Midway Atoll
Photo: cnn.com
In 1867, Captain William Reynolds formally took possession of Midway Atoll for the United States. While it was acquired as part of the Guano Act, a lack of guano led to the U.S. attempting to settle the island.
That didn’t exactly go according to plan. However, the United States realized that Midway’s ideal location made it a perfect refueling spot for U.S. military planes heading to Asia. Indeed, the United States military deemed Midway to be nearly as important as Pearl Harbor during World War II.
As such, the Japanese attacked Midway the same day that they attacked Pearl Harbor. The victory that American forces achieved that day is considered to be the first U.S. victory over Japanese forces in WW II. Subsequent victories near Midway helped the U.S. bring an end to the Japanese Navy’s reign of dominance in the Pacific.
Since then, innovations in aerial technology limited the necessity of Midway as a fueling depot. In 1996, President Bill Clinton transferred control of the Island to the Department of the Interior. It was soon converted into a wildlife refuge.