WWII & Alaska?

Really? Why didn't I learn about this in school? Or was it taught and I slept through it? It couldn't have been our top notch history books? Maybe I was sick that week? I did have the chickenpox twice. Or maybe it was taught the last week of my senior year. When I hadn't missed a single day the last semester I decided that I could use a few days off and didn't attend. Hmm, let's not rehash that week. 

Getting back on task, why is it that just yesterday I learned that part of World War II was fought on American soil, and not Hawaii? I mean, we all know about Pearl Harbor, but what about Alaska?

Ray was flipping through the channels when he paused on the History Channel. The title of the show was "bloody battles" or something to that effect. As he changed the channel I heard someone say WWII and Alaska in the same sentence. I looked at him and asked if I had heard it right and he shrugged and turned it back. They were indeed talking about the Aleutian Islands, which are part of Alaska.

It turns out that on June 3, 1942 a small force of Japanese bombers attacked Dutch Harbor, thus the beginning of the Aleutian Island Campaign. Kiska was invaded on June 6^th and Attu on June 7^th.

Right: Buildings burning after the first enemy attack on Dutch Harbor, June 3 1942                                                                   

Left: Anchorage Daily Times June 3, 1942

Due to weather, geography and location restraints, it wasn't until May 11^th 1943 that a counterattack, code-named COTTAGE, began. 

Hauling Supplies in Attu

Castner's Cutthroats, or the 1st Alaskan Combat Intelligence Platoon, was part of the over 34,000 Allied troops fighting the Japanese, The platoon was made up of men who were familiar to the rough Alaskan terrain and weather. They were responsible for reconnaissance missions and served as guides for the Army. There were also 5,300 who were part of the 1^st Special Service Force, or the Devil's Brigade. This was a joint US-Canadian commando unit originally designed to fight in winter conditions. 

Troops fighting the snow and ice in Attua

The official end date of the occupation was July 28^th 1943 and the official end of the campaign was August 24^th, 1943. This was the United States first theater-wide victory in WWII. There were just over 1,600 American and Canadian lives lost during this battle.

Again, with the loss of life on US soil,and not in Hawaii, I sincerely wonder why this is news to me. Maybe I really was asleep.

*More pictures can be found at the below sites:
Wikimedia
Attu WWII Photos