Many people don't know it but the Japenese invaded American territory by landing in the Aleutian Islands shortly after Pearl Harbor. It took us a year, but by utilizing the Alaskan civilians( white, Eskimo and Indian)who were wise in the way of the Alaskan wilderness and the extreme weather conditions we were able to finally throw them off. Regular army troops that we sent in were woefully under equipped for that sort of weather and had a tough time of it, but the Alaskans won out. A special unit was formed and this unit became the Alaskan National Guard after the War. The same type of rugged individuals populate the Alaskan National Guard today and, no, I am not an Alaskan, but wish I had moved there when I was young.
“Many people don’t know it but the Japenese invaded American territory by landing in the Aleutian Islands shortly after Pearl Harbor....”
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Great story, thanks.
My late Dad (regular Army) related how he was assigned to the Aleutians after the “clean-up” was over... He also would have been with the Japanese mainland invasion force had the A-bomb not curtailed the war.
God rest his soul and those of all the brave men & women in the Greatest Generation who defended our nation...