Attu, the one most never heard about

[Rick B]

This was a good documentary from two gentlemen who served and fought in Alaska where most never knew we were invaded. Rick B

Hulu - Independent Lens: Red White Black and Blue - Watch the full episode now.

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[Bob Seijas]

The recent documentary WWII in HD and color covered that little-known campaign very well. GCA member and Journal contributor Marty Morgan was involved in the program, it was great. I think it was on the History Channel.

[Bill Hollinger]

That was really good. Thanks Rick

[jdmcomp]

Not to belittle the effort at Attu and Kiska but at the time Alaska was another of the many US Territories and possessions the Japanese invaded, certainly not the first. We did use the re capture of these islands to return the favor to Japan through long range but mostly useless bombing missions to Japan for there. It did serve to tie down Japanese forces to try to stop these interdictions.

[DaveN]

I found out that my grand father(from Florida) was sent there to build air fields as a seabee. they thought the island(dont know which one) was vacant and crested a hill and found a bunch of Japs. I always thought he was in the pacific
but that would make too much sence.

[Calif-Steve]

The Japanese landed in Alaska soley as a diversion for the Battle of Midway. They never intended to stay and in fact withdrew the garrison from Kiska just before the Americans landed. They sent in several destroyers in a huge fog and no one caught the Japanese force. Attu had a tough Japanese garrison and they fought it out to the bitter end with only 29 Japanese prisoners captured. Tough, mean fight.

[Surpmil]

And of course one reason they lost at Midway: a fleet carrier and several smaller ones(?) sent to Alaska instead of concentrating their forces at the critical point. Leaving Shokaku and Zuikaku in Japan didn't help either. Post-war they ruefully compared their own slowness to repair the damage from the Coral Sea to the US repairs to the Midway.

"Victory Disease", or as the Greeks used to say, "after hubris comes nemesis".

[rotorwing70]

Father-in-law was there and near froze to death in non-artic gear they were issued. I have a hand typed G2 translation of a Japanese doctors daily diary along with the revolver he captured. Very interesting reading. The Japanese doctor was US educated before the war. Pop was a millwright at TCI/USS after the war and chambered the revolver to fire 38 sw.

[Griff Murphey]

My uncle Marcus Murphey was Patwing 4's dental officer on Attu, after it was "secure." He fished, fixed teeth in a quonset, or for the outlying weather stations; in a field unit installed in the after station of the squadron's hack PBY, and cadged rides in PV-1s and PV-2's raiding the Kuriles. Long after organized resistance ceased, they caught Japs in stolen GI uniforms, hats pulled down over their faces, trying to go through the chowlines. The pilots would sometimes let him fly the PBY. One time they emerged from fog headed straight for the ocean, and the real pilot barely pulled it out in time. That ended his career as a flying dental officer.

[218bee]

He told of a time when his main force left one small island, leaving behind a small M.A.S.H tent and medical personel...
When they returned some time later the Japanese had attacked the M.A.S.H tent , running down the middle, bayonetting the GI's in their beds....He only spoke of that once and got very emotional when he did....I doubt they took prisoners after seeing that....