23°
45' N - 166° 10' W 30 miles across, which contains a
number of small island.
History
This small
group of islands has a place in Pacific history, as being used by
the Japanese, before American forces occupied the area. The French
Frigate Shoals were not used by the Japanese Fleet for the attack
on Pearl Harbor. Having come into classified
U.S. Navy Information with the fall of Wake Island on
23 December 1941,
the Japanese decided to utilize the atoll for seaplane refueling
and rendezvous, as it was unoccupied by the Americans at the time.
Flying Boat Raid
Refueling of two Kawanishi
H8K flying boats took place at the French Frigate Shoals during
the night of
3 March 1942 before their Raid
on Oahu. Submarines I-15 and I-19 were designated the refuelers,
and each carried 10-tons of aviation gasoline. I-26 was to accompany
them and act as an alternate refueler and picket vessel. I-15 and
I-19 would shell any U.S. observation posts they found and enter
the
lagoon to await the two flying boats. The flagship of the flotilla,
I-19, was to be posted about 700 miles southwest of Oahu at "Point
M" and was to broadcast a radio beacon for navigational
purposes. I-23 would be stationed about 10 miles south of Pearl
Harbor for weather
observation and rescue purposes should either plane be forced down.
In addition, two submarines were to be located 300 miles northwest
of Wotje Atoll to help guide
the returning raiders to their base. All submarines were to be
on station one day prior to the attack.
American Occupation
After the Americans
gained the knowledge that the area was being used for flyingboats
and
submarines,
they
occupied Tern
Island to prevent any further usage of the shoals by the Japanese.
Tern
Island
The
largest island in the French Frigate Shoals. Occupied by the USN
during WWII. Postwar, the Coast Guard operated from Tern Island for
years. Today, the island is occupied by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service only.
Tern Island Airstrip
Island enlarged during the war for a single runway.
