Show occupation of aleutian islands by japanese constitutes serious menace to entire U S battle of kiska island main jap stronghold unique in warfare by CHARLES A by western newspaper union the aleutian islands or catherine archipelago are a bow shaped chain of small islands in the north pacific which point forever towards japan this geographical fact took on military significance after the jap attack on dutch harbor last june the aleutians Aleut ians extend west from alaska toward benins peninsula u for nearly a thousand miles there are about 70 islands and 80 inlets all of which are included in the territory of alaska the largest of these islands is is the port of entry for western alaska and the center of the fur trade desolate rocky and forbidding the aleutians Aleut ians apparently are a continuation of the main alaskan range this is a land of snow streaked volcanoes the climate resembles that of iceland mean temperature july 50 degrees january 35 rainfall is heavy and clouds and fogginess are almost constant all summer long the fog lies thick over the land during the winter gales lash the seas practically treeless the islands are rich in berry bearing shrubs the aleutian natives live in rude huts and spear fish indians and eskimos in the interior live on reindeer while the aleuts aleuns for the most part make their living at fishing it may be said with a full degree of certainty that this is one place in the world where the fishing is usually very good there is no need for alibis trouble starts for aleut aleuns things were going along nl nicely ay iy for the aleuts aleuns up to the time of the japanese invasion and then their whole world began tumbling about their ears the war had come to the far north it was almost unthinkable a few years ago that this land of fog and solitude would some day become et land of incredible battles in the air and on the sea that saine some day along these dangerous fogbound fog bound coasts one of the worlds greatest concentrations trat ions of cruisers would steam without the benefit of destroyer smokescreen smoke screen and without air support right up to the guns juns on an kiska island and carry the war to japan U S destroyers were in that battle tle line too but they lay down ony any smoke screen the almighty had taken cara care of that the aleutian islands came into the world spotlight last june when the japs made their attack on dutch harbor from aircraft carriers this was a hit and run attack and the carriers disappeared in the mists As we now stand the japs are occupying kiska attu aatu and kiska island is some 20 miles long and is separated from little kiska by a narrow strait kiska appears to be the main jap stronghold in this area When the japs mo moved ved in they renamed this island Naru kami Naru kami or kiska as we prefer to call it has had considerable attention from the U S navy since the japs took possession under cover of biskas fogs for on the very same day the battle for the solomon islands began at the other end of the world a U S navy task force glided through the fog almost up to the very guns of the invaders and hurled 7 T J JAP ZERO COMES TO aleutian islands this japanese place downed by defenders during ate are shown being examined the pi it greater range lies in the fore tons of steel and TNT into jap shipping and shore installations in kiska harbor wreaking breaking wre aking great havoc on jap ammunition and oil dumps and on her runways for land based planes battle of kiska unique the battle of kiska was one of the few battles in this greatest of all wars where ships went to bat in the old fashioned way relying on the punch of their guns the navys drive right up to biskas enemy guns was nothing short of brazen and has few if any parallels in the his tory of naval warfare it was a hit and run attack built on sheer nerve and courage but it more than accomplished complis hed its objective pearl harbor was a stab in in the back the kiska attack was not an act of national treachery but a bold frontal assault which should have been expected but evidently was not the japs were as completely surprised as the U S forces were at pearl harbor american submarines too have done splendid work in the aleutian ahei area having sent many jap cargo vessels transports and warships to the bottom the jap invasion of the aleutian islands is a constant threat to alas 4 contractors camp along the alaskan highway job camps are so 50 located that the thick poplar growth serves as protection against winter storms the camp area area is graded to assure proper drainage ka and american cities and while the navy his has done remarkable work up to the time it may take a combined land and sea operation to get them out when the occupation of the aleutians Aleut ians first was made it was assumed that such occupation was merely a face saving gesture to pacify the son of heaven in tokyo for the bombing of the japanese capital but as persisted and grew in force this idea was abandoned and the real danger to america in the presence of the japs in the aleutians Aleut ians became a