Editing Wake Island (section)

==U.S. National Historic Landmark and NRHP==
{{Infobox NRHP
| name                 = Wake Island
| nrhp_type            = nhl
| image                = 98 rock, Wake Island.jpg
| image_size           = 240px
| caption              = The "98 Rock" on Wilkes Island was carved by a World War II American civilian POW before his execution by Japanese Admiral [[Shigematsu Sakaibara]].
| location             = Pacific Ocean
| designated_nrhp_type = September 16, 1985
| added                = September 16, 1985
| refnum               = 85002726
}}

In the early 1980s, the [[National Park Service]] evaluated Wake Island to determine if the [[World War II]] (WWII) cultural resources remaining on Wake, Wilkes, and Peale were of national historical significance. As a result of this survey, Wake Island was designated as a [[National Historic Landmark]] on September 16, 1985, helping preserve sites and artifacts on the atoll associated with World War II in the Pacific and the transpacific aviation era before the war. As a National Historic Landmark, Wake Island was also included in the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nhlsum">{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=4&ResourceType=Building|title=Wake Island|access-date=October 2, 2007|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service|archive-date=November 1, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101050912/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=4&ResourceType=Building|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Wake Jun 15 061 (18906143508).jpg|thumb|Pillbox bunker on the atoll]]
[[File:Wake Atoll National Historic Landmark.jpg|thumb|World War II gun emplacement in the 21st century]]

Historic items at the island include:<ref name="oceanexplorer.noaa.gov">{{Cite web |last=US Department of Commerce |first=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title=Deepwater Wonders of Wake: Wake Island and Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Management: NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research |url=https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1606/background/monument-mgmt/welcome.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007221306/https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1606/background/monument-mgmt/welcome.html |archive-date=October 7, 2023 |access-date=October 6, 2023 |website=oceanexplorer.noaa.gov}}</ref>
*Several old shipwrecks, including at least six vessels from World War II and the remains of several sailing vessels
*Bunkers and items from World War II US and Japanese military bases, such as pill boxes, bunkers, and gun emplacements
*Additional cultural items from prisoners of war, memorials, and other structures
*World War II aircraft underwater in the reefs

There is also danger of [[unexploded ordinance]] (UXO) on the atolls and submerged in reefs.<ref name="oceanexplorer.noaa.gov"/> The island was surveyed in 2010 for historical items and structures, and during that time, various UXOs were encountered and destroyed.<ref name="Conserving the Monuments of Wake Island-2014">{{Cite web|url=https://questrunning.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/conserving-the-monuments-of-wake-island/|title=Conserving the Monuments of Wake Island|date=May 12, 2014|access-date=October 6, 2023|archive-date=October 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007221308/https://questrunning.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/conserving-the-monuments-of-wake-island/|url-status=live}}</ref> One issue with many of the structures was that the salty sea air caused corrosion on the reinforced concrete buildings and gun emplacements.<ref name="Conserving the Monuments of Wake Island-2014"/>

In 2011, anthropological work discovered several more human remains on the island, at the site of the POW execution.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stripes.com/news/search-for-closure-accurate-account-of-wake-island-massacre-continues-1.166538|title=Search for closure, accurate account of Wake Island massacre continues|website=Stars and Stripes|access-date=October 6, 2023|archive-date=October 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007221306/https://www.stripes.com/news/search-for-closure-accurate-account-of-wake-island-massacre-continues-1.166538|url-status=live}}</ref> The island was the initial burial site for American and Japanese dead from World War II.<ref name="Stars and Stripes" /> One of the issues with the human remains from the 1943 massacre was that they were buried, then dug up and reburied, then dug up again and reburied at Peacock Point in August 1945 in mass graves; those were exhumed yet again after the war and moved to the United States National Cemetery of the Pacific. At the national cemetery, both those who died during the battle for Wake or as POWs were interred and honored with a ceremony in 1953 in Hawaii.<ref name="usni.org" />

There are many memorials to historic events on the island.<ref name="www.15wing.af.mil">{{Cite web |title=11th AF Det. 1 Wake Island |url=https://www.15wing.af.mil/Units/11th-AF-Det-1-Wake-Island/ |access-date=October 14, 2023 |website=15wing.af.mil |archive-date=October 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231016024134/https://www.15wing.af.mil/Units/11th-AF-Det-1-Wake-Island/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Memorials and historical sites include the 98 rock, Nitro rock, Wake Defenders Memorial, Harry Morrison and Civilian Construction Memorial, Japanese Memorial, Historical Command Post, Historical Aircraft Revetments, 8" Peale Island Gun, Pan Am Hotel and seaplane base remains.<ref name="www.15wing.af.mil" /> The islands are also noted for nature, including about 40,000 birds of 12 different types.<ref name="www.15wing.af.mil" /> One of the noted locations is Drifter's Reef Bar for those stationed on the island.<ref name="www.15wing.af.mil" />

