The Forgotten Battle: The Japanese Invasion of Alaska

[The Godfather]

In the early morning of 6 June 1942, 500 Japanese soldiers landed on Kiska, one of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. They took the only inhabitants of the island, a ten man (and six dog) US Navy Weather Detachment by complete surprise and quickly took control of American soil. Today, the island is one of the USA’s National Historic Landmarks: the aftermath of the Japanese invasion can still be seen on the rolling hillsides of Kiska.

The Japanese military force was in full control of American soil – and the 500 had grown to over 5,000 men. Although Kiska and neighboring Attu (which had been overrun two days previously) were part of the distant Aleutian Islands they were, nevertheless, American. Plans were immediately drawn up to retake the island, known as the Aleutian Campaign. The campaign would not succeed for over a year and would claim many American lives.

[The Godfather]

[The Godfather]

[The Godfather]

[The Godfather]

[The Godfather]

[The Godfather]

[The Godfather]

[SexyLion]

Cool, still so many things to learn about WWII.

[Curmudgeonx]

What is the metal for the spent artillery casings? I would have thought some scrapper would have snagged himself the brass/copper over the last 60 years.