One thing I remember is approaching Canton Island and my dad telling me about its role during World War II.
It was an incredible looking place, a ring of land with a lagoon in the middle. I asked my mother if they could just leave me there. She said no, but I wonder how many times she regretted that response.
After WWII, in November 1946, Pan Am resumed service to Australia and New Zealand via Kanton with Douglas DC-4 aircraft. British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines, Australia's first trans-pacific airline,flying luxurious DC-6Bs, used the island as a stop over on the way to Hawaii, flying the Sydney to Vancouver BC, Canada route. Qantas followed shortly thereafter when BCPA went out of business. Canadian Pacific Airlines used the island as well.This service continued through 1958, when the DC-4's were replaced with the Douglas DC-7C. A full-scale community was established to support this operation, including an electrical power station, a hotel for the airline passengers' use, a medical dispensary, school for dependant children of station personnel, and other necessary facilities. The island was jointly administered by the United Kingdom and the United States, and the British and American post offices were both operated from a single building. The American administrator, who was an employee of the Civil Aeronautics Administration (predecessor to the FAA) and island manager for that agency, also served as the U.S. resident administrator under the Department of the Interior and as a U.S. special deputy marshal under the Department of Justice. William J. Evans held this position from 1952-1956, during which time a crew from The National Geographic Magazine visited the island and highlighted it in the magazine's January 1955 issue. Ultimately, the introduction of long-range jet aircraft spelled the end of Kanton's usefulness as an aircraft refueling station, and all airlines ended their operations there by the late 1950s. The airport remained operational, however, as an emergency landing field.
The other thing I remember is that not long after we left Canton Island, the Captain came back into the cabin and told me that Poseidon had spring from the waves and brought some certificates especially for me. One was for crossing the Equator, and the other was for crossing the International Date Line. Being the smart ass that I was, I asked him, "How come if he just jumped out of the ocean, the certificate isn't wet?" The captain just laughed (my mother was furious, my dad was proud). I also wanted to know how he was able to enter the cockpit without depressurizing it. No answer to that one either.
PAA had a great sense of humor. The text is priceless on both of them. I realize now that they certificates were brought on board at Canton Island, where they had typed my name onto each. They went to a lot of trouble in those days.
I got a lot of stuff on those flights, flight wings, pins, cups, etc., but mostly I loved my certificates. I still have them.
