Aleutian Front Top of Triangle of Defense Triangle

• Major General Buckner • “We’re not even the second team – we’re

Condition of the Military in Alaska • Only a few air ports • Kodiak,

Continued • RCAF 115 th Fighter Squadron and 8 th Bomber Squadron • B-24’s

Battle of Dutch Harbor • June 3, 1942 • Japanese Zeros attacked and bombed

Colonel William Eareckson • • Connection with bush pilots Convinced many to join the

Battle of Attu • May 11, 1943 • • Castener’s Cutthroats Japanese Dug into

Battle of Kiska • August 15, 1943 • • 34, 426 U. S. and

Historical Significance • Alaska is hard to take over • The “sandlot” is the

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Aleutian Front: Top of Triangle of Defense

Triangle of Defense

• Major General Buckner • “We’re not even the second team – we’re the sandlot club. ” • Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald • “PLANES ALONE CAN ASSURE DECISIVE TACTICAL RESULTS” • Still using Russian Naval Charts from 1864 • Did not get along.

Condition of the Military in Alaska • Only a few air ports • Kodiak, Anchorage, Fairbanks, ****Top Secret on in Unalaska*****, Dutch Harbor and Umnak Island. • Most Naval boats from WWI, wood, and converted to diesel • 8 Destroyers • 6 S-Boats (Submarines) • Fishing Boats “patrol craft” Painted Grey • Air Corps, Alaska 11 th Air Force • • • 4 B-17 s 31 B-26 s and B-18 “Goonybird” Pilots with no experience 23 PBY Catalina P-39 s

Continued • RCAF 115 th Fighter Squadron and 8 th Bomber Squadron • B-24’s • P-40 Warhawks • Royal Canadian Air Force, THANKS CANADA

Battle of Dutch Harbor • June 3, 1942 • Japanese Zeros attacked and bombed Dutch Harbor • Nearby 11 th Squadron in Umnak flew out to help • Many Japanese planes went off course, froze up, or could not find the carrier and crashed. • June 4 th 1942 • Lieutenant ”Cy” Perkins went looking for the Japanese Carrier Junyo from Umnak • Attacked with PBY and two bombs, awarded Navy Cross • Colonel Earechson lead a group of bombers to attack with torpedo's • Failed • 18 Died, 25 Injured at Dutch Harbor

Colonel William Eareckson • • Connection with bush pilots Convinced many to join the war effort Brash, took many risks, king of smack talk. Awarded the Distinguished Service Cross

Battle of Attu • May 11, 1943 • • Castener’s Cutthroats Japanese Dug into the High Ground 3292 casualties 580 Killed 1148 wounded 614 disease 318 from misc. (friendly fire or traps) • Bonsai Charges- A lot of hand to hand combat • 2351 Japanese Died • 28 captured • Last 500 committed suicide/rushed troops with live grenades

Battle of Kiska • August 15, 1943 • • 34, 426 U. S. and Canadian Troops landed Nobody homed Japanese evacuated U. S. and Canadian Troops fought each other on accident because of fog

Historical Significance • Alaska is hard to take over • The “sandlot” is the right people for the job • Discovery of Akutan Zero which allowed U. S. to recreate the Zero and test it.