Show palmyra island A little circle of islands 5 miles long lying about miles southwest of honolulu hawaii in the pacific is known as palmyra island here inhabitants have lived at various times during history but recently the only denizens have been wildlife including coconut crabs which feed on the coconuts of the tall coconut trees the island has been claimed by both american and british explorers but the united states took it over again with all the territory of hawaii in 1898 until the island was taken over by the navy last december it was considered in the city limits of honolulu nearly 1000 miles distant at the present time the navy has a new air station on the coral rock there |