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[[File:Whippoorwill (AT-O--169).jpg|thumb|260px|{{USS|Whippoorwill|AM-35|6}}]]
On June 29, 1926 by {{EO|4467}}, President [[Calvin Coolidge]] established '''Johnston Island Reservation''' as a federal bird refuge and placed it under the control of the [[U.S. Department of Agriculture]] as a "refuge and breeding ground for native birds."<ref>{{cite journal | last = | first = | authorlink = | title = JOHNSTON ISLAND | publisher = [[Office of Insular Affairs]] | date = January 11, 2007 | url = http://www.doi.gov/oia/Islandpages/johnstonpage.htm | accessdate = March 4, 2012}}</ref> Johnston Atoll was added to the [[United States National Wildlife Refuge]] system in 1926, and renamed the '''Johnston Island National Wildlife Refuge''' in 1940.<ref>{{cite wikisource |last1=Roosevelt |first1=Franklin D. |authorlink1=Franklin D. Roosevelt |title=U.S. Presidential Proclamation 2416 - Changing the Names of Certain Federal Wildlife Refuges |wslink=Proclamation 2416 |date=1940-7-25 |publisher=Federal Register}} Published in 5 FR 2677, 54 Stat. 2717.</ref> The [[Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge]] was established to protect the tropical ecosystem and the wildlife that it harbors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cma.army.mil/publications.aspx?criteria=site&value=JACADS|title=JACADS Publications-U.S. Army's Chemical Materials Activity|publisher=|accessdate=September 17, 2014}}</ref>
However, the Department of Agriculture had no ships, and the Navy was interested in the Atoll for strategic reasons, so with {{EO|6935}} on December 29, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt placed the islands under the "control and jurisdiction of the [[Secretary of the Navy]] for administrative purposes," but subject to use as a refuge and breeding ground for native birds, under the [[United States Department of the Interior|Department of Interior]].
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One of these, "Starfish Prime" on July 9, 1962, was a 1.4 megaton explosion, created by a [[W49]] warhead at an altitude of {{convert|400|km|abbr=off}}. It created a very brief fireball visible over a wide area and a bright artificial aurora that was visible for several minutes in Hawaii. "Starfish Prime" also produced an [[nuclear electromagnetic pulse|electromagnetic pulse]] that disrupted power and communications as far away as Hawaii. It also pumped enough radiation into the [[Van Allen belts]] to destroy or seriously degrade seven orbiting satellites.
The final Fishbowl launch that used a Thor missile carried the "Kingfish" 400 kiloton warhead up to its {{convert|98|km|abbr=off}} detonation altitude. Although it was officially one of the Operation Fishbowl tests, it is sometimes not listed among high-altitude nuclear tests because of its lower detonation altitude. "Tightrope" was the final test of Operation Fishbowl and detonated on November 3, 1962. It launched on a [[MIM-14 Nike-Hercules|Nike-Hercules]] missile, and detonated at a lower altitude than the other Fishbowl tests. "At Johnston Island, there was an intense white flash. Even with high-density goggles, the burst was too bright to view, even for a few seconds. A distinct thermal pulse was also felt on the bare skin. A yellow-orange disc was formed, which transformed itself into a purple doughnut. A glowing purple cloud was faintly visible for a few minutes."<ref name="dominic247">[[Defense Nuclear Agency]]. [[Operation Dominic]] I 1962. Report DNA 6040F. (First published as an unclassified document on 1 February 1983.) Page 247.
====Failures====
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In February, March, and April 1965 Johnston Atoll was used to launch biological attacks against U.S. Army and Navy vessels {{convert|100|mi|abbr=off}} south-west of Johnston island in vulnerability, defense and decontamination tests conducted by the [[Deseret Test Center]] during Project SHAD under Project 112. Test DTC 64-4 (Deseret Test Center) was originally called "RED BEVA" (Biological EVAluation) though the name was later changed to "Shady Grove", likely for operational security reasons. The biological agents released during this test included ''[[Francisella tularensis]]'' (formerly called ''Pasteurella tularensis'') (Agent UL), the causative agent of [[Tularemia]]; ''[[Coxiella burnetii]]'' (Agent OU), causative agent of [[Q fever]]; and ''[[Bacillus globigii]]'' (Agent BG).<ref name="Shady">[http://mcm.fhpr.osd.mil/Libraries/CBexposuresDocs/shady_grove_revised.sflb.ashx Deseret Test Center, Project SHAD, Shady Grove revised fact sheet]</ref> During Project SHAD, ''Bacillus globigii'' was used to simulate biological warfare agents (such as [[Anthrax]]), because it was then considered a contaminant with little health consequence to humans however, it is now considered a human pathogen.<ref>{{Cite report |author= The National Academies|authorlink= |author2=The Center for Research Information, Inc. |date=2004 |title=HEALTH EFFECTS OF PROJECT SHAD BIOLOGICAL AGENT: BACILLUS GLOBIGII, (Bacillus licheniformis), (Bacillus subtilis var. niger), (Bacillus atrophaeus)|url=http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2007/Long-Term-Health-Effects-of-Participation-in-Project-SHAD-Shipboard-Hazard-and-Defense/BACILLUSGLOBIGII.pdf |publisher=Prepared for the National Academies |page= |docket= Contract No. IOM-2794-04-001|accessdate=January 14, 2014 |quote= }}</ref> Ships equipped with the E-2 multi-head disseminator and [[Douglas A-4|A-4C aircraft]] equipped with Aero 14B spray tanks released live pathogenic agents in nine aerial and four surface trials in phase B of the test series on February 12 – March 15, 1965 and in four aerial trials in phase D of the test series on March 22 – April 3, 1965.<ref name="Shady"/>
According to Project SHAD veteran Jack Alderson who commanded the Army tugs, area three at Johnston Atoll was located at the most downwind part of the island and consisted of an collapsible [[Nissen hut]] to be used for weapons preparation and some communications.<ref>[http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Veterans/SHADII/Alderson%20Comments%20for%20Presentation.pdf Notes for Project SHAD presentation by Jack Alderson given to [[Institute of Medicine]] on April 19, 2012 for SHAD II study]</ref>
===Chemical weapon storage 1971–2001===
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