100+ Pearl Harbor Trivia Questions & Answers

Question: What was Pearl Harbor originally known as by Hawaiians?

Answer: Wai Momi (meaning “Waters of Pearl”) or Puʻuloa

Question: What does the Hawaiian name “Wai Momi” mean?

Answer: It means “Waters of Pearl”

Question: What does the Hawaiian name “Puʻuloa” mean?

Answer: It means “long hill”

Question: In what year did the United States first obtain exclusive use of Pearl Harbor for a coaling and repair station?

Answer: 1887

Question: Under which treaty did the United States gain exclusive rights to use Pearl Harbor?

Answer: The Reciprocity Treaty of 1875

Question: From which Hawaiian Kingdom did the United States acquire Pearl Harbor?

Answer: The Hawaiian Kingdom

Question: During whose reign was the U S granted exclusive rights to access Pearl Harbor?

Answer: King Kalākaua

Question: Which Hawaiian chief is credited with cutting and widening the navigable channel at Pearl Harbor?

Answer: Keaunui

Question: What natural characteristic of Pearl Harbor initially limited its use for the largest ships?

Answer: Its shallow entrance

Question: Which early 19th-century activities in Hawaii increased American interest in Pearl Harbor?

Answer: Whaling, shipping, and trading

Question: Who became an integral part of Hawaiian political life as United States interests grew around Pearl Harbor?

Answer: American missionaries

Question: In which century did American warships begin frequently visiting Honolulu and Pearl Harbor in Hawaii?

Answer: The 19th century

Question: Which U.S. naval force, formed in 1865, increased activity in the waters near Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu?

Answer: The North Pacific Squadron

Question: In what year was a permanent U S Navy base established at Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu?

Answer: 1899

Question: Which conflict spurred the United States to secure a permanent presence at Pearl Harbor?

Answer: The Spanish–American War

Question: What is the modern-day military headquarters located at Pearl Harbor, home to the U S Pacific Fleet?

Answer: The Pearl Harbor base on Oahu

Question: What significant World War II event took place at Pearl Harbor that altered United States history?

Answer: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

Question: Which USS Arizona–dedicated memorial at Pearl Harbor commemorates a battleship lost during the japanese attack on December 7th?

Answer: The USS Arizona Memorial

Question: What strategic role did Pearl Harbor serve for decades in supporting American forces and the U S Pacific Fleet?

Answer: It provided a deep-water naval base and repair station essential for Pacific operations

Question: Which U.S. governmental role was established as early as 1820 to protect American business interests at Honolulu and Pearl Harbor?

Answer: An Agent for Commerce and Seamen

Question: What natural harbor feature contributed to both the beauty and later military importance of Pearl Harbor on Oahu?

Answer: Its expansive, calm lagoon

Question: Which navigable inlet on the Hawaiian island of Oahu became the center of U S fleet activity in the Pacific?

Answer: Pearl Harbor

Question: How did early American commerce on Hawaii’s shores contribute to Pearl Harbor’s historical significance?

Answer: It spurred regular U.S. naval visits and trade that built its strategic importance

Question: What long-term impact did early U.S. acquisition of Pearl Harbor have on military strategy during World War II?

Answer: It established a permanent base that supported the U S Pacific Fleet in the war

Question: What cultural significance does Wai Momi hold in Hawaiian tradition as it relates to Pearl Harbor’s history?

Answer: It is the original name meaning “Waters of Pearl,” linking the harbor’s natural beauty with local legend

Question: On what date did the Pearl Harbor attack occur, marking a devastating japanese attack on U S forces on Oahu?

Answer: December 7, 1941

Question: Which nation launched the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: Japan

Question: Who was the Japanese task force commander during the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: Chuichi Nagumo

Question: Which Japanese admiral planned the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor to preempt interference from the U S Pacific Fleet?

Answer: Isoroku Yamamoto

Question: What was the primary objective of the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II?

Answer: To disable the U S Pacific Fleet and facilitate Japan’s advances in Southeast Asia

Question: Which USS Arizona was catastrophically damaged during the Pearl Harbor attack, leading to the creation of an arizona memorial?

Answer: USS Arizona

Question: Approximately how many U.S. sailors and civilians were killed in the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: 2,403

Question: How many japanese planes participated in the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: About 353

Question: From how many aircraft carriers did the japanese launch their fighter planes during the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: Six

Question: At what time did the first wave of japanese planes begin their attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: 7:48 a.m. Hawaiian time

Question: Into how many waves was the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor divided, with the noted second wave reinforcing the assault?

