——onnarE™. WAKE 19°18'N 166°38'E General Wake Island is an atoll about 2,000 nautical miles west of Honolulu. It has been owned by the United States since 1899. Wake lies about midway between Japan and Hawaii, and serves as a major airline stop-over and fueling station. The Island is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Agency. Military activity is limited to operations of the Military Airlift Command, and those of Search and Rescue. Physical Data and Wake, The Wake Island atoll consists of three islets, Peale, Wilkes, which encloses a lagoon on three sides. Each arm of V-shaped Wake Island is about three (3) miles long by one-half mile wide. (See map, next page.) Smaller Peale and Wilkes Islands are approximately 1-1/2 miles long and one third mile wide. The average land elevation is about 12 feet. The atoll encloses a 1-1/2 «x 4 miles shallow lagoon. A steep coral reef completely surrounds the islands, including the northwestern end of the lagoon and is broken by a channel only on the southwestern side between Wilkes and Wake Islands. This narrow channel leads to an 800 x 270 ft. boat basin within the lagoon. Vegetation is limited to about 20 species and includes bushes, low shrubs and several different kinds of grasses. Sea birds include terns, boobies, petrels, frigate and red-tailed tropic birds. A bird sanctuary is on the western end of Wilkes Island. Climate Easterly winds are most frequent from May to October during the warmer months, but change their direction to east northeasterlies from November through April. Twelve to fifteen mph average wind velocities occur with variations throughout the year. Typhoons (over 64 knots) occur about one in 5 years, the latest in September 1967, causing extensive damage to facilities and family housing. The highest and lowest extreme temperatures recorded for the dry season from December through Juneare 64°F and 90°F, and during the wet season May through October temperatures have been recorded at 65°F and 95°F. The mean annual temperature is 80°F. The annual relative humidity is 75 percent and varies from a low of 66 toa high of 82 percent. The annual precipitation averages about 39 inches, with monthly figures ranging from a January average of 1. 14 inches in the dry season to 7.08 inches in August. Facilities The 9,850 x 150 ft. airstrip, including aircraft servicing facilities, accommodates daily PAA, TAL, MAC, and chartered flights between Hawaii and the Far East. Communications include one 4-channel multiplex system to Honolulu; one duplex system provides radio-teletype communications to Guam and Honolulu; radio-telegraph to Japan; and teletype and crypto services to Honolulu. Lighters must be used to unload ships in the dock area. A 7 and 14 ton crane are furnished by FAA for loading and unloading purposes. Pacific Far East Lines deliver supplies by ship on a monthly basis. Mid Pac Operators deliver fuel by tankers on a regular schedule. The FAA has no extra housing or messing facilities for transients, however, the contractor for MAC might be able to provide them on a temporary basis. Limited hospital facilities are available. GoniDOnihcem, 28-1 April 1968 VOL II