Ulithi

Ulithi

Ulithi is an atoll in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, about 191 km (103 nautical mi) east of Yap. It consists of 40 islets totalling 4.5 km² (1.75 sq mi), surrounding a lagoon about 30 km (18 mi) long and 15 km (9 mi) wide—at 548 km² (209 sq mi) the fourth largest in the world. It is administered by the state of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia. Ulithi's population was 773 in 2000. There are four inhabited islands on Ulithi Atoll. They are Falalop, Asor, Mogmog, and Fedarai. Falalop is the most accessible with an air strip, a small resort hotel, gas dealership, store and one of three public high schools in Yap state. Mogmog is the seat of the high chief of Ulithi Atoll though each island has its own chief.

There are a few sunken World War II ships in Ulithi lagoon. Some leaked oil, but the United States Navy did a clean up operation in February 2003. There continues to be good fishing and diving on the atoll though recent typhoons have eroded some of the reefs.

Census records can be misleading because population can fluctuate during the year both because it is common for Ulithians to leave for work or school abroad and to return. This is particularly true during festive times like the Outer Island High School graduation ceremony, when the population can increase considerably. Additionally, during events like weddings and funerals, Yasor's population may double.

Electricity is now available on some islands and the advent of video players and cell phones have brought a touch of the outside world to this isolated atoll.

History

The first European to find Ulithi was the Portuguese navigator Diego da Rocha, in 1526.

Ulithi was a major base for the U.S. Navy in World War II. The Japanese had established a radio and weather station early in the war, and had used the lagoon as an anchorage occasionally, which resulted in strikes from US aircraft carriers early in 1944. However, Ulithi was perfectly positioned to act as a staging area, being nearly equidistant from the Philippines, Formosa, and Okinawa.

On September 23, 1944, an army regiment landed unopposed (the Japanese having evacuated the atoll some months earlier), followed a few days later by a battalion of Seabees. The survey ship USS "Sumner" (AGS-5) surveyed the lagoon and reported it capable of holding 700 vessels, and indeed just a few months later, 617 ships had gathered there for the Okinawa operation.

The Japanese still held Yap and there were occasional attacks. On March 11, 1945 the U.S. carrier "Randolph" was hit and moderately damaged at Ulithi by a Kamikaze aircraft that had flown all the way from Japan in a mission called Operation Tan No. 2.

The airstrip on Falalop was developed during World War II and used by the Americans as an air base during their time on the island. During World War II, the local islanders were evacuated to Fedarai by the Americans. The remaining islands were converted and used as bases to support naval vessels and facilities within the lagoon.

References

*Morison, Samuel Eliot. "History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: Leyte". Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1958. Pp. 47–50.
*Arnold, Bruce Makoto. "An Atoll on the Edge of Hell: The U.S. Military's Use of Ulithi During World War II." Unpublished M.A. Thesis, History. Sam Houston State University, 2007.

External links

* [http://community-2.webtv.net/@HH!AA!A7!41C0433C4A5E/ebb26/ULITHI/ Community-2.webtv.net/ebb26/ULITHI] (note factual inconsistencies with Morison)
* [http://www.cse.unr.edu/~arnold/ulithi Ulithi World War II Project]
* [http://www.combinedfleet.com/Tan%20No.%202.htm Account of the March 11, 1945 kamikaze attack on "Randolph".]
* [http://www.habele.org Habele, an educational charity serving Ulithi]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ulithi — Carte d Ulithi. Géographie Pays …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ulithi — bezeichnet eine Gemeinde im Bundesstaat Yap der Föderierten Staaten von Mikronesien, siehe Ulithi (Gemeinde) ein Atoll im Bundesstaat Yap der Föderierten Staaten von Mikronesien, siehe Ulithi (Atoll) Diese Seite ist eine Begriffskl …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ulithi — es un atolón situado en el oeste del Océano Pacífico, a 191 km al este de Yap. Se compone de un total de 40 islotes con una superficie de 4,5 km 2. El archipiélafo contaba con una población de 773 personas en el año 2000 y hay cuatro islas… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Ulithi Adventure Lodge — (Ulithi,Микронезия) Категория отеля: Адрес: Falalop, Ulithi, Post Office, Ya …   Каталог отелей

  • Ulithi (langue) — Ulithi Parlée dans les États fédérés de Micronésie Région Ulithi Nombre de locuteurs 3 000[1] Classification par famille …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ulithi (Atoll) — Vorlage:Infobox Insel/Wartung/Höhe fehlt Ulithi Luftaufnahme des Nordteils, Blickrichtung Westen, mit der Hauptinsel Mogmog im Vordergrund Gewässer Pazif …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ulithi (Gemeinde) — Gemeinde Ulithi Karte von Ulithi Staat Föderierte Staaten von Mikronesien Bundesland Yap Hauptort …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ulithi-Atoll — Das Atoll von oben Das Ulithi Atoll ist ein Atoll im Pazifischen Ozean, das zu den Karolinen gehört, vom Bundesstaat Yap verwaltet wird und etwa 191 km von der Insel Yap entfernt liegt. Die Gesamtfläche liegt bei 4,5 km² und die Einwohnerzahl bei …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ulithi Atoll — ▪ atoll, Micronesia also called  Mackenzie Islands         coral atoll, Federated States of Micronesia, in the western Pacific Ocean. It comprises roughly 40 islets.       Ulithi was probably sighted by the Portuguese in 1526, but it remained… …   Universalium

  • Ulithi Municipality — Admin ASC 2 Code Orig. name Ulithi Municipality Country and Admin Code FM.04.UL FM …   World countries Adminstrative division ASC I-II

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”