Despite their importance to the overall island-hopping campaign of the Central Pacific in World War II, the accomplishments of American airmen, U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy Seabees operating out of airstrips on isolated coral atolls in what was 70 years ago known as the Ellice and Gilbert Islands remains largely unheralded. With rare photographs from the archives of the U.S. Army Air Forces, this book tells the little-known story of American servicemen who flew the planes, kept the planes flying, built and guarded the airstrips, and overcame huge supply and logistical challenges that ultimately led to the Allied victory in the Pacific.