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| Location Lat 23° 45' N Long 166° 10' W The French Frigate Shoals are located in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. (Leeward Islands) of Hawaii in the United States. The Shoals are a 20 mile long crescent shaped atoll with fringing coral reef. The atoll includes twelve islands, the largest is Tern Island. To the east is Necker Island. To the northwest is Gardner Island. Surrounded by a fringing coral reef and the Pacific Ocean. In Hawaiian known as Kānemilohaʻi. Before 1924 also known as French Frigates Shoal until the name French Frigate Shoals was adopted by the U.S. Geographic Board. Prewar The French Frigate Shoals were first discovered on November 5, 1786 by French explorer Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse when his frigate Broussole with Astrolabe while sailing from Monterey westward across the Pacific Ocean bound for Macao. They named the location Basse des Frégates Françaises (Shoal of the French Frigates) and explored the southeastern portion and create a map that was used to create the first published map in 1797. They also discovered a volcanic rock with an elevation of 122' was was later name La Perouse Pinnacle in honor of the explorer. In 1924 the name French Frigate Shoals was formerly adopted for the area. Wartime History On December 7, 1941 the French Frigate Shoals was not used by the Japanese during the attack on Pearl Harbor and Oahu. On December 23, 1941 after the surrender of Wake Island the Japanese captured classified U.S. Navy information that revealed the French Frigate Shoals were unoccupied. With this knowledge, the Japanese decided to utilize the French Frigate Shoals as a landing area for flying boats where they would be refueled by submarines for a second attack against Oahu. Flying Boat Raid On March 3, 1942 during the night two Kawanishi H8K flying boats landed at French Frigate Shoals and were refueled by Japanese submarines I-15 and I-19 each transporting 10 tons of aviation gasoline. I-26 was to accompany them and act as a picket and an alternate for refueling. Meanwhile, I-15 and I-19 would shell any U.S. observation posts found then enter the lagoon to await the pair of flying boats. Meanwhile other submarines were on station the day before the attack to support the operation including I-19 (flagship), I-23 plus two other submarines. I-19 was to be at "Point M" roughly 700 miles southwest of Oahu to broadcast a radio beacon for navigational purposes. I-23 would be stationed about 10 miles south of Pearl Harbor for weather observation and rescue purposes if either plane was forced down. In addition, two submarines were to be located 300 miles northwest of Wotje Atoll to help guide the returning flying boats to base. When the Americans realized the Shoals were being used by enemy flying boats and submarines, the U.S. Navy occupied Tern Island to prevent any further usage by the enemy. On March 15, 1943 Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, French Frigate Shoals was established at this location. On April 3, 1942 light minelayers USS Pruitt (DM-22), USS Preble (DM-20), USS Sicard (DM-21), and USS Tracy (DM-19) mine the French Frigate Shoals to prevent Japanese submarines from using the area as a refueling point for flying boat raids. Today in the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. References French Frigate Shoals Contribute Information Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated April 4, 2026 |
 January 1945 Map Fallingrain |
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