Lat 6° 7' 60N Long 171° 55' 0E  Second to Kwajalein, Mili has the most land area of the Marshallese atolls.

Prior to WWII, this island was considered part of Caroline Islands. Mili was only a small lookout, radio direction finding and weather station. Developed into a base later in the war, when Japanese resources were being stretched. The base development is characterised by a relative absence of large concrete structures, such as command buildings, power stations or bunkers.

American Missions Against Mili
June 17, 1943 - August 30, 1944

Mili was the target of eighteen months of bombing by US aircraft. All supply lines to Mili were cut off, and the Japanese garrison was left to starve. Of the originally 5,100 strong Japanese garrison (2,600 Navy, 2,500 Army,) only 2,500 (50%) survived. Casualties occurred from air raids, diseases, accidents, and suicides, but mainly from starvation. The Japanese garrison became the firstt Pacific island to surrender, on August 22, 1945, eleven days before the formal surrender.

The perimeter of the island, especially the ocean side, bristled with guns, which were a mixture of British and Japanese manufacture: 8 6" and 3 x 14cm coastal defense guns, 4 x 127mm dual purpose guns, 2 x 10cm mortars, 35 heavy and over 70 light anti-aircraft guns as well as an assortment of small guns.

Mili Airfield
Built by the Japanese, still in use today for local air service.

P-39Q Airacobra 42-19469
Pilot Empey crashed January 16, 1944

B-25D Mitchell 41-30613
Pilot Johnston Shot down January 19, 1944

Plunger at Mili
The next successful lifeguard mission was performed by PLUNGER (Lieutenant Commander R. H. Bass) during "Operation Galvanic" the invasion of the Gilberts. Stationed off Mili, PLUNGER rescued one aviator. This fighter pilot had been downed near Knox Island, a small atoll not far from Mili. PLUNGER raced to the spot at four-engine speed. The aviator was clinging to a yellow rubber lifeboat. As the submarine drew near, a Jap Zero plummeted out of the clouds and skimmed the conning tower with guns blazing. The rescue party was not yet on deck, but there were about a dozen men on the bridge, including the skipper, the exec, the gunnery officer, the quartermaster, an electrician and four lookouts. Six were wounded when a 20-mm shell hit the superstructure and exploded, spraying the bridge with shrapnel. The wounded were rushed below, the bridge was cleared, and Bass ordered a quick dive. PLUNGER went deep, then planed up to periscope depth. The Zero had disappeared; the American aviator was 50 yards away. Sighting the periscope, he waved cheerfully and dug in with the oars, rowing toward the submarine. So PLUNGER rose to the occasion to take aboard Lieutenant (jg) F. G. Schwartz, USNR. Bass then set a course for Makin, where the wounded were transferred to the transport LEONARD WOOD. Fortunately all of the injured recovered and with seven rescues to concern by the time of the Marshall Islands campaign.