Information about the history of Midway Island
on Midway Island in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands.
1800's
1859 July 5
Captain N.C. Brooks of the Hawaiian Bark Gambia is the first Westerner
to record the atoll. Islands were named "Middlebrook Islands".
1867 August 28
Captain William Reynolds of the USS Lackawanna takes possession of the
atoll for the United States. Midway becomes the first offshore islands
annexed by the U.S. government.
1900's
1903 January 20
Due to recurring complaints of Japanese squatters and poachers, President
Theodore Roosevelt places the atoll under the control of the Navy.
20 April 1903
Commercial Pacific Cable Company's first contingent arrives on island.
June 1903
U.S. Navy ejects Japanese poachers and squatters and appoints Commercial
Pacific Cable Company as island custodians.
4 July 1903
The first "around the world" cable message was sent via Midway by President
Roosevelt. The message took nine minutes.
12 April 1935
Pan American World Airways sets up an air base for weekly Trans-Pacific
Flying Clipper Seaplane service.
March 1940
Private contractors start construction of the runways on Eastern and other
infrastructure on Sand Island in preparation for possible hostilities.
1 August 1941
U.S. Naval Air Station Midway is commissioned.
7 December 1941
Two Japanese destroyers, the "Midway Neutralization Unit," shelled Midway.
Four men were killed, including the war's first Marine Corps recipient of
the Medal of Honor, Lieutenant George Cannon.
3-6 June 1942
Japanese launched an attack against Midway in the hope of engaging and
destroying the U.S. aircraft carriers and occupying Midway. U.S. Fleet
aircraft ambush the Japanese Fleet north of the islands inflicting heavy
losses (four aircraft carriers), thus turning the tide of the War in the
Pacific.
15 July 1942
The submarine base at Midway is commissioned. The base was of great strategic
importance in the entire Pacific arena and of operational importance to
submarines based at Pearl Harbor.
1955-1965
Midway plays host to squadrons of Super Constellation "Willy Victor" radar
aircraft and crews that played the role of the eyes and ears of the Nation
forming the Distant Early Warning line in coordination with radar picket ships.
8 June 1969
U.S. President Nixon and South Vietnam President Thieu conduct secret
meetings in the Midway House - the Commanding Officer's residence.
October 1978
Naval Air Station Midway re-designated Naval Air Facility and dependents
begin to depart. As many as 5,000 personnel and dependents were stationed
here at the height of the Cold and Vietnam Wars.
23 November 1985
Pan American B747 "China Clipper II" visits Midway to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of the first China Clipper flight.
22 April 1988
Midway Atoll is designated as an overlay National Wildlife Refuge.
30 September 1993
Naval Air Facility Midway is "operationally closed" and the Navy initiates
plans for environmental cleanup of the atoll.
August 1995
Battle of Midway Memorial erected and dedicated on Sand Island.
31 October 1996
President Clinton signs Executive Order 13022 transferring jurisdiction of
Midway Atoll from the U.S. Navy to the Department of the Interior. The U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service manages Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.
3 April 1997
Secretary of the Navy John Dalton presents the "key to Midway" (in the
shape of a Laysan Albatross) to Interior Assistant Secretary Bonnie Cohen.
In his speech, Secretary Dalton celebrated "trading guns for goonies" on Midway Atoll.
30 June 1997
The last U.S. Navy personnel stationed on Midway Atoll depart.
2000's
13 September 2000
Lands and waters of Midway Atoll NWR designated as the Battle of Midway
National Memorial.
4-7 June 2002
Veterans commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the historic Battle of
Midway on Sand Island.
15 June 2006
President George Bush establishes Papahanaumokuakea Marine National
Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, including Midway Atoll
NWR and the Battle of Midway National Memorial.
4 June 2007
Veterans commemorate the 65th Anniversary of the historic Battle of Midway
on Sand Island.
4 June 2012
Veterans commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the historic Battle of Midw
Resources
Friends of Midway Atoll NWR "Timeline" Article
Introduction to the NW Hawaiian Islands
All of the Hawaiian Islands
Visitor Destinations in Hawaii
Hawaii for Visitors
