Baker Island

Baker Island

Minor Outlying Island | United States

Baker Island is an uninhabited atoll located just north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean about 3,100 km (1,670 nm) southwest of Honolulu. The island is almost half way between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbor is Howland Island 68km to the north.

In 1935, an attempt at colonization was begun named Meyerton, as well as on nearby Howland Island.

Wartime History
The settlement had a population of four American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and naval attacks. Later, the USS Princeton CVL-23 was flagship for the invasion of Baker Island from September 1-14, 1943. An enemy H8K2 Emily was shot down by and aircraft off of CVL-23.

Baker Island Airfield

Construction
A single runway was constructed by the US Navy begining on September 1, 1943.

Wartime Usage
USAAF P-40's were stationed on Baker Island. Army and Navy aircraft of Task Force 57 (Rear Admiral J. H. Hoover), including aircraft based on Baker attack Japanese bases in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands on November 13-19, 1943.

Today
After the war, the island was left uninhabited. The island is now a National Wildlife Refuge managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as an insular area under the U.S. Department of the Interior. Baker Island is an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the U.S..

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