Gilbert and Ellice Islands atolls and coral islands in the western Pacific Ocean that are recognised as part of the Micronesia subregion of Oceania. The Gilbert Islands are the main part of what is now Republic of Kiribati ("Kiribati" is the Gilbertese rendition of "Gilberts") The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands are arranged in an approximate north-to-south line. In a geographical sense, the equator serves as the dividing line between the northern Gilbert Islands and the southern Gilbert Islands. The Ellice Islands are south of the Gilbert Islands. The Ellice Islands comprises three reef islands and six true atolls spread out between
United States Army Air Forces in the Central Pacific Area HAWAII ISLAND KAUAI ISLAND MOLOKAI ISLAND OAHU ISLAND JOHNSTON ATOLL LINE ISLANDS MARIANA ISLANDS GUAM ISLAND SAIPAN ISLAND TINIAN ISLAND MARSHALL ISLANDS MIDWAY ISLANDS .* Detachments deployed for use in Battle of Midway PHOENIX ISLANDS RYUKYU ISLANDS VOLCANO ISLANDS 1, United States Army Air Forces in the Central Pacific Area During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces engaged in combat against the Empire of Japan in the Central Pacific Area. As defined by the War Department, this consisted of most of the Pacific Ocean and its islands, excluding the Philippines, Australia, the Netherlands East Indies, the Territory