Posted on Jun 13, 2017
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On this day in 1942, Japanese soldiers occupy the American islands of Attu and Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, as the Axis power continues to expand its defensive perimeter.
Having been defeated at the battle of Midway—stopped by the United States from even landing on the Midway Islands—the Japanese nevertheless proved successful in their invasion of the Aleutians, which had been American territory since purchased from Russia in 1867. Killing 25 American troops upon landing in Attu, the Japanese proceeded to relocate and intern the inhabitants, as well as those at Kiska. America would finally invade and recapture the Aleutians one year later—killing most of the 2,300 Japanese troops defending it—in three weeks of fighting.
Having been defeated at the battle of Midway—stopped by the United States from even landing on the Midway Islands—the Japanese nevertheless proved successful in their invasion of the Aleutians, which had been American territory since purchased from Russia in 1867. Killing 25 American troops upon landing in Attu, the Japanese proceeded to relocate and intern the inhabitants, as well as those at Kiska. America would finally invade and recapture the Aleutians one year later—killing most of the 2,300 Japanese troops defending it—in three weeks of fighting.
Japanese land troops on the islands of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians - Jun 07, 1942 -...
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WWII World War Two
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Thanks for reminding us TSgt Joe C. that on June 7, 1942 Japanese soldiers occupied the American islands of Attu and Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, as the Axis power continues to expand its defensive perimeter.
Within one year, the US attacked the Japanese based at Attu
Images: 1942-06-07 Japanese occupation of Attu; Etta and Foster Jones, the only white couple on the island; 1943-05 The Combat Intelligence Platoon of Alaska Defense Command, nicknamed Castner’s Cutthroats, displaying their Japanese finds from Attu; une 7, 1942: During World War II, Japanese soldiers occupy the American islands of Attu and Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska. Due to the remoteness of the islands and the difficulties of weather and terrain, the small Japanese force would hold the islands for more than a year before the far larger U.S. force pushed them from the area. Pictured here is the Attu village at Chichagof Harbor, which was occupied by the Japanese; Japanese officers at the Aleutian Islands, circa 1942-1943
"Battle of Attu Island 11-29 May 1943
In late Sep 1942, the bulk of the Japanese garrison at Attu was transferred to Kiska, leaving Attu barely defended; distant from friendly bases, the Americans did not attempt to reclaim the island. On 29 Oct 1942, however, 500 Japanese troops returned, establishing a base at Holtz Bay under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hiroshi Yanekawa. The size and strength of the garrison grew steadily over the next few months. By 10 Mar 1943, 2,300 men were present on the island, but after the action off Komandorski Islands in late Mar, the Japanese ceased attempts to supply Attu Island by surface vessels. Supplies trickled in by submarine only.
On 11 May 1943, Americans landed on Attu Island without resistance on the beach, and the officers smiled to each other as they thought it would be a easy battle. In fact, they believed that the island was so weakly held that the invasion troops only carried one day's worth of K-ration meals. They were proven wrong as soon as the troops moved further inland. Japanese troops in well-defended positions on high ground fought back ferociously. Meanwhile, the cold weather worsened the already-inefficient American logistics situation as trucks and other vehicles became trapped in the icy mud. Frostbite also was a major problem among the infantry. "It was so dang cold up there," said Edwin Trebian, an US Navy supply clerk; he vividly recalled the US Army soldiers staying in tents, keeping warm by means of a small stove while constantly fighting against the muddy ground that served as the tent floor. It took the Americans over two weeks to contain Japanese resistance in the area of Massacre Bay. On 29 May, Yamazaki led a suicide charge that penetrated the American line, surprising the rear echelon troops with hand-to-hand combat, nearly reaching the American artillery positions. Nevertheless, the Japanese final offensive was ultimately defeated. The Japanese who remained by that time committed ritual suicide, including Yamazaki.
