WAR IN THE NORTH THE ALEUTIANS

[Music] by [Music] the word Pacific has long suggested a langor Tropical Paradise to some it brought to mind the steaming jungles of the islands near the equator but the vast Pacific Basin also includes lands which have quite a different climate and completely different Terrain in the north the Pacific is dotted by a chain of islands lying between Japan and North America in 1941 the Illusions assumed a sudden immediate importance of all the lands which were to become battlefields in the first truly global war the uian islands were among the areas least suited to the conduct of successful military operations the US paid little attention to its desolate island chain before 1940 but Japanese fishermen were well acquainted with the area since early in this Century Japanese fishing ships had worked all the waters off the utions and off the Alaskan Coast ignoring repeated us protests the nepe fishing fleets investigated every Cove and every passage which might be of interest to the Japanese Navy one day throughout the area it was felt that some of the Japanese fishermen were probably naval officers in Disguise the 30,000 Americans who populated the territory of Alaska were clustered chiefly in a few cities on the mainland the US Army was represented by some 300 soldiers on Alaska in 1939 and the Navy boasted one small base and a few light warships the Navy maintained a single radio station in the uans which were even more lightly defended than Alaska itself in December 1941 when the Japanese struck 2500 mil to the south Alaska was still virtually defenseless with Japan's forces Fanning out across the Pacific m Midway was an obvious Target so too was America's base in the utions at Dutch Harbor both bases came under attack in late May 1942 an enemy Fleet moved East and sneaked in toward Dutch Harbor on June 3rd under cover of bad weather the Japanese headed straight for the Target without being spotted by the American search planes which knew the Japanese fleet was in the area the ships continued their run until they were only 165 mi from the target the poor weather which proved helpful to the ships was quite the opposite for the attacking [Music] planes of the planes which left the Japanese carriers for the strike at Dutch Harbor many were subsequently forced to turn back but those that got through 17 ples made it a most successful strike from the Japanese point of view over Dutch Harbor the weather was good and the pilots had no trouble finding likely targets the tank farm radio station army barracks and mored navy planes in two attacks Dutch Harbor suffered appreciable damage to its facilities on the west coast of the United States proper the attack on Dutch Harbor brought the war even closer preparations for the defense of the nation were intensified in the states bordering the Pacific an enemy attack was considered imminent soon after the enemy strike on Pearl Harbor the Japanese living along the west coast were quickly moved Inland away from Critical Defense areas relocation centers were hurriedly built principally in the western states to house some 100,000 eay japanese-born aliens and N american-born US citizens of Japanese parentage for the next 3 years the Japanese areas of large West Coast cities were to remain deserted in the Pacific States defense preparations were taken with growing seriousness as enemy submarines ventured into Waters just off the US Mainland an enemy Air Attack was regarded as a distinct possibility at almost any moment the coastal area stretching Inland for 150 Mi was ordered thoroughly blacked out the simple dimout was over under the new ruling not a ray of light would be visible to guide any enemy vessel offshore Coast artillery was imp placed along the shore from the Canadian border to Mexico the entire West Coast became an armed Camp troops by the thousands arrived and began rehearsals for combating an enemy attack these practice operations were conducted with grim efficiency if the Japanese should strike against us coastal cities either by air or by sea they would receive a warm reception the West Coast was fully alerted for any attack from the score of camps in the states bordering the Pacific thousands of American fighting men embarked on the first leg of their trip to the fighting fronts in the Pacific charged with stopping the enemy's continuing advance in the Northern Pacific a Japanese Fleet carrying an occupation Force moved toward the uans on the second day of the strike on Dutch Harbor the seizure of several islands in the western uans would protect the enemy's Northern flank and move Japanese forces into position for regular attacks against us bases originally scheduled to occupy three islands Japanese soldiers were now assigned to seize only two at to and Kisa on June 6th while a large Japanese fleet was being defeated at Midway the emperor's troops went ashore at Kisa and quickly took possession of the island with the Enemy firmly situated on Kisa and on at two at the tip of the uian chain the security of Alaska was endangered the Japanese and the uans constituted a potential threat to the American Mainland to Halt the Japanese Advance along the island chain an American Force occupied adak only 250 mi from the Japanese on Kisa the landing on adak was made on August 30th 1942 it marked the end of the period of strictly defensive operations for US forces in the Northern Pacific from this point onward American troops would be on the offensive in the Illusions as elsewhere in the Pacific to implement that offensive the necessary material was brought up the mounting of the advance against the Japanese in the Illusions involved a heavy investment to the US much of the equipment was not suited to use in the Illusions the gis who were to make the offensive were handicapped by the twin problems of terrain and weather both abominable especially for military operations just as important as the combat units to the success of operations in the Illusions were the construction battalions building an air strip in the Northern Pacific was somewhat more of an operation than it was anywhere else the work at adak was rushed