Burning oil tanks during the Battle of Midway
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Location | Sand Island, Midway Islands, United States Minor Outlying Islands |
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Built | 1941 |
Architect | United States Navy |
NRHP Reference # | 87001302 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP |
May 28, 1987 |
Designated NHLD | May 28, 1987 |
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
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Navy memorial and gooney monument with Laysan albatross chicks
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Location | Midway Atoll |
Area | 1,536 acres (622 ha) |
Established | 1988 |
Governing body | United States Fish & Wildlife Service |
Website | Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial |
Midway Atoll (/ˈmɪdweɪ/; also called Midway Island and Midway Islands; Hawaiian: Pihemanu Kauihelani) is a 2.4-square-mile (6.2 km2) atoll in the North Pacific Ocean at 28°12′N 177°21′W / 28.200°N 177.350°WCoordinates: 28°12′N 177°21′W / 28.200°N 177.350°W. As its name suggests, Midway is roughly equidistant between North America and Asia. Midway Atoll is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States. Midway continues to be the only island in the Hawaiian archipelago that is not part of the state of Hawaii. Unlike the other Hawaiian islands, Midway observes Samoa Time (UTC-11:00, i.e., eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time), which is one hour behind the time in the state of Hawaii. For statistical purposes, Midway is grouped as one of the United States Minor Outlying Islands. The Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, encompassing 590,991.50 acres (239,165.77 ha) of land and water (mostly water) in the surrounding area, is administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The refuge and most of its surrounding area are part of the larger Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.