Adak Harbor, oil painting, by William F. Draper. In the harbor a Liberty ship lies at dock while Army Air Forces fighter planes practice maneuvers in the sky. Dwarfed by snow-clad mountains, Navy ships are at anchor in the background.

United States Navy
Combat Narrative

The Aleutians Campaign
June 1942--August 1943

NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
WASHINGTON
1993

Preface

Forward

Introduction (pages: 1-4)

• The Geographical Factor
• Terrain
• Weather

The Attack on Dutch Harbor, June 1942 (pages: 4-17)

• Preparations
• Dutch Harbor Bombed, 3 and 4 June

Enemy Occupation of Attu and Kiska (pages: 17-20)

"Strong Attrition"--Kiska Bombarded (pages: 20-26)

• The Approach
• The Bombardment

Occupation of Adak, 30 August 1942 (pages: 26-28)

From Adak to Amchitka, September 1942--January 1943 (pages: 28-30)

Occupation of Amchitka, 12 January 1943 (page: 31)

First Bombardment of Attu, 18 February 1943 (pages: 32-33)

Destruction of Enemy Ammunition Ship, 19 February 1943 (pages: 33-35)

The Battle of the Komandorskis, 26 March 1943 (pages: 35-75)

• Introduction
• Events Preceding the Action
• Preliminary Movements of the Battle
• Action is Joined
• "Stand By to Lay Smoke"
• "Execute Torpedo Attack"
• The Retirement
• Observations
• Conclusions
• Summary of Ammunition Expended

Second Bombardment of Attu, 26 April 1943 (pages: 76-77)

The Invasion of Attu, May 1943 (pages: 78-116)

• Planning and Training
• Tactical Plan
• The Approach
• Northern Landings
• Southern Landings
• Events of 12 May
• Events of 13 May
• Events of 14 May
• Events of 15 May
• Events of 16 May
• Events of 17-18 May
• Attack on Phelps and Charleston, 22 May
• Airfields on Attu and Shemya Established
• Note of the Effect of Naval Gunfire; Air Operations
• Note of Rations Supplied by Transports

Softening up Kiska (pages: 117-122)

• Bombardment of 6 July
• Bombardment of 22 July
• Radar Contacts of 25-26 July
• Bombardment of 2 August
• Bombardment of 12 August

The Invasion of Kiska, 15 August 1943 (pages: 123-128)

• Plans for the Assault
• Execution of the Plan
• Evacuation of Kiska by the Japanese
• Conclusion

Appendix A: Task Organization for the Assault on Kiska (pages: 129-130)

Appendix B: Symbols of U.S. Navy Ships (pages: 131-132)

Appendix C: List of Published Combat Narratives (pages: 133)

Charts and Illustrations

• Chart: The Aleutian Theater
• Illustrations: (between pages 9-16)
  • Japanese bombing of Dutch Harbor
  • Burning buildings at Ft. Mears
  • Damage to buildings at Ft. Mears
  • Japanese transport burning at Kiska
  • The St. Louis fires a salvo at Kiska
  • Army landing on Adak
  • The Casco beached on Atka
  • Sweepers Cove, Adak
• Chart: Battle of the Komandorskis (general area)
• Chart: Track chart of the Battle of the Komandorskis
• Diagram: Scouting dispositions of Task Group Mike
• Diagram: Approximate situation at 0840
• Diagram: Situation at 1155
• Diagram: Situation at 1158
• Illustrations (between pages 86-93)
  • Landing at Constantine Harbor, Amchitka
  • The Salt Lake City
  • Battle of the Komandorskis
  • The Pruitt guides landing boats to the beaches of Attu
  • Unloading supplies on Attu
  • Invasion fleet gathers in Adak Harbor
  • Landing on Kiska
  • LST's unloading on Kiska
• Chart: The Landings on Attu
• Chart: The Landings on Kiska
• Illustration: The Pennsylvania bombards Attu
• Illustration: Pre-invasion bombardment of Kiska

The Aleutians Campaign, June 1942-August 1943.

 p. cm. -- (Combat Narratives, no. 1)
Originally published: Washington: Publications Branch,
 Office of Naval Intelligence, United States Navy, 1945.
ISBN 0-945274-16-5
1. World War, 1939-1045--Campaigns--Alaska--Aleutian Islands.
I. Naval Historical Center (U.S.)
D769.87.A4A44 1993
940.54'28          93-25203

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