PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii –
Under the hot Hawaiian sun, two young native saplings are taking root outside of Building 167 on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, and thanks to the watchful eye of five dedicated shipyard employees, their future looks bright. Throughout the week, and even on weekends, volunteers from across Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility step in to ensure the trees receive the care they need to thrive in their early months.
It has become a shipyard tradition to plant a young native tree at the end of a long Chief of Naval Operations availability, a significant and intense maintenance period for ships and submarines. It is a gesture to commemorate and express gratitude to the shipyard for all their hard work, dating back to 2015, when a young plumeria tree was first planted outside Building 167 on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
"We placed the tree near Building 167 as a reminder for all who enter, that the spirit of teamwork was alive and well on the Greeneville project," said Capt. Jamie Kalowsky, then-commander of PHNSY & IMF, in a 2015 Shipyard Log article. USS Greeneville (SSN 772) is a Los Angeles-class attack submarine that underwent maintenance at the shipyard in 2015.
The latest additions include a young plumeria tree, which was planted at the end of USS Michael Murphy's (DDG 112) maintenance period in 2022, and a young 'Ulu tree for USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) in 2024. Both Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers completed critical maintenance periods at the PHNSY & IMF's Hawaii Regional Maintenance Center.
The plumeria, known for its delicate petals and sweet fragrance, is one of Hawaii's most iconic flowers. In Hawaiian culture, it symbolizes new beginnings, according to WithoutAloha.com. The 'ulu, or breadfruit, one of Hawaii's original food crops, represents resilience, perseverance, and security, according to the Hawai'i' Ulu Cooperative. Just like these native trees symbolize resilience and new beginnings, those same qualities are reflected in the immense effort and pride that shipyard personnel take in repairing these ships. The shared resilience becomes part of that vessel's legacy, a connection that outlives the maintenance period, carried by both the ship and the people who restored it.
That connection is one reason Yareli Donaldson, a workforce development trainer at the shipyard, volunteers to help water the tree.
"To me, caring for these young trees is deeply meaningful, especially knowing they share names with ships I've worked on," said Donaldson. "During my time providing resiliency training to personnel returning from deployment, I witnessed firsthand the strength and endurance required to navigate challenging times. Now, working at the shipyard, I see nurturing these young trees as a continuation of that same commitment, fostering resilience and growth in a different form. It feels like giving back to the legacy of those ships and the people connected to them, helping something new take root and thrive."
The team of volunteers focuses mainly on the young saplings, which require regular watering until they fully take root in their new home, typically within one to two years. They take turns watering the trees and checking on their progress, even coming in on weekends to help the saplings thrive. Each visit by the team is a reminder that some of the shipyard's most meaningful work doesn't happen overnight. Like the effort required to overhaul a ship, it takes time, consistency, and care to make it last.
For some volunteers, the effort is about more than just routine care; it is a matter of stewardship and follow-through.
"We took the responsibility of planting them," said Mike Wilson, a public affairs specialist. "It's our responsibility to make sure we help them flourish."
Jeremy "Maka" Keone, a training specialist, echoed Wilson's sentiments and highlighted the cultural significance of the tree. "The ʻulu tree has been a staple in our culture for generations," he said. "Watering and caring for it is the least I can do. I'd love to see it grow and someday provide nourishment for future generations of shipyarders."
While the ceremonial tree plantings mark the end of a ship's maintenance journey, the continued care of these saplings stands as a metaphor for the culture of PHNSY & IMF. For employees like Donaldson and others who return week after week to nurture these young trees, it is a quiet but powerful continuation of the Na Ka Oi spirit that keeps the fleet fit to fight, one drop of water at a time.
PHNSY & IMF's mission is to keep the Navy's fleet "Fit to Fight" by repairing, maintaining, and modernizing the Navy's fast-attack submarines and surface ships. Strategically located in the heart of the Pacific, it is the most comprehensive fleet repair and maintenance facility between the U.S. West Coast and the Far East.