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WW2 IN THE ALEUTIANS
The Japanese made their first attack on U.S. forces at Fort Mears June 3, 1942, six months after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. They attacked U.S. army and navy installations in the Aleutian Chain. The battle lasted two days, and left one hundred men wounded or dead. The next day the Aleutian Tigers attacked the Japanese air forces. The planes launched from Cape Field at Fort Glenn. The Aleutian Tigers went out on a search for any Japanese carriers nearby in the of the pacific ocean. When they found Japanese carriers they made an attack on them but the carriers took no damage.
The Japanese occupied
the Aleutian
The Eleventh Air Force dropped a total 26,910 bombs on Kiska and
Attu. The Aleutian dropped the bombs to try and soften the Japanese
ground troops, but the bombs didn't effect the Japanese much because
they were well entrenched in the ground. It was also difficult
because the land was often covered by fog. The early missions
were bore by the B-24 bombers. The B-24s were very efficient at
the time, because they could make 1,200 mile round trips. 1,200
miles is like going from Cape Field to the western end of the
Aleutian chain. The B-24 bombers often had to drop bombs blindly
into the fog. After this they had to fight their way out under
fire by the Japanese ground troops. The Japanese only thought
of the bombs as a nuisance. At the same time the Japanese were
trying to make an airfield on Kiska. It went slowly because the
Japanese had a lack of heavy equipment. They were forced to use
hand tools and wheel barrels.
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 Map courtesy of: http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/7attu/7attu.htm |