apparent rint japs on kiska it has been estimated that at least japs have occupied the island of kiska alone many of these no doubt have been taken care of by the fleets heavy guns gun gunsard sand and by the navys big catalina flying boats and the ardys B 17 and B 24 bombers that dare the dangers of fog and mountain to dump amp their loads of explosive on the ahe venturesome japs the cats condemned by some is as slow lumbering and outmoded have been the hero planes in the defense of alaska searching out the japs in hideaway hide bide away islands and spending endless gruelling gruenling gru elling hours on patrol duty when the he cats and the flying fortresses Fort reses go roaring through the soup as the fog is called in alaska there is hell to pay on kiska however trying to bomb the japs out of the fog covered aleutians Aleut ians has PF A heavy weapons unit shown on a four hour practice march in alaska IL 71 71 w 3 VOT RE 1 t V vr 4 aay 1 v Y KIN V at i somewhere in the barren fighter plane finds its final resting a recent raid its battered remains arwood belly tank for gas to give ad cost the U S some brave fliers and some good bombers it is a constant fight with the weather and fogs and mountains have taken a bigger toll of our planes and fliers filers than have the japs some are odthe of the opinion that the japs may be holding kiska to guarantee their position in northern waters from which they take great quantities of fish with which to feed the empire of japan this view is not held by sen M C D of washington member of the military affairs subcommittee that visited alaska senator claims that the japs must be driven from tho the aleutians Aleut ians before a north pacific offensive can be launched said occupation of three of the larger islands at the tip of the aleutian chain puts the he japs squarely across our bridge to russia the japs must bs be persuaded with gunfire and bombs the only language they understand that th the e aleutian islands are unhealthy for any but aleuts aleuns and americans and this is is being done as fast as feasible at present the japs menace alaska and alaska is of strategic importance to the safety of continental united states alaska lies athwart any jap invasion of this continent and is the route by which america may most easily strike against japan and pay off some old scores and yet the only way to get supplies and men to this vital area Is by or boat p americas burma road very fortunately for alaska and america the alaskan highway is is now well under construction this highway the grea greatest wilderness undertaking der taking in american history will enable the U S to rush munitions to guard the ahe bases that lie closest to japan today bull dozers and logging jogging crews are hacking 4 a wide swath into macdonaldd Mac Donalds wilderness creating a corridor for troops and equipment to roll to the P far ar north this highway will link the U S to its arctic outpost and billbe will be of immense immense strategic importance we may all be grateful that donald macdonald an elderly engineer was so determined in his purpose to git get a highway through to alaska As if gifted with prophetic vision for 20 years macdonald promoted the idea to prove that his idea was sound and perfectly feasible he made a trip to alaska on loot foot at great personal danger while an alaskan highway commission was created some som years eyears ago with macdonald as one of its members it was not until december 7 1941 that anything was done about build building hig the highway the attack on pearl harbor brought into sharp relief the military importance of a highway to this northern U S outpost and americas burma road was begun work proceeds apace the highway was started at dawson creek just across the british columbia line from alberta and will extend along the east side of the the work is now proceeding apace the ring of the axe and the blest blast of dynamite now being familiar sounds in wilderness fast nesses which for centuries knew only the howl how of the timber wolf and the crashing of the brush as the lordly moose went by uncle sam has a way of getting things done in a big way when he rolls up his slee sleeves yes and while this is a stupendous undertaking it will not be so very long before the north american lifeline to alaska will be an accomplished fact one more gigantic stride in the direction of the conquest of ambitious japan when wen completed soldiers and armored equipment will reach fairbanks in 80 60 hours from edmonton alberta this Thi strip trip by ocean from seattle takes eight days dayi to anchorage and another day to fairbanks the cost of the highway will be less than the cost of one battleship brig gen william morris hoge is in charge of the construction of the highway which follows almost mile for mile the route macdonald blazed through the forest fastnesses fast nesses years ago the men on the construction job are living much as our forefathers did depending to a considerable extent upon their ability as hunters and fishermen surrounding forests provide both fuel and shelter |