Events tagged with "coaling stations"

Historical Events tagged with "coaling stations"

Turns out history loves a label—battles, breakthroughs, and the occasional disaster, all neatly tagged for your browsing pleasure. Because sometimes you just need every weird invention in one place.

Military & Warfare

United States Acquires Wake Island Ownership

January 17th, 1899 126 years ago

On January 17, 1899, the United States formally took possession of Wake Island, a small atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Captain H.W. McKee of the USS Bennington landed at the island and raised the American flag, marking the island as a U.S. territory. The acquisition was part of the U.S. strategy to expand its influence in the Pacific and was prompted by the need for coaling stations for naval and commercial vessels. Wake Island's strategic location would soon prove crucial for both military and commercial interests in the region.