ALEUTIAN ISLANDS
<June 3, 1942 - August 24, 1942>
In addition to Guadalcanal, other graduates in the first class
of the MISLS
were sent to the Aleutian Islands off the Alaskan coast. On June
3, 1942, the day after the Battle of Midway, the Japanese attacked
the Aleutian Islands. The campaign was the only land battle in
North America during World War II. Strategically speaking, Japan’s
seizure of the islands was insignificant. However, the U.S. had
to consider the possibility of Japan raiding Alaska or even the
U.S. mainland
and limiting operations in the North Pacific. If the Japanese
succeeded there and at Midway, its forces would have created a
defensive perimeter in the North and Central Pacific.
Since U.S. Intelligence had deciphered the Japanese naval code,
Admiral Chester Nimitz knew of Japan’s intentions early
in the war. Although Japan had taken over the Aleutian’s
westernmost island, Attu and the island of Kiska 180 miles away,
American forces would soon overtake them.
The MIS contributed
to the Aleutian Islands campaign in several ways. After Attu was
recaptured on May 11, 1943, MIS linguists interrogated the 28
captured Japanese POWs and translated captured documents on the
spot. Another small team of MIS participated in the recapture
of Kiska that took place on July 29, 1943 while a separate group
worked the Alaskan Defense Command headquarters at Dutch Harbor.
With a high number of casualties and others wounded, fighting
in the Aleutian Islands was brutal for both the American and Japanese
forces. In particular, the cost of taking the island of Attu was
very high for the United States. Despite the casualties and struggles
in the Aleutians, American troops succeeded in stopping the Japanese
advances and secured bases for future Allied
advances on Japan.
