No Man's Land Island
No Man's Land Island is an uninhabited U.S. territory, 628 acres in size, located in Dukes County, Massachusetts. It is the southernmost point of that state, situated about three miles off the southwest corner of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.
An airfield was constructed by the U.S. Navy on the southern edge of the island between November 1942 and 1944 and the island was used during World War II as a practice area for bombers. Two ICAO codes, R4105A and R4105B, correspond to this airfield. The airfield was abandoned by the U.S. Navy sometime between 1945 and 1954, though usage as a bombing range continued until 1996.
The eastern third of the island has been managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service since 1975. Following an effort to clear the island of ordinance in 1997 and 1998, the entire island was transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for use as a wildlife refuge, primarily for migratory birds.
As the possibility of unexploded ordinance is still large, access is not permitted and the island is closed to the public.
External links
- No Man's Land Island on Mapquest.com – zoom out to see its location with Martha's Vineyard
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife page for No Man's Island