Aleutian Islands World War II National Historic Area • Alaska

Group of people around a Russian cross in tall grass

People crowd at the railing of a ship

Six men with guns carry a person on a stretcher in a valley.

A uniformed man holds up a broken Russian cross

The remote Aleutian Islands, home to the Unangax̂ (Aleut) people for over 8,000 years, became a fiercely contested Pacific battleground in World War II. Some Unangax̂ were taken from their homelands as Japanese prisoners of war while the others were evacuated from the islands by the government. Both groups suffered greatly during the war, and some would never return to their villages.

In September 2009, Nick Lekanoff, Sr., former Makushin resident, traveled with his daughter and other descendants of Makushin on the Tiglax to visit the village site, which had been left behind in the evacuation of 1942 and never permanently resettled.
NPS Photo

Pribilof villagers, here lining the railing of the USAT Delarof on the day of their departure (June 15, 1942), were evacuated with only a few hours notice and no idea of their ultimate destination.
Photograph courtesy National Archives

U.S. wounded are gathered from the battlefield on Attu Island. The battle on Attu, lasting nearly 20 days, was the second most deadly in the Pacific Theater.
Photo courtesy National Archives

The Aleutian campaign brought together Russian, Native Alaskan, Japanese, and Euroamerican cultures. During the war 7 historic churches were damaged or destroyed. Villages were unrecognizable or burned to the ground and personal belonging lost or stolen.
Photo courtesy National Archives

A tunnel covered in verdant vegetation looks out onto a shoreline.

About the Aleutians

What is Aleutian Islands World War II National Historic Area? Read this article to find out!

a cement historic structure stands amid flowers on a hilly mountainside.

The Aleutian Islands WWII National Historic area is a unique type of NPS unit. Learn more about what makes it special.

five pilots in military uniforms pose at the edge of a body of water.

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A historic scene of people lining the railing on a ship.

History & Culture

The Aleutian Islands contain many histories from a broad range of people. Learn about their stories here.

A historic scene of a man reading in a grassy meadow with a building on the horizon.

Research Portal

Read our publications, listen to interviews, and explore primary source documents through the research portal.

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There's a lot to do in the Aleutian Islands. Start planning your trip today.

a squat, L-shaped building sits at the base of a coastal range with snowy mountains.

Check out the amazing exhibits at the Visitor Center before entering the Historic Area.

a wooden post with barbed wire sits crookedly on green tundra.

There are many hazards -- historic and modern -- that come with visiting the Aleutians. Be aware and be prepared.

Last updated: June 4, 2026

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

Aleutian Islands WWII Visitor Center
2716 Airport Beach Road
Unalaska, AK 99692

Phone:

907-581-9944

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