from that island American bombers could plaster the Japanese on both at two and Kisa softening up those islands for us invasions throughout the Pacific the construction of an Airfield nearer Japan always signaled an important step forward toward eventual Victory only two weeks after the gis landed on adak the engineers put the finishing touches on the first air strip in January 1943 US troops moved to amchitka only 50 mi from [Music] Kisa in World War II Army life was summarized in the hurry up and wait this pattern of living was followed especially closely by the gis and the Illusions life at an illusion's base was simply a succession of drab days spent in the same rigidly monotonous routine there were precious few hours each day when a GI felt as though he was still part of the human race after a while it was hard to keep track of the days and weeks every day was just like every other day but sometimes there was a break in the weather the change was usually for the worst when a willow or a luan wind storm started blowing all the gis on the islands quickly battened down their shelters some of the men had seen some pretty strong twisters in the US but nothing to compare with a fullscale willow the illusion weather was of course a particular problem to the Air Force on an average day the weather ranged from poor to Impossible keeping a North Pacific Air Base in operating condition was a job that required plenty of patience and determination the job proved to be quite a novelty to those GIS who had spent all their time before the war in the southern states of the us some never would get used to the Illusions when there wasn't a willow water to worry about there was often snow to complicate flying conditions and when there was snow at an illusion Air Base everybody kept busy because of the frequency of thick fogs the planes were able to fly missions against the enemy only on comparatively good days and most of those were far from what was called ideal flying weather the planes of the 11th Air Force were ready to take off on strikes against the enemy at a few moments notice whenever weather permitted in L 1942 and early 43 all possible air power in the Illusions was assigned to the job of knocking out Japanese positions on ATU and Kisa the commanders of the units which were to bomb those islands carefully studied the latest air photographs of the areas by picking as targets the facilities most vital to the enemy the all important air strip the SE plane hanger Coast defense guns the Air Force could [ __ ] Japanese offensive operations from their newly won bases before every Mission the pilots were briefed on their specific objectives then when the weather permitted they prepared to take off on the 250 M hop to the Target no matter how good the weather report the pilot could never be entirely sure that favorable conditions would hold over the target Alan's weather was especially changeable and the pilots had learned not to expect much in the way of continuing clear visibility all they could do was Head West and hope the us could not be sure of the extent of Japanese intentions in the North Pacific the only way to keep the enemy from expanding his area of control was for 11th Air Force planes to bomb the enemy's installations on at two and Kisa as frequently as possible it had become apparent even to the usually skeptical Navy that air power was the key to victory in the uans the Air Force itself had come to the same conclusion somewhat earlier as far back as 1922 General Billy Mitchell had said Alaska could become the stepping stone of Invasion From The Orient and it can be defended only by air power and in 1940 Colonel Buckner Ground Forces commander in Alaska stated one Squadron of heavy bombers is of more use to me than a division of ground troops the regular bombing of Kisa was a major factor in the Turning of the tide of battle in the Illusions missions to Kisa were far from routine enemy anti-aircraft fire was heavy on the early missions bombing of targets was entirely [Music] visual special attention was given to Plastering the salmon Lagoon runway on the island constant bombardment of the strip hampered construction and prevented the Japanese from bringing in land-based heavy aircraft besides the heavy Flack which the enemy threw up the attacking bombers had to cope with Japanese [Music] Fighters [Music] but bombing the enemy was only half the battle if the weather was clear over the target there was a good chance that their base would be fogged in the pilots and the 11th Air Force flew with the added mental strain of being aware every moment they were in the air that death from exposure was probably follow bailing out or a forced Landing even if they were lucky enough to land in one piece after the flight back the best sight in the world was the base control tower whatever the weather each Landing in the uans was a new adventure even for veteran pilot many of the 11th Air Force pilots who had been trained in Texas had to readjust completely to I in the Northern Pacific since the complement of planes in Alaska and the Illusions was fairly limited the loss of even one plane would be keenly felt the pilots always had to contend with fog high wind rain or ice always more of a hazard than the [Music] enemy at illusion bases emergencies were expected safely back on the ground the Flyers swapped trapnel and stories about their experiences over the target a successful raid on an enemy held Island made enduring the cold and the monotony worthwhile after all in May 1943 a US assault Force moved toward atou the Japanese held Island at the tip of the illusion chain on the morning of May 11th The Invasion Force stood offshore from us submarines Army Scouts headed foreshore in advance of the main Landing Force to reconnoiter the areas behind the landing beaches and to destroy enemy installations wherever possible then shortly after 2: p.m. the warships laid down a barrage as cover for the main Landing forces after several delays the northern Force troops started ashore in mid-afternoon their Landing was to be made at a point about 3 mi from the main Japanese camp on the island air