Who discovered Wake Island?

Who discovered Wake Island?

History[edit] The island was first discovered in 1568 by a Spanish explorer who named it San Francisco. A British ship captained by Samuel Wake re-discovered it more than 200 years later in 1796, and the island was subsequently named after him.

Why did the US want Midway Island?

The United States was inspired to invest in the improvement of Midway in the mid-1930’s with the rise of imperial Japan. In 1938 the Army Corps of Engineers dredged the lagoon during this period and, in 1938, Midway was declared second to Pearl Harbor in terms of naval base development in the Pacific.

Who was the first person to discover Wake Island?

In 1796 Captain Samuel Wake of the British merchant vessel Prince William Henry also came upon Wake Island, naming the atoll for himself.

Why was Wake Island named after San Francisco?

After visiting Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands, the expedition headed north and came upon Wake Island, “a low barren island, judged to be eight leagues in circumference”. Since the date – October 2, 1568 – was the eve of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the captain named the island “San Francisco”.

Why is Wake Island a National Historic Landmark?

Wake Island Now: As of now, the entire atoll has been named a National Historic Landmark because of the WWII battle that took place on the island in 1941. In order to protect the landmark and any surrounding wildlife, the United States Air Force has taken on the responsibility of preservation under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

Where did the Battle of Wake Island take place?

On December 8, 1941 (within a few hours of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Wake being on the opposite side of the International Date Line), American forces on the island were attacked by bombers from Japanese held bases on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands, commencing the Battle of Wake Island .