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Location
Attu is the westernmost of the Aleutian islands approximately 20 x 35 miles in size. Located over a thousand miles from the Alaskan
mainland and 750 miles northeast of the northernmost of the Kurile Islands. Locate to the east is Kiska Island. Prewar, a small settlement known as "Attu village" was located along Chichagof Harbor. It had a school, radio tower, Russian Orthodox church and several wooden houses.
Wartime History
During the night of June 6-7, 1942 the Japanese Army's 301st
Independent Infantry Battalion landed 1,200 troops at Chichagof
Harbor. They captured 45 native Aleut people and two American civilians: Charles Foster
Jones and his wife. Charles died, either by suicide, or was killed by the Japanese. His wife received medical treatment from the Japanese and she and the
Aleuts were transported aboard ship to Kiska where she was transferred to another vessel
and taken to Japan and spent the rest of
the war as prisoners in Japan. During captivity, roughly half
the Attuans died of disease and starvation.
Battle of the Komandorskies
On March 26, 1943 a naval engagement occured 150 miles west of Cape Wrangle on Attu. The Japanese Northern Fleet was defeated by US Navy Task Group Mike, and ended Japan's attempt
to gain a greater foothold in the Aleutians and their
garrisons on Attu and Kiska were cut off from resupply.
American & Japanese missions against Attu
June 7, 1942 - October 13, 1943
Allied Landing
American aircraft and naval vessels bombarded Attu Island for nine
months prior to the invasion, code named "Operation Sandcrab". On May 11, 1943 the US Army landed 2,000 troops of the "northern force" near Holtz Bay and a "southern force" at Massacre Bay.
Defending the eastern portion of the island were
2,600 Japanese troops. By May 17-18, the northern and souther forces linked up at Holtz Massacre Pass and compressed the surviving Japanese into the eastern corner of the island. On May 29, 1943 the surviving 1,000 Japanese launched a suicidal banzai charge gyokusai to kill themselves. Officially, Attu was declared secure on May 30, 1943.
The US Army sustained 3,829 casualties including 549 KIA, 1,148 WIA and 1,200 with severe cold injuries;
614 from disease; and a remaining 318 to miscellaneous causes. This casualty rate amounted to roughly 25% of the invading force, a rate second only in proportion to the casualties on Iwo Jima.
The Japanese lost 2,351 KIA
and hundreds more were presumed to have been killed previously. Only 28 enlisted men were taken prisoner by American forces.
Postwar
At the end of
the war, the surviving Aleuts people and Mrs. Jones were repatriated to the United States. The US
government would not allow the Aleuts to return to Attu and they settled at another location in the Aleutians, loosing Attu as their ancestral home.
Today
The US Coast Guard maintains a small Loran station. The island
is protected as part of the National Parks Trust territory and few
people visit the island or area, as it is restricted.
75mm Type 88 Anti-Aircraft Gun
Captured by the US Army. remains in situ
Holtz Bay (Asahi Bay)
Located on the north-eastern corner of Attu
Attu Airfield
Japanese construction, never completed
Chichagof
Harbor
Located on the eastern side of Attu Island. Along the western shore is Attu village, the only setttlement on the island. During the night of June 6-7, 1942 the Japanese Army's 301st
Independent Infantry Battalion landed at Chichagof
Harbor. After the US Army landed on Attu, the surviving Japanese defended this area until defeated.
155mm Howitzers
Several 155mm guns on panama mounts are emplaced overlooking Chichagof
Point.
 Engineer Hill / Japanese War Memorial
A star shaped memorial on the top of Engineer Hill erected a 25-foot,
titanium Japanese War Monument on Engineer Hill, dedicated to
all who lost their lives during the battle and to future world
peace.
Massacre Bay
Located on the
the southern coast of Attu. On May 11, 1943 US Army "southern force" landed at this location and drove to the northwest to link up with the "northern force" on May 17-18 at Holtz Massacre Pass. Others advanced northward towards Japanese positions at Chichagof Harbor.
On April 11, 1945 P-38s together with USN aircraft pick up bomb filled paper balloons over Attu and shoot down one balloon over Attu. Portions of the gondola are recovered from Massacre Bay.
Alexai Point / Casco Cove
Located near Massacre Bay and Casco Cove.
Attu Airfield (NAS Attu, Casco Field, Alexai Point)
Wartime airfield, disused today
P-38G Lightning Serial
Number 42-13400
Pilot Nesmith force landed January 1, 1945 Recovered in 1998
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Last Updated
November 14, 2011
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