When most individuals consider the Pacific Theater of World Struggle II, they envision tropical islands, warmth, and jungle fight. Nevertheless, the 18-day marketing campaign in Might 1943 to retake a distant Aleutian island from Japanese occupation was the overall reverse. The combat over the frozen island grew to become the one land battle of World Struggle II fought on U.S. soil.
Greater than 15,000 troopers confronted fanatical Japanese troops in addition to harsh winds, freezing rain and terrain that injured extra males than fight did. When the preventing ended, practically 3,000 Japanese and American troops lay useless on the frozen island—and a whole Native village had been wiped from existence, its survivors forbidden from ever returning.
The Japanese Invasion of Alaska
Japanese carrier-based plane struck the U.S. naval base at Dutch Harbor on June 3-4, 1942. The raids killed 43 People, broken oil storage tanks and barracks, and destroyed a number of services. The assaults have been a diversion for Japan’s assault on Halfway Island, however in addition they opened up a marketing campaign that led to the one battle within the American Theater of WWII.
Two days later, on June 6, 1942, Japanese forces invaded Kiska Island, capturing a U.S. Navy climate station crew. The subsequent day, the 301st Unbiased Infantry Battalion—1,140 troopers underneath Main Matsutoshi Hozumi—landed unopposed on Attu Island on the western finish of Alaska’s Aleutian chain.
Simply over 40 folks lived on Attu when Japanese troops invaded. The Unangax̂ folks, often called Aleuts, had inhabited the island for roughly 10,000 years. The village was led by Chief Mike Hodikoff. Among the many residents have been the Golodoff household—dad and mom Lawrence and Olean with their seven kids, together with three-year-old Gregory.
Charles Foster Jones, 63-year-old radio operator and one of many solely non-Aleuts on the island, managed to ship one message to Dutch Harbor—”The Japs are right here”—earlier than destroying his gear. Japanese troopers tortured and executed him the subsequent day when he refused to restore the radio, making him the one American civilian executed by enemy forces in North America in the course of the struggle.
Chief Hodikoff prevented additional bloodshed. When some villagers went for his or her rifles, he stopped them, saying “Don’t shoot, possibly the People can save us but.” He seemingly saved his village from being massacred, however the Japanese would make them undergo regardless.
The Japanese held the 41 Aleut villagers and Jones’s spouse Etta prisoner for 3 months earlier than delivery them to Japan. Etta was separated and imprisoned with some Australian nurses captured in New Guinea. The Aleuts have been imprisoned in Otaru on Hokkaido, the place circumstances have been brutal. Prisoners have been compelled to mine clay on hunger rations of white rice and watery soup.
Chief Hodikoff and his son died from meals poisoning after consuming spoiled rubbish they discovered. Three of the seven Golodoff kids died from beriberi brought on by malnutrition. In complete, 22 of the 41 civilians died throughout their captivity.
In the meantime, in response to the Japanese invasion, the U.S. authorities started relocating over 800 Unangax̂ civilians throughout the Aleutian Islands to the Alaskan Panhandle to be interned for the remainder of the struggle. A lot of their villages have been burned to stop their use by the Japanese. 85 would die whereas they have been interned.
Japan Fortifies the Aleutians
Japanese planners believed controlling the Aleutians would forestall American and Soviet forces from coordinating assaults on Japan by the Kuril Islands. After occupying Attu and Kiska, Japan started constructing defensive positions and airfields.
In late September 1942, the Japanese garrison on Attu was transferred to Kiska, leaving Attu quickly unoccupied. American forces missed the prospect to retake it. On October 29, 1942, Japanese forces returned to Attu underneath Lieutenant Colonel Hiroshi Yanekawa, establishing a base at Holtz Bay with about 500 troops.
Via reinforcements over the next months, the garrison grew to roughly 2,300 troops by March 1943. Japanese forces fortified positions within the mountains overlooking potential touchdown seashores, dug trenches and bunkers, and stockpiled provides.
