White terns on Sand Island, Midway Atoll, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (© Tony Ernst)

【January 18 2014】For much of the 20th century, Midway Atoll was occupied by the United States military. Most famously, it was the scene of the 1942 Battle of Midway, a major victory of the U.S. Navy in the Pacific theatre. By 1993, the Navy air station had closed. In 2006, Midway Atoll became part of a fully protected area when President George W. Bush created the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument. The monument was later renamed Papahānaumokuākea to reflect its cultural importance to Native Hawaiians. Biologists have studied the varied wildlife of Midway Atoll for decades. White terns like these two spend their lives on and around Sand Island, the largest plot of land in Midway, diving for small fish in the surrounding waters.Explore breathtaking Gallery from the HuluTrip homepage over the past 5 years..