A I A C 1/ A \
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The first blow in the Aleutians—the Japanese carrier attack against Dutch
Harbor on 3 June 1942, was timed to be one day earlier than the carrier attack
against Midway, thus to confuse the enemy and throw off his timing.
As a result of the Japanese defeat at Midway the occupation of the western
Aleutians was cancelled by the Japanese Commander in Chief, Combined Fleet,••
However, this order was countermanded and shortly thereafter altered again,The
Adak occupation force was cancelled and the Adak-Attu force was directed to
seize only Attu, The Kiska occupation force landed a battalion of 1200 men on
Kiska. at 1500 6 June, The Adak-Attu occupation force landed a battalion of the
same number of Army troops on Attu at about 0300, 7 June 1942* Later, Agattu
was occupied but was of minor importance.
The reasoning isn't clear but it is thought that the propaganda of occupying
U.S. soil would detract from a leak of the sad information on the loss of carr
iers in the larger battle of Midway,
The U. S, didn't discover this occupation until four days after it had begun, ,
PBY's led off bombing of Japanese held islands from Umnak Island, These, were ^
soon followed by 3-17*s and 3-24*s. The U. S, gradually extened its bases clos
er and closer to the Japanese held islands and occupied Adak on 30 August 1942,,
An airfield was in operation by 13 September 1942, only two weeks later.
The Japanese gradually increased their troops so that by May 1943, at the time
of the U.S, assault on Attu, there were 2500 troops and on the same date in Kiska
about 5400.
When the U.S, bypassed Kiska and attacked Attu, the Japanese decided to with
draw the troops occupying Kiska for the defense of the Kurile Islands which lie
northeast of Hokkaido. On 29 July, the day Kiska forces were evacuated, a strong
U.S. task group was absent from it's patrol southwest of Kiska Island, engaged in
refueling. A single U.S. submarine was the only contact the Japansese made with
U.S. forces. The U.S. had interpreted the evacuation.preparations as redeploy
ment for defense and on 16 August when the U.S, and Canada landed 34,000 troops ,
the Janpanese had already escaped,
1st of a series on the Aleutians and Alaska. Contributors welcome, a
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