People again house have been terrified that the Japanese might take North American territory with relative ease. Many feared that the Japanese might use the Aleutians as a base to strike the West Coast. The navy rapidly bolstered Dutch Harbor and commenced constructing bases on Atka and different islands. Planes from these bases started conducting raids towards Kiska and Attu.
The U.S. Navy underneath Rear Admiral Charles McMorris moved to chop Japanese provide traces. On March 26, 1943, American and Japanese floor forces clashed within the Battle of the Komandorski Islands. Although tactically inconclusive, the engagement compelled Japan to desert resupply makes an attempt by floor vessels, limiting them to submarines. The availability restrictions weakened Japanese forces on each Attu and Kiska.
Operation Landcrab: Might 11, 1943
American intelligence initially estimated 500 Japanese troops on Attu. By late April 1943, revised estimates put the quantity at 2,400. Main Normal Albert E. Brown’s seventh Infantry Division, coaching at Fort Ord in California, was assigned to take the island.
The division included the seventeenth and thirty second Infantry Regiments plus supporting items. Naval forces underneath Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid offered hearth help, together with the battleships Pennsylvania, Idaho and Nevada. Whole American forces numbered greater than 15,000.
The invasion drive additionally included a novel unit—the first Alaskan Fight Intelligence Platoon, nicknamed “Castner’s Cutthroats” after their commander, Colonel Lawrence Castner. The platoon consisted of Alaska Natives, miners, trappers, and outdoorsmen who knew how one can survive and combat in excessive circumstances.
These scouts offered crucial reconnaissance in the course of the battle, utilizing their experience in cold-weather survival and wilderness navigation to information common Army items by Attu’s treacherous terrain. The Cutthroats operated forward of primary forces, figuring out Japanese positions and discovering routes by the mountain passes that typical troops struggled to navigate.
The seventh Infantry Division wasn’t issued satisfactory cold-weather gear throughout coaching to take care of operational safety about their vacation spot. This resolution would show expensive.
Dangerous climate delayed the invasion from Might 7 to Might 11. When American forces lastly landed, they hit two places. The principle drive landed at Bloodbath Bay on the southern coast, and a smaller Northern Pressure landed at Holtz Bay. The plan referred to as for each forces to advance inland and entice the defenders who have been led by Colonel Yasuyo Yamasaki.
The Japanese didn’t try to carry the seashores. Yamasaki had positioned his troops on excessive floor inland the place fog and terrain gave them defensive benefits. In the meantime, a provisional battalion landed at Austin Cove and commenced a five-day climb to passes west of Holtz Bay, struggling quite a few frostbite casualties.
Preventing Via the Fog
Attu is a volcanic island of steep ridges, deep valleys and treacherous tundra that could not help autos. Climate modified quickly from calm fog to 100-mph winds with freezing rain. Temperatures hovered round freezing. Troopers in temperate-weather uniforms suffered.
Progress was gradual. American troops needed to clear Japanese positions from elevated terrain whereas coping with mud, muskeg and snow. The Japanese had acclimated to the circumstances throughout months of occupation. They used the fog and terrain expertly, preventing from fortified positions and conducting restricted counterattacks.
Japanese troopers occupied caves and bunkers on ridges overlooking American positions. They rolled grenades down slopes and maintained machine gun hearth from snow-covered trenches. American forces needed to assault uphill repeatedly towards ready defensive positions.
By Might 16, American forces had superior inland however confronted stiff resistance at key terrain options. The Northern and Southern forces have been nonetheless separated by Japanese positions controlling the passes between them. Casualties mounted from fight and publicity. Trench foot and frostbite took out lots of of troopers.
The thirty second Infantry Regiment fought towards Fish Hook Ridge and the Holtz-Chichagof Go, crucial terrain that will hyperlink the 2 American touchdown forces. The Japanese fiercely held the fortified positions on the heights with overlapping fields of fireplace.
