<P> On January 17 , 1899 , under orders from President William McKinley , Commander Edward D. Taussig of USS Bennington landed on Wake and formally took possession of the island for the United States . After a 21 - gun salute , the flag was raised and a brass plate was affixed to the flagstaff with the following inscription : </P>
when did the us take over wake island
January 17 , 1899