WWII

1. WWII Aleutian Islands

2. Aleutian Islands • In the Pacific • Off the Alaskan Peninsula • Small Japanese force occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska • Took nearly a year for the U.S. to get rid of them

4. Strategic Value • Whoever held it controlled the Pacific Great Circle routes • U.S. could use it to attack Japan • Japan could build a base and attack the West Coast • Known as “The forgotten battle” • Some feel it was a diversion from the Battle of Midway

5. Dutch Harbor • Where “Deadliest Catch” is filmed out of • June 3, 1942 Bombed by Japan • Less then half of the planes hit their mark • Bad weather hampered the attack

8. Kiska and Attu • June 6, 1942 Kiska • June 7, 1942 Attu • Very little resistance • Locals forced out mainly before attack • 144,000 U.S. soldiers • 8,500 Japanese

9. Battle of Attu • U.S. went to take back the island • Harsh environment • Had to enlist local scouts to aid in the battle • Castner’s Cutthroats • Did not fight the U.S. landing

10. Attu Continued • The Japanese dug in • Hard fighting, lots of hand-to-hand combat • Only 28 Japanese prisoners taken • Used mass suicide • 3,900+ U.S. casualties • 579 Killed • 318 miscellaneous deaths • Booby traps • Friendly fire • 1200 cold related injuries

12. Castner’s Cutthroats • Alaskan Scouts • Mostly Aleutian natives • Plan landing zones • Knew the terrain • How to survive • Spy on Japanese planes • Keep U.S. soldiers alive

13. Kiska • No Japanese remained • They disappeared off the island in the fog • 34,000+ troops • Still 313 soldiers died • Booby traps • Friendly fire • Weather related