Martinez’s Cost
On Might 26, Firm Okay of the thirty second Infantry Regiment was pinned down trying to take the go. 22-year-old Personal Joseph P. Martinez stood up underneath heavy hearth and superior along with his Browning Automated Rifle whereas the Japanese fired at him.
Martinez moved up the snow-covered slope, firing into Japanese foxholes and throwing grenades. He killed a number of enemy troopers and impressed his firm to observe. Different troopers moved ahead behind him. After clearing a number of positions, Martinez reached a degree about 150 toes up the ridge.
The principle go rose one other 150 toes, flanked by steep rocky ridges and approached by a snow-filled ravine. Japanese hearth got here from each flanks and from tiers of snow trenches blocking the way in which ahead. Martinez led troops up by this fireplace, personally silencing a number of trenches along with his BAR.
He reached the go itself slightly below the summit. On the closing enemy-occupied trench, Martinez engaged Japanese troopers whereas underneath hearth. He was shot within the head and mortally wounded. He died later that day. His firm took the go.
Its seize allowed American forces to hyperlink their northern and southern touchdown zones and was essential to ending organized Japanese resistance. Martinez was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on October 27, 1943—the primary Hispanic American to obtain the ornament for fight motion throughout World Struggle II. He was additionally the primary American to earn the medal throughout fight on North American soil for the reason that Indian Wars.
The Ultimate Stand
By Might 28, American forces occupied excessive floor in Chichagof Valley, controlling three crucial hills: Fish Hook, Buffalo and Engineer. Japanese forces have been pushed again with solely the ocean behind them. Colonel Yamasaki had solely 800 males match for fight and 600 wounded.
American commanders deliberate to bombard the remaining Japanese positions on Might 29 and end the battle. However Yamasaki selected to assault as an alternative. Japanese navy tradition thought of give up dishonorable. He deliberate a determined counterattack to interrupt by American traces, seize artillery on Engineer Hill, and use it towards the People earlier than retreating into the mountains to await reinforcements.
At 3 a.m. on Might 29, lots of of Japanese troopers launched one of many largest banzai prices of the Pacific Struggle. The assault hit Firm B of the thirty second Infantry, which had simply been ordered to march to battalion headquarters for decent breakfast, leaving solely sentries on guard.
The shock assault broke by American traces. Japanese troops penetrated deep into rear areas, reaching Engineer Hill the place American artillery was positioned. Help troops—engineers, medics, provide personnel—discovered themselves in shut fight. Hand-to-hand preventing raged for hours in pitch-black darkness and fog.
“What a nightmare, a insanity of noise and confusion and deadliness,” Captain George S. Buehler later wrote in regards to the assault.
American forces regrouped and hit the enemy with overwhelming firepower. The Japanese cost was finally routed, however not earlier than penetrating practically to Bloodbath Bay. Most Japanese troopers who survived the preliminary preventing dedicated suicide with grenades relatively than give up.
Dr. Nebu Tatsuguchi, a Japanese battlefield surgeon, had written in his diary the night earlier than, “The final assault is to be carried out. All of the sufferers within the hospital are to commit suicide. Solely 33 years of residing and I’m to die right here…. At 1800 (hours) took care of all of the sufferers with grenades. Goodbye, Taeki, my beloved spouse, who cherished me to the final.”
The battle ended Might 30, 1943. American burial groups counted 2,351 Japanese useless. Lots of extra have been believed buried underneath bombardment particles. Solely 28 Japanese prisoners have been taken, none of them officers. Colonel Yamasaki was among the many useless.
Small teams of Japanese troopers continued preventing till early July. A number of remoted survivors held out till September 1943.
The Value of Liberating Attu
Of 15,000 American troops concerned, 549 have been killed in motion and 1,148 wounded. One other 2,100 have been evacuated for illness and non-battle accidents—principally publicity, frostbite and trench foot. The environmental casualties exceeded fight losses, exposing the brutal circumstances of this distinctive battle of the Pacific Struggle.
