History
Island
in the Kurlie Island Chain, located to the north-east of Paramushir
Island, and south of Kamchatka.
The shipping route to Russia, via the Kamchatka
peninsula and Kurilsky Strait. Occupied by Japan, it was fortified
with an airfield, coastal fortifications, buildings,
bunkers during WWII. The
island saw only air attacks from Alaska
by American bombers, and brief land campaign begining on August 18, 1945 when the island was occupied by Soviet troops.
American
Missions Against Shumshu Island
August 11, 1943 - August 23, 1945
Today
Since WWII, the island is considered
Soviet (today Russian) territory. Today, the wrecks of
several transport ships still remain. There are many bomb craters in
the area, from American air
raids from Attu, Alaska.
Bajkovo (Kataoka)
Formally known as Kataoka, this was a large Japanese naval
base, and airfield. This base was used as a staging area for the Alaska
operation, including I-34 departing Kataoka on January 20, 1943 with
supplies and reinforcements destined for the garrison of Kiska. Today,
the location is known as Bajkovo.
Kataoka Fortress
9 Fortified instalations and 20 coastal defenses positions commanded from Kataoka Fortress. Japanese Army forces basded here included. 3th Infantry Brigade (Major General Iwao Zugino), 282nd Battalion, 283rd Battalion, 284th Battalion, 285th Battalion, 286th Battalion, 287th Battalion, 91th Division, 1st & 2nd Artillery Unit. Supporting them was the 11th Tank Regiment (Col. Zueo Ikeda) equiped with: 20 Type 97-"Shinhoto Chi-Ha" Tank, 19 Type 97 "Chi-Ha" Medium Tank, 25 Type 95 "Ha-Go" Light Tanks.
Radar
Located at
Minami Cape and cannery on the Naka River
Tank Battle Memorial
When the Russian invaded, there was a brief tank battle between Russian tanks and the Japanese 11th Tank Regiment. The Japanese were defeated, and several dozen tanks, including Type 97 medium tanks remain on the battlefield to this day. On the top of the nearby hill a memorial shaped like a quadralith and memorial plaque. Photo by Gordon Page.
Kataoka Naval Base (Imaizaki Airfield)
Japanese airfield, seaplane base and Headquarters 5th Fleet