Answer: Two

Question: Why did the American aircraft carriers of the U S Pacific Fleet escape damage during the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: They were at sea at the time of the attack

Question: How many battleships present at Battleship Row in Pearl Harbor were damaged during the japanese attack?

Answer: All eight battleships

Question: What specially adapted weapon did japanese forces use—designed to operate in shallow water—to strike U.S. ships during the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: Modified Type 91 aerial torpedoes

Question: How were the incoming japanese planes misidentified on U.S. radar before the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: They were mistaken for six B-17 bombers from the United States

Question: What was the code name for the Japanese carrier strike force, known as the Kidō Butai, during the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: Kidō Butai

Question: Which group of fighter planes provided air cover during the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighters

Question: What role did Japanese midget submarines play in the Pearl Harbor attack on the U S Pacific Fleet?

Answer: They infiltrated the harbor to launch torpedo attacks

Question: How many total japanese planes took part in the Pearl Harbor attack according to U.S. military records?

Answer: Approximately 353

Question: What crucial 14-Part Message did Japan send on December 7th to signal the end of negotiations before the attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: The 14-Part Message

Question: Which U.S. destroyer was among the first to engage a Japanese midget submarine during the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: USS Ward

Question: How many American aircraft were destroyed on the ground during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: Over 180

Question: Which essential facilities at Pearl Harbor, such as repair yards and oil tanks, were left intact during the japanese attack?

Answer: The navy repair yards and oil storage facilities

Question: How long did the entire japanese attack on Pearl Harbor last on December 7th?

Answer: Approximately 90 minutes

Question: Which president franklin delano roosevelt delivered his “Day of Infamy” speech after the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Question: Who directed the film “Pearl Harbor”, a dramatic retelling of the December 7th japanese attack?

Answer: Michael Bay

Question: Which producer collaborated with Michael Bay on “Pearl Harbor” to depict U.S. experiences during World War II?

Answer: Jerry Bruckheimer

Question: Who wrote the screenplay for “Pearl Harbor”, blending romance with the historical Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: Randall Wallace

Question: In what year was the film “Pearl Harbor” released, bringing to life the events on Oahu during the surprise attack?

Answer: 2001

Question: What is the running time of “Pearl Harbor” that portrays the timeline of the December 7th assault?

Answer: 183 minutes

Question: Under which distribution company was “Pearl Harbor” released to theaters across the United States?

Answer: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Question: What was the production budget for “Pearl Harbor”, which features scenes of japanese planes, fighter planes, and damaged ships?

Answer: $140 million

Question: Which genre best describes “Pearl Harbor”, combining World War II action with a dramatic love story?

Answer: Romantic war drama

Question: Who composed the musical score for “Pearl Harbor”, adding emotional depth to the depiction of the japanese attack?

Answer: Hans Zimmer

Question: Which song from “Pearl Harbor” was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song?

Answer: There You'll Be

Question: Which actor starred as First Lieutenant Rafe McCawley in “Pearl Harbor”, representing American forces during the attack?

Answer: Ben Affleck

Question: Which actor portrayed First Lieutenant Danny Walker in “Pearl Harbor”, a key figure during the film’s second wave of battle?

Answer: Josh Hartnett

Question: Which actress portrayed Lieutenant Evelyn Johnson in “Pearl Harbor”, intertwining a love story with the tragedy on Ford Island?

Answer: Kate Beckinsale

Question: Who played president franklin delano roosevelt in “Pearl Harbor”, linking the film to U.S. wartime leadership?

Answer: Jon Voight

Question: Which actor portrayed Admiral Husband E. Kimmel in “Pearl Harbor”, reflecting U.S. Navy command during the japanese attack?

Answer: Colm Feore

Question: Which actor depicted Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in “Pearl Harbor”, the architect behind the japanese attack on the U S Pacific Fleet?

Answer: Mako

Question: Who portrayed Major Jimmy Doolittle in “Pearl Harbor”, famed for leading the subsequent raid against Japan?

Answer: Alec Baldwin

Question: How much did “Pearl Harbor” gross worldwide, reflecting its appeal among audiences in the United States and beyond?

Answer: $449.2 million

Question: For which category did “Pearl Harbor” win an Academy Award, highlighting its technical depiction of the attack?

Answer: Best Sound Editing

Question: Under what film rating was “Pearl Harbor” released to ensure accessibility to a wide U S audience?