The battle prompted main modifications in Army cold-weather gear, meals, tents and footwear. It additionally demonstrated the necessity for higher preparation when preventing in excessive environments.
The Battle of Kiska
After Attu fell, American forces ready to invade Kiska, the place intelligence indicated about 5,200 Japanese troops remained. The boys anticipated to face a repeat of Attu, with harder Japanese defenses and harsher climate. On August 15, 1943, an invasion drive of 34,426 American and Canadian troops landed on the island underneath huge naval and air help.
To their shock, the Japanese have been gone. Below the duvet of fog on July 28, Japan had evacuated all the garrison by submarine and floor vessels with out detection. Allied troops discovered deserted preventing positions and even full espresso cups sitting the place the Japanese had left them.
As they moved to safe the island with little visibility, the anxious troops unintentionally fired on one another. In the meantime, booby traps and landmines proved lethal whereas the tough climate claimed quite a few males. Regardless of dealing with no enemy, the operation resulted in about 313 casualties.
The evacuation of Kiska ended the Japanese occupation of the Aleutians and the Battle for Alaska.
No Return for the Attuans
American forces liberated the 19 surviving Attuans in Japan by September 1945. Among the many survivors have been Olean Golodoff and 4 of her seven kids, together with Gregory. Once they reached Seattle, the U.S. authorities knowledgeable them they have been barred from returning to Attu, deciding that reconstruction of the village can be too costly. A number of hundred different civilian internees launched by the U.S. authorities have been informed the identical factor.
Fifteen survivors from Attu have been despatched to Atka Island, 5 remained hospitalized for tuberculosis, 4 went to Unalaska, and 5 orphaned kids have been despatched to a Bureau of Indian Affairs faculty. Etta additionally survived her time in captivity.
In 1951, Japan provided the survivors about $4,000 yearly for 3 years. Most accepted, although some refused because of the harsh therapy that they had confronted. Households of the 22 who died in captivity acquired nothing. Congress handed the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands Restitution Act in 1988, giving Aleut internment survivors $12,000, however this excluded the Attuans held captive in Japan.
The compelled displacement destroyed the Attuan tradition. The dialect is now extinct. The basket-weaving custom survives by solely three or 4 folks.
The Forgotten Battle for Alaska
Gregory Golodoff spent his life on Atka, hardly ever talking about his imprisonment. His brother Nick wrote “Attu Boy” in 2012, one of many few firsthand accounts of the captivity. Nick died in 2013. Elizabeth Golodoff Kudrin, one other sibling, died in February 2023. Gregory died in November 2023 at 84—the final individual born on Attu.
Helena Pagano, great-granddaughter of Chief Hodikoff, leads efforts by her nonprofit Atux Ceaselessly for an Attuan cultural heart, environmental cleanup of Attu, and extra Japanese restitution for households who misplaced kinfolk within the camps.
As we speak, each Attu and Kiska stay largely uninhabited. Attu is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a part of Alaska Maritime Nationwide Wildlife Refuge. Kiska, plagued by rusting navy gear and unexploded ordnance, often sees guests however stays tough to entry.
The Attu battlefield grew to become a Nationwide Historic Landmark in 1985. Scattered remnants of the marketing campaign can nonetheless be seen throughout the islands right this moment, together with aircraft crashes, Japanese artillery, and forgotten navy gear.
The Battle of Attu was the one land battle of WWII fought on U.S. soil. It killed 549 People and greater than 2,500 Japanese in 18 days of brutal Arctic fight. Lots of of others have been killed on Kiska, Dutch Harbor and numerous aircraft crashes all through the area.
The victory on Attu secured the Aleutians and ended enemy threats to Alaska. But it surely additionally destroyed a ten,000-year-old village, killed 22 civilians in Japanese camps, and erased the Attuan language and tradition. The survivors have been scattered throughout Alaska, forbidden from returning house.
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