support was extremely limited because of the heavy fog over at two on the southern side of the island the main American Force landed at the mouth of Massacre Valley the seventh division GIS felt somewhat uneasy about landing at a spot so forbiddingly named a foothold was gained without opposition but it was vital for the gis to try to gain some of The High Ground commanding the Valley area before the battle with the Enemy began the men dug in ready to fight for that beach head The High Ground flanking the valley was dominated by the enemy Japanese troops were outnumbered 5 to1 but they held an important terrain Advantage the battle for at two began late that first afternoon Us weapons went into action against carefully prepared Japanese positions the gis were handicapped by equipment and clothing which proved unsuited to the demands of uan weather and terrain the enemy on the other hand was well prepared for this type of warfare the Japanese fought savagely to retain possession of the Strategic High Ground some GIS almost gained the heights before being driven back by the enemy's withering fire for 19 days the battle for a two raged [Music] on finally after a last desperate bansai charge the Japanese defense of the island was at an end the frenzied enemy attack had carried the Japanese troops into the American lines where they were virtually wiped out by Army Engineers most of the remaining Japanese who were not killed in the hand-to-hand struggle committed suicide rather than surrender after the annihilation of the Japanese force which had made the bansai charge the Imperial Japanese High command 1,800 M away in Tokyo conceded defeat on May 30th in the retaking of at two by the US Army's 7eventh Division and supporting units 1100 soldiers were wounded 400 soldiers gave their lives in the battle for [Music] atou oh merciful god the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the resurrection and the life and who Whom whosoever believeth Shall Live though he die and whosoever liveth and believeth in him shall not die eternally who also hath taught us by his holy Apostle St Paul not to be sorry as men without hope for those who sleep in him we humbly beseech thee Oh father to raise us from the death of sin unto the life of righteousness with that two once more in American hands kisar became untenable for the Japanese and they abandoned the island in Late July the evacuation was conducted under cover of a heavy fog the enemy ships were not detected by American Patrol Craft on August 15th a strong US invasion Force prepared to assault the island making the attack were the US Army's seventh Division and supporting units of the Canadian Army and US Western Defense command the gis who were to spearhead the assault were warned to expect Japanese defenses about seven times as formidable as those on at two The Invasion troops were prepared to storm ashore and overpower the enemy 7,000 US troops went ashore within the first 14 hours an additional 4,000 men were ready to land in support of the original Force benefiting from errors made at at two the Kisa Invasion had been carefully planned the supplies and equipment which would be needed in short order by the fighting men started arriving on the beach quickly after more than a year of fighting a holding action in the uans with inadequate equipment the US had finally mounted an invasion Force worthy of the term Kisa was the consummation of all the effort that had been poured into the illution war by the us but the assault troops found no Japanese there was considerable evidence of the effective work which had been done in the area by the US Navy and Air Force the enemy had been under heavy bombardment from sea and air for about a year before evacuating the island Japanese equipment on Kisa indicated that the battle would have been a bloody one if the US invasion had been made a month or two earlier many of the gis felt relieved that The Invasion had turned into a simple occupation the Japanese had left suddenly but not before booby trapping the place thoroughly in Japan the enemy's war production was geared to a more and more demanding schedule as Japanese troops lost ground in the Pacific soon after the start of war with the United States and Western allies the shortage of Labor in Japanese war plants was aggravated only 3 months after the Pearl Harbor strike labor conscription was put into effect applying to everyone over 15 years of age of either sex Factory workers could be moved from City to city as needed the daily fixed rate of pay ranged from 1 yen to 1 and 35ths Yen between 25 and 40 cents in US money at the time the working day was increased to 16 hours the work week was a full 7 days and in addition to the Daily 16-hour stint workers had to fill two night shifts each week women comprised the majority of Japan's warw workers every available able-bodied person in Japan above Elementary School age was pressed into war workor the energies and resources of all of Japan were concentrated on crushing the hated American enemy and winning a brilliant victory for the glory of Imperial Japan and its militarist leaders with the Illusions completely regained the US command turned its attention farther Westward to the coral Islands parom mhiro the most important Target was bombed regularly by us planes beginning in mid 1943 on route to the koreal American Pilots often practiced on Japanese [Music] ships as they neared the Japanese Islands these opportunities increased the 800m trip from the Western Illusions to the northern Coral soon became a routine [Music] Mission the principal targets at param mishiro were airfields fisheries and canaries all were given careful attention from mid 1943 until the end of the war 11th Air Force planes kept param mishiro effectively neutralized US Air power had successfully disrupted Japan's aggressive moves in the North Pacific below the equator the job of pushing the Japanese back involved a different kind of warfare in the jungles of New Guinea Allied fighting forces were engag engaged in combat with the Enemy from the early months of the [Music] war [Music] andice ofage in the fre let every feel your