Aguijan

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Aguijan is a small bean-shaped coralline island in the Northern Mariana Islands chain situated 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) southwest of Tinian, from which it is separated by the Tinian Channel. It is only 7.09 km² (2.738 sq mi) in size and is nicknamed Goat Island due to the large number of feral goats present there. Much of the native vegetation on Aguijan has been destroyed by goats.

Aguijan is uninhabited and is seldom visited because it is surrounded by sheer steep cliffs. However, a 2002 survey of the island did find a handful of native species there, including the Mariana Fruit Bat, the Polynesian sheath-tailed bat and the Micronesian megapode Megapodius laperouse.

During World War II, the Japanese maintained a garrison on Aguijan. This garrison is noteworthy because of its surrender to U.S. forces September 4, 1945, two days after the surrender of the Empire of Japan on the USS Missouri. The surrender is unique because it was the only surrender hosted by a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter, USCG 83525. A US Navy admiral received the surrender of a Japanese Imperial Army second lieutenant.

Aguijan and neighboring Tinian Island together form Tinian Municipality, one of the four main political divisions that comprise the Northern Marianas.

References

• Daily Chronology of Coast Guard History: September 4
• Aguijan Island: Block Group 5, Census Tract 9501, Tinian Municipality, United States Census Bureau
• Pascal Horst Lehne and Christoph Gäbler: Über die Marianen. Lehne-Verlag, Wohldorf in Germany 1972. and Aguijan
• Google: Aguijan

From the website http://www.uscg83footers.org/new_page_8.htm - Vessel corrected to be the Coast Guard Cutter 83525 Researched by Larry Richter, USCG Ret

v t e  Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands Saipan (capital) Topics The archipelago Geography Politics Economy Campaign Radio stations Television stations Islands Agrihan (Agrigan) Aguijan (Agiguan) Alamagan Anatahan Asuncion Farallon de Medinilla Farallon de Pajaros (Uracas) Guguan Mañagaha Maug Islands (Ma'ok) Pagan Rota (Luta) Saipan Sarigan Tinian Zealandia Bank Municipalities Northern Islands Municipality Rota Saipan Tinian

Coordinates: 14°51′07″N 145°33′38″E / 14.85194°N 145.56056°E / 14.85194; 145.56056

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