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Long ago battlefields, even crucial ones, of the ancient and medieval world have returned to either their natural state; or have found new human purpose as farms, or been subsumed beneath the expansion of towns and cities. The area that featured so prominently in the turnaround of the Pacific war is in many ways returning to a pre-war state.
Midway, the furthest western point of the Hawaiian archipelago, is and has been a stopping point for flyers since time immemorial. The strategic value of runways and facilities enticed Japanese interest, leading to the famous battle of June , Laysan albatross use their foot wingspan to soar for many miles over the ocean, seeking fish. Three quarters of all the Laysan Albatross in the world use Midway for nesting.
Midway is the name of the atoll, which is comprised of three main islands, Sand, Spit, and Eastern; as well as smaller ones.
Atolls form as oceanic volcanoes erupt and grow above the water line, then erode to sea level. In the case of Midway, that process began 28 million years ago, making it the second oldest of the Hawaiian chain. Underwater coral reefs ring the eroding mountain, which can leave a few islands behind as high ground. The coral ring remains, and an atoll is born. It is a beautiful place, mostly flat sandy islands, full of seabirds—hundreds of thousands, maybe millions.
Their eggs, flesh, and guano drew interest after the islands were first seen by modern sailors in Now came the first permanent settlers, the Commerical Pacific Cable Company, appointed custodians of Midway by the Navy. Midway was integral to the first transglobal cable, and message. The company had significant impact on the atoll, including the introduction of non-native species.
The islands would soon change again. In , Pan American World Airways set up an airbase, including a 45 room hotel with a pool for once a week Pacific Clipper seaplane servicing, including a 45 room hotel. The Battle of Midway, which took place from June 3? After the war, the strategic importance of the island declined; the Midway stop for commercial air traffic was eliminated in , and the air base closed in Index Midway Islands Profile The Midway Islands consist of a circular atoll, 6 mi in diameter, that encloses two islands.
See also:. Baker, Howland, and Jarvis Islands. Saginaw set course for nearby Kure Atoll to check for castaways before returning to San Francisco. The ship would meet a tragic end on the reef at Kure Atoll where she wrecked in the middle of the night. Midway's importance grew for commercial and military planners. The first transpacific cable and station were in operation by In the s, Midway became a stopover for the Pan American Airways' flying "clippers" seaplanes crossing the ocean on their five-day transpacific passage.
The United States was inspired to invest in the improvement of Midway in the mid's with the rise of imperial Japan. In the Army Corps of Engineers dredged the lagoon during this period and, in , Midway was declared second to Pearl Harbor in terms of naval base development in the Pacific.
The construction of the naval air facility at Midway began in At this time, French Frigate Shoals was also a U. Midway also became an important submarine advance base.
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