Shortly after the United States entered World War 2, both the United States and the Empire of Japan realized the importance of Alaska as a possible staging area and airfield. Japan, in fact, considered it a crucial conquest so that further air attacks could be made on the West Coast of the United States. With that in mind the Japanese Imperial Army took control of the island of Kiska in early May, 1943, and shortly after that took control of the island of Attu.
In response, the United States 7th Infantry Division made amphibious landings on Attu in an attempt to re-take the island but they immediately met heavy resistance from a well-entrenched Japanese army. Heavy naval bombardments followed but those failed to remove the Japanese so a prolonged combat situation ensued.
For nineteen days the battle continued in Arctic weather until finally, on May 29th, without hope of being rescued, Colonel Yamasaki led his remaining troops in a banzai charge. With momentum and surprise on their side the Japanese actually broke through the U.S. front line positions but they were eventually killed in terrible hand-to-hand combat and the Battle of Attu came to an end.
Final count on casualties found the United States had lost 549 soldiers with an additional 1,000 wounded while the Japanese had 2,850 men killed and 29 prisoners taken alive. By July 28, 1943 the Japanese had evacuated their garrison on the island of Kiska, ending the Aleutian Islands campaign of World War 2.
One other note about attacks on United States soil during World War II: There were several naval bombardments of Oregon and California during World War 2 but as the years go by and the better-known battles continue to receive most of the notice these little-known battles on U.S. soil are all but forgotten. The bombardments caused little damage and certainly no lives were lost (except for a couple cows during one attack) and the Japanese eventually found that these attacks were serving no purpose so they ended them.
The rarely talked about Battle of Attu is a fascinating footnote to the American effort during World War 2, and one that we at HiTech Creations always love to discuss. We wouldn’t be surprised if one day in the near future one of our Special Events focused on Attu. It is our love of history and our attention to detail regarding these battles that has made Aces High the number one combat flight simulator in the world, one that flight sim gamers rave about online. Try our World War 2 Flight Simulator and fly the skies with Aces High.
