Island Commander

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An Island Commander is an official who is put in charge of an island, or an insular entity called after an island or an archipelago called Islands.

The United States have used the title for several of its insular possessions, considered too small to have a higher official such as a (Lieutenant) Governor.

  • two of the three islands that previously had been under the two consecutive Heads of the Baker, Howland and Jarvis Colonization Scheme, 1935 - 7 February 1942 (Jarvis Island only had an international Station Chief afterwards):
    • Baker Island : September 1943 - May 1944 (incumbents unknown); September 1943 - May 1944 it was occupied by U.S. military forces (Baker Naval Air Station), since 27 June 1974 it is administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as Baker and Howland Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
    • Johnston Atoll 1934-2003; on 1 January 2004 the island was turned over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as Johnston Atoll Wildlife Refuge
  • Midway Islands June 1940 - 31 October 1996; since administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as Midway Island National Wildlife Refuge
  • Palmyra Atoll November 1939 - 1947 while occupied by U.S. military forces; since 15 August 1941 it harbours Palmyra U.S. Naval Air Station

[edit] Sources and references

World Statesmen - U.S. possessions