The final casualty counts were stunningly high for both sides, especially considering that Attu was an island so remote in the North Pacific. Fighting nearly to the last man, the Japanese suffered 2,351 killed as counted by the Americans, though the actual number could be hundreds higher because some Japanese bodies might had been blown apart and made impossible to count, and because the Japanese regularly buried their dead in secret locations to hide their casualty numbers. The Americans suffered 3,929 casualties. Of that number, 549 were killed in combat; many more were killed by friendly fire or by booby traps installed by the Japanese. "There were so many [bodies]", recalled Trebian. "The Army just cut a path with a bulldozer and then shoved 'em in.... What else could they do?"
At Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, Alaska, United States, the Americans constructed a prisoner of war camp in anticipation of receiving prisoners from Attu. After the battle, they were surprised to find that only a handful of prisoners arrived."
Aleutian Islands Campaign Timeline
15 Jul 1942 The US Joint Chiefs of Staff held its first discussion on recapturing Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands.
26 Mar 1943 During the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, Nachi was forced to push one of her floatplanes overboard (concussion damage from her own guns), fired several Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes at the US forces (none of which hit), and received five hits (killing 14).
26 Mar 1943 In the Aleutian Islands, American warships intercepted Japanese troops attempting to reinforce Kiska, engaging in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands.
31 Mar 1943 US leadership gave the order to invade Attu in the Aleutian Islands on 7 May 1943.
11 May 1943 US 7th Infantry Division landed on Attu, Aleutian Islands.
24 May 1943 US troops mopped up the final Japanese opposition groups in the Aleutian Islands. Overall in this campaign, the 2,600 Japanese men were wiped out at a cost of 550 American lives.
31 May 1943 US troops completed their occupation of Attu in the Aleutian Islands.
3 Jun 1943 All Japanese resistance on Attu, Aleutian Islands ceased.
18 Jul 1943 2 B-24 and 6 B-25 bombers of the US Eleventh Air Force B-24 attacked Japanese positions at Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands.
21 Jul 1943 9 B-24 bombers of US 11th Air Force bombed Kiska, Aleutian Islands while two US Navy destroyers bombarded the Gertrude Cove area of the same island.
15 Aug 1943 Supported by a massive bombardment from three battleships, cruisers and destroyers and under a protective umbrella of 170 aircraft, 35,000 American and Canadian troops stormed ashore on Kiska Island in the Aleutian Islands only to discover that the Japanese had fled nearly three weeks earlier."
http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=20
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC Greg Henning LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell
Within one year, the US attacked the Japanese based at Attu
Images: 1942-06-07 Japanese occupation of Attu; Etta and Foster Jones, the only white couple on the island; 1943-05 The Combat Intelligence Platoon of Alaska Defense Command, nicknamed Castner’s Cutthroats, displaying their Japanese finds from Attu; une 7, 1942: During World War II, Japanese soldiers occupy the American islands of Attu and Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska. Due to the remoteness of the islands and the difficulties of weather and terrain, the small Japanese force would hold the islands for more than a year before the far larger U.S. force pushed them from the area. Pictured here is the Attu village at Chichagof Harbor, which was occupied by the Japanese; Japanese officers at the Aleutian Islands, circa 1942-1943
"Battle of Attu Island 11-29 May 1943
In late Sep 1942, the bulk of the Japanese garrison at Attu was transferred to Kiska, leaving Attu barely defended; distant from friendly bases, the Americans did not attempt to reclaim the island. On 29 Oct 1942, however, 500 Japanese troops returned, establishing a base at Holtz Bay under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hiroshi Yanekawa. The size and strength of the garrison grew steadily over the next few months. By 10 Mar 1943, 2,300 men were present on the island, but after the action off Komandorski Islands in late Mar, the Japanese ceased attempts to supply Attu Island by surface vessels. Supplies trickled in by submarine only.
