I have the book,” The Thousand Mile War” that chronicles the action in Alaska. The Army ignored the input from the units that had been stationed there before the invasion, and sent in the GIs with no winter gear. Those guys were issued leather boots which resulted in many losing feet to frostbite. Incredible conditions, yet they threw the Japanese out. One interesting tactic developed there was the use of airborne forward observers, which we still use today. If you can find this book, grab it.
It has been reprinted.
http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Mile-War-Aleutians-Classic-Reprint/dp/0912006838