toward Pearl Harbor to serve as the center of its 
expanding Pacific Fleet. On May 13, 1908, Congress solidified Pearl 
Harbor's strategic importance by appropriating $3 million to officially 
establish the Navy Yard at Pearl Harbor. Over the next 33 years, the 
new naval facility at Pearl Harbor was transformed into a site capable 
of basing the then-newly formed U.S. Pacific Fleet, and changed the 
face of Hawaii in the Pacific forever.
  Every schoolchild in the United States learns about the events on the 
morning of December 7, 1941. That was the day the U.S. Naval forces at 
Pearl Harbor were devastated by the Imperial Japanese Navy's surprise 
attack. Nine ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet sank, and more than 2,300 
American lives were lost. However, our children are taught far less 
often about the courageous resolve and dedication demonstrated by the 
shipyard's employees. After resurrecting much of the fleet from the 
bottom of Pearl Harbor, and repairing 18 of 21 severely damaged 
vessels, the workers earned the motto, ``We Keep Them Fit to Fight.'' 
Their commitment to duty became a model of the U.S. war effort during 
World War II.
  The effort and hard work by Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard personnel to 
maintain the ships of the U.S. Navy helped to turn the tide of war at 
sea in the Battle of Midway. Their tireless work ultimately ensured 
that of the ships damaged on December 7, salvaged, repaired, and 
returned to service, one, the USS West Virginia, survived the duration 
of the war to sail triumphantly into Tokyo Bay in August 1945. The 
integrity, ethos, and determination of Pearl Harbor Shipyard workers 
continued throughout the Cold War, and provided the United States with 
a national treasure and a strategically critical base of operations for 
Pacific naval and air power.
  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, the rich history and unflagging service of 
the men and women at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard highlighted by Senator 
Akaka continues today.
  Once again our Nation is at war, and our Naval Forces engaged in the 
global war on terror can rely on the shipyard to provide top quality 
support. The shipyard's work focuses on the U.S. Pacific Fleet, and 
makes the shipyard the largest repair facility between the west coast 
of the United States and the Far East. The shipyard provides full-
service maintenance for both the Pacific Fleet's ships and submarines 
throughout the Asia-Pacific theater. In addition to this significant 
responsibility, the shipyard has demonstrated its diverse capabilities 
by supporting our nation's space exploration, Antarctic expeditions, 
missile defense, and its ability to rapidly respond by deploying 
worldwide to perform emergency repairs.
  Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is a national treasure, and it is known 
as ``No Ka Oi,'' or ``The Best'' Shipyard. In the tradition of 
upholding this moniker, it has earned multiple national awards for its 
excellent safety and environmental stewardship programs. These awards 
include the prestigious Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
Star, and the White House Closing the Circle Environmental Quality 
Awards.
  Beyond the numerous contributions to our U.S. Navy, the shipyard is 
also an integral part of Hawaii. It is the largest single industrial 
employer in the State, and its direct annual economic impact is greater 
than $600 million in Hawaii. Through its apprentice, engineer co-op, 
and other student hire programs, Hawaii residents are provided with 
extraordinary training, employment, and career opportunities. For some 
families this tradition to keep our ships and submarines ``fit to 
fight'' runs throughout a generation and is being passed down to the 
next generation.
  Mr. AKAKA. Honor, courage, and commitment are the core values of the 
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. These words speak volumes about both the 
local and national contributions of the proud men and women who have 
served under its banner. I ask my colleagues to join with me in 
honoring these outstanding Americans by celebrating the 100th 
anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, and to wish it as much 
success over the next century as it attained during the last.
  Mr. INOUYE. When Congress established the ``Navy Yard Pearl Harbor'' 
in 1908, Hawaii and the U.S. Navy were inextricably linked together. 
Just as it did in 1908, America understands the need for a strong 
presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Both the shipyard and its 
achievements are special. However, it is the shipyard's heart, the 
dedicated men and women who work there, that make those achievements 
possible. I join my colleague Senator Akaka in celebrating the 100th 
anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, and I look forward to 
celebrating its future successes in the next 100 years.

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