World War 2: Aleutian Islands Campaign (1 Viewer)

[Nex]

In the Battle of the Aleutian Islands (June 1942-August 1943) during World War II (1939-45), U.S. troops fought to remove Japanese garrisons established on a pair of U.S.-owned islands west of Alaska. In June 1942, Japan had seized the remote, sparsely inhabited islands of Attu and Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands. It was the only U.S. soil Japan would claim during the war in the Pacific. The maneuver was possibly designed to divert U.S. forces during Japan’s attack on Midway Island (June 4-7, 1942) in the central Pacific. It’s also possible the Japanese believed holding the two islands could prevent the U.S. from invading Japan via the Aleutians. Either way, the Japanese occupation was a blow to American morale. In May 1943, U.S. troops retook Attu and three months later reclaimed Kiska, and in the process gained experience that helped them prepare for the long “island-hopping” battles to come as World War II raged across the Pacific Ocean.

PBY-5A Catalina patrol plane flying past Segula Island (just east of Kiska), Aleutians, Summer 1942.

Three Lockheed A-29 Hudsons fly past Mount McKinley, Territory of Alaska, 1942

G3M bombers in flight in the Aleutian islands, 1942

A Jeep loaded with radio and telephone equipment being used as a forward command post for a US Army artillery division, Territory of Alaska, 1943

LCVP landing craft disembarking U.S. Marines during an amphibious assault

US Navy Lt Fred Hunter piloting an OS2U-3 Kingfisher of Cruiser Scouting Squadron 1 as it is catapulted off the cruiser USS Detroit in the Aleutians

US Navy Lt Steve Corneliussen piloting an OS2U-3 Kingfisher of Cruiser Scouting Squadron 1 with his observer, Petty Officer Paul Proffer, as they are catapulted off the cruiser USS Detroit in the Aleutians

Heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City in action during Battle of the Komandorski Islands, 26 Mar 1943

USS Louisville steamed out of Kulak Bay, Adak, Aleutian Islands, bound for operations against Attu, 25th of April 1943

 

[Nex]

American Bombs fall on Japanese ship near Kiska Island May 11th, 1943

American troops at Massacre Bay, Attu, Aleutian Islands May 11th, 1943

Destroyer USS Pruitt and landing craft from USS Heywood May 11th, 1943

African-American soldiers of the labor battalion deployed by the US Army eating a meal in the field, Massacre Bay May 20th, 1943

Grave marker of an American airman killed in combat and interned by the Japanese Army, Kiska Island August 1943

 

[snatch]

taking it home, eh. the nipons held attu for like a year before they were ousted/yes?

tactically they held traffic back for a while...very hard on morale for the us and Canada I should think.

 

[Nex]

Aerial view of Kiska Island during American bombing August 10th 1943

A group of approximately 40 dead Japanese soldiers at a ridge on Attu Island May 29th, 1943

American troops marching up the beach at Adak, Island during pre-invasion loading for the Kiska invasion

Three Japanese Type A-class midget submarines wrecked by demolition charges, at a former Japanese base on Kiska Island September 7th, 1943

 

[Nex]

Japanese ship aground at Kiska harbor September 18th 1943

Wrecked Japanese aircraft, oil drums, and other rubble at Kiska Island August 13th 1943

 

[Nex]

More images to follow. Will update soon

 

[Mental Puppy]

Great post Nex

 

[McM]

That is interesting. Such a remote battle ground and directly in front of Kamtchatka, the Soviet peninsula.

Nice photos of the sea-planes, the German airforce had a similar one on their few battleships. The Ar-196, it had one floater first, later got two.

 

[snatch]

"whoever holds Alaska, holds the world"

 

[Nex]

 

[Nex]

A considerable amount of Naval ships were sent to take back Attu, by than the Japanese retreated to Kiska but set up a radar decoy.

Canadian Soldiers disembark their landing craft to join the fight

American and Canadians working side by side set up camp. Almost 144,000 men fought to take back the two islands from the Japanese

These were early "Tracks" or Personnel carriers. The soldiers and Marines at the time were unequipped for the harsh conditions in the Alaskan frontier

U.S. Marines carrying one of their wounded out. A total of 3,446 U.S. and Canadian forces were wounded in the year long battle to retake the two islands

The Salvage of a PBY Catalina Patrol plane. In all 225 allied aircraft were destroyed in the fighting

 

[McM]

"whoever holds Alaska, holds the world"

Yes? Why?

 

[snatch]

Yes? Why?

I was quoting something that was said by a military and/or political person. I don't know if the quote is correct nor can I reference who said it. hahhhahha. nex seemed to "get" my trivial reference.

here is my more boring, most assuredly incorrect recollection of this siege;
bullet points perhaps=
the code had been broken so Nimitz knew yamamoto,s plans
the Aleutians sit with control over key maritime routes
the Aleutians are part of the Alaskan territory
hence the; whoever holds Alaska...
it was a key battle overshadowed by Guadalcanal

 

[Nex]

Yes? Why?

General Billy Mitchell stated that to the U.S. Congress in 1935, he believed it to be the most strategic place in the world because of Alaska's location in the Pacific region. Later in the Cold War it was just as vital because of it was within reach of Russia to the east and up over the North Pole.

 

[Nex]

This 105-mm gun and its crew poured more than 2000 rounds of shells into Japanese positions in Massacre-Chichagof Pass over the course of four days battling at Attu. Japanese stationed on Kiska were becoming the center of attraction for U.S. bombers in the cold country.

A Japanese grave yard found by an American on Attu

Soldiers at a U.S. Army base in the Aleutians shoveling snow after a "Williwaw" (meaning howling blizzard) with winds that can reach up to 100mph that has covered their huts with snow.

American forces capture a Japanese fortification after fierce fighting and hand to hand combat

 

[Nex]

A Japanese entrenchment on Attu overrun by American and Canadians

Photos found of the Japanese by the Allies

 

[Nex]

On Attu Island, an American mop-up squad moves in to clean up this Japanese gun emplacement on the west arm of Holtz Bay. The two Japaneses who held the position refused to surrender and were killed. Smoke can be seen still risinig from the spot where hand grenades were tossed to wipe out the stubborn pair.

 

[DeathHand]

"whoever holds Alaska, holds the world"

Ya and our dumb fuck politicians of whenever years ago went and sold it to the States for a buck. Damn, they didn't even give us a reach around.

 

[Nex]

Ya and our dumb fuck politicians of whenever years ago went and sold it to the States for a buck. Damn, they didn't even give us a reach around.

Yep. for 7 million USD borrowed from all people - the Rothschild's, at 5% interest

 

[McM]

Had a book about the time the Russian hunters, merchants and priests were on the Aleutes.
They introduced slavery, alcohol and whatever at the natives there. Massacre on the otters, etc.
And the 'territory' shit afterwards wasn't helpful at all, I guess.
But, I don't know very much about this region. This book was the only source I read about this country's history.
Can't remember it's title, etc. Very interesting.