[texanyankee]

Thanks for posting.

My Dad served on the USS Arthur Middleton. While at Amchitka, it hit a rock and knocked a hole in it. Everyone had to abandon ship. My Dad stayed at Dutch Harbor for approximately 6 months.
He spoke few words about that experience. In fact, he told me he couldnt recall anything after abandoning his ship.

After being towed to Washington state, months later the Middleton was repaired and my Dad rejoined his crew & served at Tarawa & Kwajalein.

He’s one of America’s greatest generation.

[Northern Yankee]

Great post.

I was stationed out at Shemya AFB, second to the last Aluetian Island on the chain.

Toured Attu with the base commander, and our chaplain. (We flew over courtesy of the Coast Guard.) Amazing sights and stories were shared as we crawled across the tundra on track snow machine.

It was amazing to see.

[Vinnie]

I don’t know that much about the Aleutian War but every time I watch ‘Deadliest Catch’ I think of it.

[2banana]

Total U.S. casualties were 3,829—549 killed. Some believe it was the bloodiest battle of World War II.

Huh? Over 13 months?

[Jaxter]

Thanks. My Dad was a platoon Sgt. in the 201st Infantry and spent most of the war in the Aleutians.

[fso301]

Attu was taken back only after a horrible fight. Japan fought to the last man. Facing defeat, 500 Japanese soldiers committed suicide with their own grenades.

Because surrender was so disgraceful, Japanese military doctrine did not include a concept of defense or strategic withdrawal.

As a result, when confronted with defeat, we see all over the Pacific theater, mass suicides rather than the men individually waiting for allies to approach and attempting to "take one with them".

Many certainly did feign surrender only to produce a weapon when close to allied troops. Many fought to their last bullet and then charged with fixed bayonet. Others chaotically massed in suicidal Banzai charges but then we see large numbers of others who unafraid of death could have continued resisting and extracting further allied losses but they didn't choosing instead to kill themselves.

Faced with being overrun, they didn't know what to do. Each man or small unit commander deciding for himself how best to escape the disgrace of surrender or being captured wounded.

[freema]

CLICK THE PIC

[an amused spectator]

I ran into a Seabee who was in the Aleutians during the war.

I shook his hand, and thanked him for his service. He was still a spry old gentleman. :-)