|
MIDWAY'S RICH AND VARIED HISTORY |
Midway is a tiny place with a very big history. Since its discovery in 1859, the atoll
has played a pivotal role in world history in a variety of ways, culminating in its
present purpose as the only National Wildlife Refuge open to the public. Following is a
brief recap of Midway's history.
|
DISCOVERY AND
NAMING OF MIDWAY
The three uninhabited islands of the atoll
were first discovered on July 5, 1859 by Captain Nick Brooks of the ship
"Gambia". Originally known as "Brooks Islands and Shore" and "The
Middle Brook Islands" (because they were approximately midway between San Francisco
and Tokyo), the atoll eventually took on the name used by merchant sailors to describe
them: "Midway". On August 28, 1867, Naval
Captain William Reynolds of the USS Lackawanna took possession of the atoll for the United
States, and Midway became the first offshore islands to be annexed by the U.S. government. |
|
In the 1890s, Japanese sailors commercially harvested seabird eggs and feathers on
northwestern islands of the Hawaiian archipelago. On Midway, the birds had been harvested
almost to extinction for their decorative feathers. To stop the "wanton destruction
of birds that breed on Midway," President Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive
order in January 1903 that placed Midway under the jurisdiction and control of the U.S.
Navy.A TRANSPACIFIC
TELEGRAPH RELAY STATION
The first legal residents of the atoll
were from the Commercial Pacific Cable Company (a predecessor of today's AT&T), which
began stationing employees on Sand Island in April 1903 to install and maintain a crucial
link in the first worldwide telegraph cable. On July 4, 1903 the first "around the
world" cable message was sent via Midway by President Roosevelt. The message took
nine minutes. |
THE
PAN AM CLIPPER ERA
In 1935, Pan American World Airways
established an operations base and a 45-room hotel on Sand Island, making it a regular
landing point and fuel stop for their transpacific Flying Clipper seaplanes. The era of
the "Clippers" was an important chapter in aviation history. |
|
WORLD WAR II
To protect Hawaii from the increasing
likelihood of hostilities with Japan,construction of the U.S. Naval Air Station at Midway
began in March 1940 and it was officially commissioned on August 1, 1941. When Pearl
Harbor was bombed by Japan on December 7, 1941, Midway was attacked that same day by
Japanese destroyers. |
|
Six months later, U.S. and Japanese forces
fought for control of the atoll in the now famous "Battle of Midway" --a fierce
and decisive battle that changed the course of World War II. On June 4, 1942, the Japanese
launched a major air attack against Midway in hopes of using it as a stepping stone for an
invasion of Hawaii. Unknown to the Japanese, the U.S. had broken their secret code and
confirmed it with a fake message that Midway's water system was broken. The U.S. Fleet
then ambushed the Japanese Fleet north of the islands, inflicting heavy losses including
the destruction of four Japanese aircraft carriers. |
Outnumbering American forces by four to one,
the odds for the outcome of this great battle were in favor of the Imperial Navy of Japan.
American aircraft flew sorties from the Midway airfield and from three carriers, and many
pilots departed Midway not certain if they had enough fuel to return. Brave men fought an
air and sea battle for three days, and more than 3,500 Japanese and 300 Americans paid the
highest sacrifice. In the end, Americans had turned away what was to be the last major
Japanese offensive and won a battle deemed by historians to be the turning point of the
war in the Pacific.
|
POST-WORLD WAR II
Following World War II, Midway continued
to play an important role as a defensive outpost during the Korean War, in the Distant
Early Warning (DEW) Line, and as a port-of-call and air traffic center during the Vietnam
War. On June 8, 1969, Midway served as the setting for secret meetings between US.
President Nixon and South Vietnam President Thieu. As many as 3,000 personnel were
stationed at Midway during the height of the Cold War and Vietnam War.In more recent years, Midway evolved from a critical war outpost to
Navy caretaker status, and in 1992 the Department of Defense announced plans to close
Midway Naval Air Facility under the Base Realignment and Closure Act. |
Photo by Rich Minter courtesy of Lee Kalsch. Plane
touches down in 1958 on Midway runway.
|
PRESENT DAY:
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
On April 22, 1988, Midway Atoll was
designated as an overlay National Wildlife Refuge, with its operational needs provided by
the U.S. Navy and logistical support provided by the U.S. Air Force. In September 1993,
the Midway Naval Air Facility was operationally closed and slated to be environmentally
cleaned and transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Public visitation to Midway
began in August 1996, although the Navy was still involved in cleanup activities on the
atoll. |
|
On October 31,1996, President Clinton
signed Executive Order 13022 transferring jurisdiction of Midway Atoll from the U.S. Navy
to the Department of the Interior. Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to maintain and restore its natural biological diversity,
provide conservation and management of the wildlife and habitats within the refuge
boundaries, provide opportunities for scientific research and environmental education,
maintain the atoll's historical significance and provide compatible wildlife-oriented
activities to the visiting public. |
| On April 3, 1997, Secretary of the Navy John
Dalton presented the "key to Midway" (in the shape of a Laysan albatross) to
Interior Assistant Secretary Bonnie Cohen. In his speech, Secretary Dalton celebrated
"trading guns for goonies" on Midway Atoll. In June 1997, the military's
environmental cleanup operations were completed and the last U.S. Navy personnel stationed
at Midway Atoll departed. Midway is a
treasure trove for history buffs, as the atoll still carries many historic remnants of the
Battle of Midway. Although a majority of the battle took place at sea, gun emplacements,
bunkers, and memorials commemorate the valiant soldiers who fought the famous battle. In
May 1987, several ammunition magazines, a pillbox, and two gun emplacements on the west
side of Sand Island were designated as National Historic Landmarks and listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
An additional 55 sites are considered eligible
for the National Register and will be reused, secured, or otherwise protected, including
the Commercial Pacific Cable buildings (built in 1904 and 1905), marine barracks, seaplane
hangar and ramps, torpedo shops, radar buildings, gun emplacements, pillboxes, and Eastern
Island runways. Several complimentary guided history and nature tours as well as
video presentations are offered by the USFWS for guests on Midway. Click here for more information. |
|
|
If you have questions about Midway or
would like to make reservations, please call us toll free at 1-888-BIG-ULUA or email us at
destpacific@sportfishhawaii.com and we will be happy to help.
Home Midway Atoll Christmas Island Hawaii Marshall Is. Cabo East Cape BC Canada Contact Us |
|
