Q&A · 2:02:34-2:03:05

Would a Navy radar station have changed Pearl Harbor?

A permanent Navy radar station might have avoided the mobile Army station's fuel shutdown, though reliable operation was still uncertain.

Question

Why did the Navy lack its own Hawaii radar station, and would one have mattered?

Short answer

A permanent Navy installation might have avoided the fuel shutdown, but it is uncertain whether it would have operated properly.

Notes

The Army was establishing what was essentially a mobile radar station. A Navy installation would probably have been permanent, reflecting a different approach to operating the site. A permanent station might have avoided shutting down for lack of fuel. Whether it would have been running properly remains uncertain.