US ResearchConflictsIndian Wars and Frontier ConflictsAlaskaBattle of Attu
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts

Battle of Attu

1943
Alaska
Era
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts
Year
1943
Location
Alaska
Status
Verified engagement
The Battle

History & Significance

Battle of Attu was a Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts engagement fought in Alaska, 1943.

From May 11 to May 30, 1943, United States forces, supported by Canadian airmen, fought to retake Attu from its Japanese garrison in the only land battle of World War II waged on the soil of the incorporated United States. American troops landed and pushed inland through cold, fog, and mountainous terrain against entrenched defenders under Colonel Yasuyo Yamasaki. The fighting was slow and brutal, much of it at close quarters, and cost the Americans heavy casualties from combat as well as frostbite and exposure. It ended when Yamasaki launched one of the war's largest banzai charges, which briefly broke through American lines before being wiped out; almost the entire Japanese garrison was killed or died by suicide, with only a handful taken prisoner. The victory returned Attu to American control and set up the recapture of Kiska.

Forces engaged
US: 549 killed, 1,148 wounded, ~1,800 frostbite/sick; Japan: ~2,351 killed, 28 captured

Approximate location. The nearest recorded settlement is shown; the exact site is unrecorded.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Battle of Attu take place?
Battle of Attu took place in 1943.
Where was Battle of Attu fought?
Battle of Attu was fought in Alaska, United States.
What was the significance of Battle of Attu?
From May 11 to May 30, 1943, United States forces, supported by Canadian airmen, fought to retake Attu from its Japanese garrison in the only land battle of World War II waged on the soil of the incorporated United States. American troops landed and pushed inland through cold, fog, and mountainous t
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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More from this era

Other Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts Engagements

Battle of Dutch Harbor
1942
Alaska
Japanese occupation of Attu
1942
Alaska
Japanese occupation of Kiska
1942
Alaska
Battle of Kiska
1943
Alaska
All battles in AlaskaIndian Wars and Frontier Conflictsconflicts ›Historic sites in Alaska
Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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