Henderson Field — Sand Island, United States Minor Outlying Islands

MDY designates Henderson Field on Sand Island, part of Midway Atoll in the United States Minor Outlying Islands. Built by the US Navy before World War II, the airfield became internationally famous as the staging ground for the June 1942 Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Pacific War. Today Midway Atoll is managed as the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge under the US Fish and Wildlife Service, home to one of the world's largest albatross colonies. Civilian access to MDY is extremely restricted, generally limited to refuge staff, researchers, and occasional authorized visitors rather than commercial travelers. The runway remains maintained for emergency diversions and government use, but Henderson Field functions nothing like a typical public airport.