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Location Lat 0°48′07″N Long 176°38′3″W Howland Island is a coral island north of the equator in the central Pacific Ocean at the northern end of the Phoenix Islands (Rawaki). Today, Howland Island is a Minor Outlying Island (Unincorporated Unorganized Territory) of the United States of America (USA). The nearest island is Baker Island located 68km to the south. Honolulu is roughly 1,670 nautical miles to the northeast. Prewar In 1935, a settlement named Itascatown was established at the center of the west coast of Howland Island to solidify the U.S. territorial claim for the location. The colonists included Richard Whaley, Joe Keliihananui, Thomas Bederman and Elvin Matson. With funding from the U.S. government under the Works Progress Administration (WPA), an unpaved landing ground for aircraft known as Kamakaiwi Airfield was built in hopes it would be used by commercial planes for refueling or emergency landings. On July 2, 1937 at 10:00am Lockheed Model 10E Electra 1055 piloted by Amelia Earhart with navigator Fred Noonan took off from Lae Airfield on a flight bound for Kamakaiwi Airfield on Howland Island. During the flight, she was in radio contact with USCG Itasca but never reached the destination and went missing. Wartime History At the start of the Pacific War, four American civilian colonists were living on Howland Island: Richard Whaley, Joe Keliihananui, Thomas Bederman and Elvin Matson. On December 4, 1941 Japanese submarines RO-64 and RO-68 patrol off Howland Island to screen for any American ships in the vicinity. On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War, Japanese twin engined aircraft bomb Howland Island and destroyed the buildings of Itascatown and killed Richard Whaley and Joe Keliihahanui. That same day, Japanese submarine RO-64 conducts a periscope reconnaissance of the island and remains in the area. On December 10, 1941 Japanese submarine RO-64 is ordered to destroy the remaining facilities but due to rough seas and believing the submarine was spotted decides not to send a landing party ashore. On December 11, 1941 at 5:00am Japanese submarine RO-64 commences an hour long shore bombardment from 2,200 yards away targeting the wireless and weather station, barracks and the local lighthouse then departs. On December 14, 1941 Japanese submarine RO-63 reconnoiters Howland. On December 15, 1941 the submarine repeats the same reconnaissance. For the remainder of the month, a single bomber returned twice during the following weeks and dropped more bombs on the rubble of Itascatown. Japanese missions against Howland December 1941 On January 31, 1942 the two reamaining colonists were evacuated by a U.S. Navy destroyer. During September 1943, Howland was occupied by a U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) battalion. After 1944, all American personnel are withdrawn and the island was abandoned. Today In the early 1950s, the graves of Whaley and Keliihananui in Itascatown were exhumed and transported to Hawaii and buried at Schofield Barracks cemetery. Later, both were permanently burial at Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery in section 42-B site 12 with individual grave markers. In 1974 the island became the Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge, part of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument system managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of the 455 acre and the surrounding 32,074 acres of submerged land. The island is visited every two years by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Kamakaiwi Airfield Built in the 1930s, damaged during the war Earhart Light (Howland Island Light) The Earhart Light is a beacon made of stone, bricks and concrete on the west coast near the center of Howland Island. Also known as the Howland Island Light. This navigational landmark was built in 1937 and is named for Amelia Earhart who was lost attempting to fly to the island. Damaged during the war, it was rebuilt in 1963 by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) as part of a nationwide observance of Earhart's 65th birthday. The site includes a concrete sign that reads "Earhart Light 1937". Sine then, it has again fallen into disrepair. References FindAGrave - Richard “Dicky” Kanani Whaley (grave photos) FindAGrave - Joseph “Joe” Kealoha Keliihananui (grave photo) Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge part of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument system Contribute
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