When did U.S. take Wake Island?


When did U.S. take Wake Island? The island fell to overwhelming Japanese forces 12 days later; it remained occupied by Japanese forces until it was surrendered to the U.S. in September 1945 at the end of the war. The submerged and emergent lands at Wake Island comprise a unit of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument.


Was Wake Island used during the Vietnam War?

After the war, Wake Island once again retreated into solitude and isolation. It was used as a fueling stop by American forces during the Vietnam War, and in 2006, it was hit by a fierce typhoon that caused major damage to the surviving infrastructure on the island.


Can you land at Wake Island?

Today Wake Atoll serves as a refueling and emergency landing station for trans-pacific flights. Receiving only one civilian aircraft every two weeks, the station serves mostly military purposes.