Mysteries and Memories
Perched on Mount Ballyhoo in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, the concrete remains of the Aleutian World War II National Historic Area speak silently of a time of war. This magical place was the stage for two American tragedies: here, servicemen fought both the Japanese and the extreme weather, as hundreds of native Unangan people were interned a thousand miles away, longing to return to their island homes.
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The Aleutian Campaign
The Aleutian Campaign claimed thousands of lives and culminated in one of the deadliest battles in the Pacific.
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Unangan (Aleut) Evacuation and Internment
In a tragic and shameful episode, the U.S. government forcibly removed nearly 900 Unangan (Aleut) people from their homes in 1942.
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Birthplace of Winds, Cradle of Storms
On the map, the Aleutian archipelago appears as a series of stepping stones stretching from Alaska to Siberia.
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Did You Know?
A PBY plane piloted by Lt. Jean Cusick was sent from Dutch Harbor, on June 3, 1942, to locate Japanese forces in the Pacific. He was shot down by enemy fighters en route. Five men out of the seven-man crew survived the crash and got into life rafts. Cusick and his enlisted pilot died on the rafts from their wounds. The other three were captured by the Japanese, and became the first prisoners of war in the Aleutian Campaign.