Editing Howland Island (section)

===Japanese attacks during World War II===
A [[Empire of Japan|Japan]]ese air attack on {{nowrap|December 8, 1941}}, by 14 twin-engined [[Mitsubishi G3M]] "Nell" bombers of [[Chitose Air Group|Chitose Kōkūtai]], from Kwajalein islands, killed colonists Richard "Dicky" Kanani Whaley and Joseph Kealoha Keliʻihananui.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hirsh |first=Heidi |title=The Hui Panalāʻau Story of the Equatorial Pacific Islands of Howland, Baker, and Jarvis: 1935–1942 |url=https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1705/background/jarvis/welcome.html |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=NOAA Ocean Exploration |language=EN-US}}</ref> The raid came one day after the Japanese attack on [[Pearl Harbor]]. It damaged the three airstrips of Kamakaiwi Field. Two days later, shelling from a Japanese submarine destroyed what was left of the colony's buildings.<ref>{{harvnb|Butler|1997|p=419}}</ref> A single bomber returned twice during the following weeks and dropped more bombs on the rubble. The two survivors were finally evacuated by the {{USS|Helm|DD-388|6}}, a U.S. Navy destroyer, on {{nowrap|January 31, 1942}}. Thomas Bederman, one of the two survivors, later recounted his experience during the incident in a {{nowrap|March 9, 1942}} edition of ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ck4EAAAAMBAJ&q=thomas+bederman+howland+island&pg=PA54|title=LIFE |date=1942-03-09|publisher=Time Inc|language=en}}</ref> Howland was occupied by a [[battalion]] of the [[United States Marine Corps]] in September{{spaces}}1943 and was known as Howland Naval Air Station until May{{spaces}}1944.<ref>{{cite report |title=Coral Reef Ecosystem Monitoring Report for the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, 2000–2017 |chapter=Chapter 7: Howland Island |publisher=NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |year=2019 |type=PIFSC Special Publication SP-19-006g |last1=Brainard |first1=Russell E. |last2=Acoba |first2=Tomoko |last3=Asher |first3=Megan A.M. |last4=Asher |first4=Jacob M. |last5=Ayotte |first5=Paula M. |last6=Barkley |first6=Hannah C. |last7=DesRochers |first7=Annette |last8=Dove |first8=Dayton |last9=Halperin |first9=Ariel A. |last10=Huntington |first10=Brittany |last11=Kindinger |first11=Tye L. |last12=Lichowski |first12=Frances |last13=Lino |first13=Kevin C. |last14=McCoy |first14=Kaylyn S. |last15=Oliver |first15=Thomas |last16=Pomeroy |first16=Noah |last17=Suka |first17=Rhonda |last18=Timmers |first18=Molly |last19=Vargas-Ángel |first19=Bernardo |last20=Venegas |first20=Roberto M. |last21=Wegley Kelly |first21=Linda |last22=Williams |first22=Ivor D. |last23=Winston |first23=Morgan |last24=Young |first24=Charles W. |last25=Zamzow |first25=Jill |display-authors=3 |page=13 |doi=10.25923/7k72-t460}}</ref>

All attempts at habitation were abandoned after 1944. Colonization projects on the other four islands, also disrupted by the war, were abandoned.<ref>[http://www.worldstatesmen.org/US_minor.html "Howland Island."] ''worldstatesmen.org.'' Retrieved: October 10, 2010.</ref> No aircraft is known to have landed on the island, though anchorages nearby were used by float planes and flying boats during World War II. For example, on {{nowrap|July 10, 1944}}, a U.S. Navy [[Martin PBM Mariner|Martin PBM-3-D Mariner]] flying boat (BuNo 48199), piloted by William Hines, had an engine fire and made a forced landing in the ocean off Howland. Hines beached the aircraft, and though it burned, the crew were unharmed, rescued by the {{USCGC|Balsam|WLB-62|6}}, transferred to a subchaser, and taken to Canton Island.<ref>[http://www.vpnavy.com/vp16_mishap.html "Report 48199."] ''vpnavy.org.'' Retrieved: October 10, 2010.</ref>