<gallery widths="180px" heights="200px" perrow="4">
File:Wake island WWII Civilian memorial.JPG|Civilian POW memorial
File:98 rock, Wake Island.jpg|Rock inscribed by POW trying to record the POW massacre
File:USMC-17673.jpg|Memorial to the defenders of Wake in World War II
</gallery>

===Shipwrecks===
[[File:Amakasu Maru No.1.jpg|thumb|A sunken Japanese vessel near Wake atoll]]
[[File:Suwa Maru-06.jpg|thumb|The Wreck of the Japanese Ship Suwa Maru, as seen in 1954]]
Shipwrecks on or very near Wake Atoll:

*1866 [[Libelle (barque)|''Libelle'']]
*August 31, 1870, the British tea clipper ''Dashing Wave''
*December 8, 1941 
**[[SS Suremico|''Nisqually'']] scow sunk in air attack<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usmm.org/pacific.html#anchor446443 |title=US ships lost in the Pacific during World War II |publisher=USMM.org |access-date=January 3, 2014 |archive-date=November 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113165242/https://www.usmm.org/pacific.html#anchor446443 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
*December 11, 1941
**[[Japanese destroyer Hayate (1925)|''Hayate'']], sunk by shore battery<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livescience.com/55716-scientists-explore-sunken-wwii-warship.html|title=Scientists Dive to WWII-Era Japanese Warship: How to Watch Live|first=Kacey|last=Deamerpublished|date=August 10, 2016|website=livescience.com|access-date=October 6, 2023|archive-date=October 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007221308/https://www.livescience.com/55716-scientists-explore-sunken-wwii-warship.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
**[[Japanese destroyer Kisaragi (1925)|''Kisaragi'']] sunk during attack by aircraft bomb
**Japanese submarine sunk by aircraft near Wake
*December 23, 1941
**Patrol Boat No. 32 (see [[No.31-class patrol boat|''No.31''-class patrol boat]])   
**Patrol Boat No. 33 (see [[No.31-class patrol boat|''No.31''-class patrol boat]])
*February 1942, three Japanese patrol boats were sunk, and a 4-engine patrol aircraft was shot down 5 miles east of Wake.<ref name="nnhc1"/>
*''Amaske Maru'' (sunk December 24, 1942)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nauticos.com/world-war-two-shipwreck-discovered/|title=World War Two Shipwreck Discovered! – Nauticos, LLC|first=David|last=Jourdan|date=August 11, 2016|access-date=October 6, 2023|archive-date=October 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007221308/https://nauticos.com/world-war-two-shipwreck-discovered/|url-status=live}}</ref>
*''[[Suwa Maru]]'' (In March 1943, it was struck by a torpedo and grounded on the island, later destroyed)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ship Wreck Suwa Maru - Wake Island - TracesOfWar.com |url=https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/105342/Ship-Wreck-Suwa-Maru.htm |website=tracesofwar.com |access-date=October 6, 2023 |archive-date=October 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007221306/https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/105342/Ship-Wreck-Suwa-Maru.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?138629]</ref>
*SS RC Stoner oil tanker, September 5, 1967 (ran aground)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-74000/NH-74180.html|title=NH 74180 SS R.C. STONER, a Standard Oil Tanker|website=NHHC|access-date=June 4, 2024|archive-date=June 4, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240604181230/https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-74000/NH-74180.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In addition to shipwrecks, there are at least 21 World War II aircraft lost around Wake.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 23, 2020 |title=The Battle of Wake Island: Nation's Morale Lifted in 1941 |url=https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/battle-of-wake-island-1941 |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=The National WWII Museum {{!}} New Orleans |language=en |archive-date=October 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231013123609/https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/battle-of-wake-island-1941 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Another example of an air wreck is a USN [[Lockheed EC-130|Lockheed EC-130Q Hercules]] (156176) that crashed into the water {{convert|1.5|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Wake on June 21, 1977, during its takeoff climb.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed EC-130Q Hercules 156176 Wake Island Airport (AWK) |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19770621-1 |access-date=October 27, 2023 |website=aviation-safety.net |archive-date=November 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231106222943/https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19770621-1 |url-status=live }}</ref>