Answer: PG-13

Question: Which studio’s Touchstone Pictures co-produced “Pearl Harbor”, linking it to other iconic U.S. war films?

Answer: Touchstone Pictures

Question: What aspect of “Pearl Harbor” received significant criticism regarding historical inaccuracies in depicting japanese forces and events?

Answer: Its historical inaccuracies

Question: Which memorable sequence in “Pearl Harbor” dramatically portrays the chaos along Battleship Row, including the fate of USS West Virginia?

Answer: The attack sequence on Battleship Row

Question: In “Pearl Harbor”, which major scenes feature the role of American aircraft carriers and damaged ships during the japanese attack?

Answer: The large-scale battle scenes over Ford Island and in the harbor

Question: Which U.S. naval institution featured in “Pearl Harbor” is highlighted for visitors at both the USS Arizona Memorial and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center?

Answer: The USS Arizona Memorial and its associated exhibits

Question: What code name was used for a Japanese operation—occurring during a critical 6-12 minute window of intense battle—during the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: Operation Z

Question: Which U.S. radar station near Opana Point detected incoming japanese planes before the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: The SCR-270 radar

Question: What was the name of the 14-Part Message sent by Japan on December 7th to signal the end of negotiations prior to the attack?

Answer: The 14-Part Message

Question: How long did salvage operations last at Pearl Harbor after the attack that left many damaged ships needing repair?

Answer: About one year

Question: Which vital asset of the U S Pacific Fleet escaped the japanese attack by being at sea during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: The American aircraft carriers

Question: Through which medium did most of the United States first learn about the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: Radio coverage

Question: Which U.S. press secretary first announced the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in the immediate aftermath of the assault?

Answer: Stephen Early

Question: Which Japanese admiral later remarked, “We won a great tactical victory at Pearl Harbor and thereby lost the war,” after the attack?

Answer: Rear Admiral Chūichi Hara

Question: How many Medals of Honor were awarded to American forces for heroism during the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: 15 Medals of Honor

Question: Which memorial at Pearl Harbor honors the sacrifice of the USS Arizona and is visited annually on National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day?

Answer: The USS Arizona Memorial

Question: What was one major consequence for Japanese-Americans in the United States after the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: They were forcibly relocated to internment camps

Question: In 1992, what designation did the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency give to the Pearl Harbor Naval Complex?

Answer: It was added as a Superfund site

Question: Which international broadcaster, such as the BBC, provided some of the earliest coverage of the Pearl Harbor attack?

Answer: The BBC

Question: What were the overall casualty figures (killed and wounded) resulting from the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th?

Answer: Approximately 2,403 killed and 1,178 wounded

Question: Which incident involving a Japanese midget submarine raised concerns about local loyalties on the Hawaiian island of Niihau after the attack?

Answer: The Niihau Incident

Question: Following the japanese attack, which president franklin delano roosevelt immediately asked Congress to declare war on Japan, bringing the United States into World War II?

Answer: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Question: Why were most American aircraft, including U.S. fighter planes, destroyed during the japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Answer: They were caught on the ground and unprepared

Question: Which battleship, part of Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor, suffered catastrophic damage from torpedo hits during the attack?

Answer: USS Oklahoma

Question: What critical harbor facilities at Pearl Harbor were left intact by japanese forces during the attack to allow for rapid post-attack repairs?

Answer: The navy repair yards and oil tank farms

Question: Which key intelligence source informed the United States about the disposition of the U S fleet at Pearl Harbor before the japanese attack?

Answer: Japanese spy Takeo Yoshikawa

Question: After the initial assault, how many distinct waves of japanese forces attacked Pearl Harbor, including the noted second wave?

Answer: Two

Question: Which annual observance, held at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, honors the sacrifices made during the japanese attack and is known as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day?

Answer: National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

Question: Approximately how many ships were present in the U S fleet at Pearl Harbor, including battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, when the attack occurred?

Answer: Numerous ships—eight battleships among other vessels

Question: Which U.S. battleship, targeted by japanese planes during the Pearl Harbor attack, was hit by bombs and torpedoes and later returned to service?

Answer: USS California

Question: Which two U.S. battleships at Pearl Harbor—one that was raised and repaired and another that remains a memorial—suffered severe damage during the japanese attack on Battleship Row?

Answer: USS West Virginia was repaired and USS Utah was capsized (now serving as a memorial)