| Alaskan Defense
Command
A joint force of U.S. and Canadian forces, the
Alaskan Defense Command fought to retake the island chain.
The Japanese occupied the Aleutian Islands in June 1942 and
had been running re-supply ships to and from Japan. First,
the U.S. Navy cut off their steady re-supply routes, and then
re-established control of the region with battles on the islands
of Attu and Kiska.
|
| |
Japanese forces occupied
Attu on June 2, 1942. Five of the first MISLS graduates fought
with American forces in the step-by-step recapture of Attu.
The recapture of the island took place on May 11, 1943.
|
|
On June 4, 1942, Japanese forces
occupied Kiska, 200 miles east of Attu. On July 29, 1943, a
combined force of Canadian and American forces began assault
on Kiska with MIS linguists participating. After a year of taking
naval bombardments, the Japanese planned a retreat. Under the
cover of dense fog, the Japanese quietly left the island. |
 Back
to top |
|