On 11 May 1943, Americans landed on Attu Island without resistance on the beach, and the officers smiled to each other as they thought it would be a easy battle. In fact, they believed that the island was so weakly held that the invasion troops only carried one day's worth of K-ration meals. They were proven wrong as soon as the troops moved further inland. Japanese troops in well-defended positions on high ground fought back ferociously. Meanwhile, the cold weather worsened the already-inefficient American logistics situation as trucks and other vehicles became trapped in the icy mud. Frostbite also was a major problem among the infantry. "It was so dang cold up there," said Edwin Trebian, an US Navy supply clerk; he vividly recalled the US Army soldiers staying in tents, keeping warm by means of a small stove while constantly fighting against the muddy ground that served as the tent floor. It took the Americans over two weeks to contain Japanese resistance in the area of Massacre Bay. On 29 May, Yamazaki led a suicide charge that penetrated the American line, surprising the rear echelon troops with hand-to-hand combat, nearly reaching the American artillery positions. Nevertheless, the Japanese final offensive was ultimately defeated. The Japanese who remained by that time committed ritual suicide, including Yamazaki.
The final casualty counts were stunningly high for both sides, especially considering that Attu was an island so remote in the North Pacific. Fighting nearly to the last man, the Japanese suffered 2,351 killed as counted by the Americans, though the actual number could be hundreds higher because some Japanese bodies might had been blown apart and made impossible to count, and because the Japanese regularly buried their dead in secret locations to hide their casualty numbers. The Americans suffered 3,929 casualties. Of that number, 549 were killed in combat; many more were killed by friendly fire or by booby traps installed by the Japanese. "There were so many [bodies]", recalled Trebian. "The Army just cut a path with a bulldozer and then shoved 'em in.... What else could they do?"
At Dutch Harbor, Unalaska, Alaska, United States, the Americans constructed a prisoner of war camp in anticipation of receiving prisoners from Attu. After the battle, they were surprised to find that only a handful of prisoners arrived."
Aleutian Islands Campaign Timeline
15 Jul 1942 The US Joint Chiefs of Staff held its first discussion on recapturing Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands.
26 Mar 1943 During the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, Nachi was forced to push one of her floatplanes overboard (concussion damage from her own guns), fired several Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes at the US forces (none of which hit), and received five hits (killing 14).
26 Mar 1943 In the Aleutian Islands, American warships intercepted Japanese troops attempting to reinforce Kiska, engaging in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands.
31 Mar 1943 US leadership gave the order to invade Attu in the Aleutian Islands on 7 May 1943.
11 May 1943 US 7th Infantry Division landed on Attu, Aleutian Islands.
24 May 1943 US troops mopped up the final Japanese opposition groups in the Aleutian Islands. Overall in this campaign, the 2,600 Japanese men were wiped out at a cost of 550 American lives.
31 May 1943 US troops completed their occupation of Attu in the Aleutian Islands.
3 Jun 1943 All Japanese resistance on Attu, Aleutian Islands ceased.
18 Jul 1943 2 B-24 and 6 B-25 bombers of the US Eleventh Air Force B-24 attacked Japanese positions at Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands.
21 Jul 1943 9 B-24 bombers of US 11th Air Force bombed Kiska, Aleutian Islands while two US Navy destroyers bombarded the Gertrude Cove area of the same island.
15 Aug 1943 Supported by a massive bombardment from three battleships, cruisers and destroyers and under a protective umbrella of 170 aircraft, 35,000 American and Canadian troops stormed ashore on Kiska Island in the Aleutian Islands only to discover that the Japanese had fled nearly three weeks earlier."
http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=20
FYI LTC Stephen C. LTC Greg Henning LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) SGT John " Mac " McConnell SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell
Aleutian Islands Campaign
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TSgt Joe C. I lot of these smaller invasions by the Japanese during WWII aren't highlighted as much as the major campaigns - thanks for the update and sharing Joe!
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My late father in law was stationed in the Aleutions, worked in supply.
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