US ResearchConflictsIndian Wars and Frontier ConflictsAlaskaJapanese occupation of Kiska
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts

Japanese occupation of Kiska

1942
Alaska
Era
Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts
Year
1942
Location
Alaska
Status
Verified engagement
The Battle

History & Significance

Japanese occupation of Kiska was a Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts engagement fought in Alaska, 1942.

On June 6, 1942, a Japanese force of roughly five hundred troops under Captain Takeji Ono landed on Kiska in the western Aleutians, overrunning a small U.S. Navy weather station. Two American sailors were killed and the rest of the ten-man detachment captured, apart from one man who evaded the Japanese for about seven weeks before surrendering. Together with the landing on Attu a day later, the seizure of Kiska placed Japanese forces on United States territory. Japan steadily reinforced the island, building up a garrison of several thousand men with coastal guns, antiaircraft defenses, and a submarine base, making Kiska a far tougher objective than Attu. American aircraft and warships bombarded it repeatedly through 1942 and 1943, and retaking it became a central aim of the Aleutian Campaign, culminating in the Allied landing of August 1943.

Forces engaged
Japanese force ~500 (later thousands); US weather station: 2 killed, 8 captured

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

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Japanese occupation of Kiska take place?
Japanese occupation of Kiska took place in 1942.
Where was Japanese occupation of Kiska fought?
Japanese occupation of Kiska was fought in Alaska, United States.
What was the significance of Japanese occupation of Kiska?
On June 6, 1942, a Japanese force of roughly five hundred troops under Captain Takeji Ono landed on Kiska in the western Aleutians, overrunning a small U.S. Navy weather station. Two American sailors were killed and the rest of the ten-man detachment captured, apart from one man who evaded the Japan
Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Japanese occupation of Kiska

This page covers Japanese occupation of Kiska. A full Aubrey report for the area pulls together this battle alongside historic sites, land records, and everything else the record holds within a few miles:

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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Japanese occupation of Kiska report
Or see a real report first
More from this era

Other Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts Engagements

Battle of Dutch Harbor
1942
Alaska
Japanese occupation of Attu
1942
Alaska
Battle of Attu
1943
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.

Aubrey Research

Explore the history around Alaska

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in the US, drawing on NRHP records, battlefield archives, census history and geological data to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near AlaskaView a free sample report
All Indian Wars and Frontier Conflicts Battles