The Other Pearl Harbor

First: I've noticed that my readership via the TTLB has dwindled three steps down from the lofty Adorable Rodent, down to a Flappy Bird, a Slithering Reptile and, now, a Crawly Amphibian; so be it. Those things happen. I went through a few moments of self-doubt, recriminations, and then finally realized: big friggin' deal. I write for myself anyway, to see myself in print. If my dead Aunt Lillian catches a couple of these wafting internet posts to read, hell, I'm happy. The lowest squiggly form in the TTLB is the Insignificant Microbe; perhaps I should prepare the TTLB for my upcoming Weeping-Pus Molecule rating.

Besides Pearl Harbor, the Japanese also attacked other portions of sovereign American soil during World War II. Anyone hear of Operation Land Crab? Engineer Hill?

Following December 7th, 1941, on June 3rd of 1942, Japanese bombers attacked Dutch Harbor on Unalaska Island. In crappy weather, only half the planes found the target and little damage was done. Unalaska Island comprises only one (roughly mid-point) of a large number of islands in Alaska's "beard chain" of islands -- and is clearly SOVEREIGN United States soil.

For reference, Dutch Harbor is the port from which many boats issue when you choose to watch the Discovery Channel's series The Deadliest Catch about current-day crab fishermen.

Three days later, Japanese then invaded the Island of Kiska on June 6, 1942 and the Island of Attu the next day. Of the 42 inhabitants who remained on Attu, all were taken to a prison camp near Otaru, Hokkaido. There, sixteen of them died.

Kiska and Attu were on soverign United States soil.

The Battle of the Aleutian Islands lasted from June 3rd, 1942 to August 15th, 1943.

In all, the United States deployed 144,000 personnel; the Japanese deployed 8,500.

The US lost 1,481 dead (2,500 wounded, sick or frostbitten) ; Japan lost 2,351 dead.

The re-capture of Attu produced some of the bloodiest fighting in the Pacific theatre, similar to the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

There were 3,929 U.S. casualties:

• 549 were killed,
• 1148 were injured,
• 1200 had severe cold injuries,
• 614 succumbed to disease, and
• 318 died of miscellaneous causes, largely Japanese booby traps and friendly fire.

This all occurred on United States soil.

Did you ever hear of it?

BZ