Read the whole Howland Island story in this two part magazine article from CQ (USA): The AH1A Saga (pdf) This is a big file (7 megs) that takes a while to load...
The AH1A Saga, a video documentary written and produced by Walton Stinson, (DVD or VHS - NTSC) is available for loan in the USA from the ARRL lending library, http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/videos.html, or from the Northern California DX Foundation. In other countries, check with your national society or contact walt@w0cp.com .