The landing at Amchitka on 12 January 1943 was the unopposed amphibious landing operation and occupation of Amchitka island by American forces during the Aleutian Islands campaign during World War II.[1]
In June 1942, the Japanese occupied the western Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska, and they hoped to occupy Amchitka.[2] A Japanese survey team scouted the island but rejected it for military purposes.[citation needed]
American military planners determined that an airbase was needed near the Japanese-occupied islands. Amchitka was ruled out as a possible candidate since it was only 50 miles away from Kiska. At the War Department's suggestion, an initial reconnaissance of Amchitka was carried out in September 1942, which found that it would be difficult to build an airstrip on the island.[2] Nevertheless, planners decided in December that the airfield "had to be built" to prevent the Japanese from doing the same.[2]
A reconnaissance mission visited Amchitka from 17 to 19 December and reported that a fighter strip could be built in two to three weeks, and a main airfield in three to four months.[2] Plans were drawn out for the landings dubbed "Operation Longview". The operation would scrape together 2,000 immediate U.S military in the Aleutian Islands by the Alaska Defense Command. It was thought through reconnaissance that Amchitka was occupied by a small Japanese military presence. Eager to remove the Japanese, the Joint Chiefs of Staff agreed to move quickly to regain the territory.[3][4]
Landing at Constantine Harboredit
The operation was set for 9 January 1943 but was delayed by weather.[5] American forces made an unopposed landing at Constantine Harbor near the southwest end of the island on 12 January. Nearly 2,100 troops disembarked without opposition. Their only enemies were the weather, the unpredictable current, and the rock-studded waters through which the landing was made.
The destroyer USS Worden was guarding the transport USS Arthur Middleton as she put the preliminary Army security unit on the shore. The destroyer maneuvered into the rock-edged harbor and stayed there until the last men had landed and then turned to the business of clearing the harbor. A strong current, however, swept Worden onto a pinnacle that tore into a hull beneath the engine room and caused a complete loss of power. The destroyer then broached and began breaking up in the surf. Commander William G. Pogue, the destroyer's commanding officer, ordered abandon ship, and as he was directing that effort, he was swept overboard into the wintry seas by a heavy wave that broke over the ship. Pogue was among the fortunate ones, however, because he was hauled, unconscious, out of the sea. Fourteen of the crew drowned.
USS Worden being abandoned shortly after a hull breach beneath the engine room
Once on the ground the island was cleared and found to be empty of Japanese military.[6][7] During the first night ashore a "willowaw" (violent squall) smashed many of the landing boats and swept a troop transport aground. On the second day a blizzard wracked the island with snow, sleet, and biting wind. Lasting for nearly two weeks, the blizzard finally subsided enough to reveal to a Japanese scout plane from Kiska the American beachhead on Amchitka. Harassed by bombing and strafing attacks from Kiska, engineers continued work on an airfield on Amchitka, completing it in mid-February. Japanese attacks on the island then sharply declined. By 16 February the fighter strip was ready for limited operation. On that day, eight Curtis P-40 Warhawks arrived on Amchitka, and within a week they were running patrols over Kiska.[8][9]
The stage was now set for the next phase of operations, amphibious attacks to eject the Japanese from their Aleutian footholds.[10]
^Chandonnet, Fern (2007-09-15). Alaska at War, 1941-1945: The Forgotten War Remembered. University of Alaska Press. ISBN9781602231351.
^MacGarrigle, George L. (October 2003). . The Campaigns of World War II. United States Army Center of Military History. CMH Pub 72–6, paper, GPO S/N 008-029-00232-9. Archived from the original on 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2006-10-07.
^Kohlhoff, Dean (2011-05-15). Amchitka and the bomb: nuclear testing in Alaska. University of Washington Press. ISBN9780295800509.
^"USS Worden (DD 352) Home". dd352.us. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
^. www.history.army.mil. Archived from the original on 2021-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
^Morison, Samuel Eliot (2001-11-01). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, June 1942 - April 1944. University of Illinois Press. ISBN9780252070372.
^"Researcher digs into the stories of Amchitka's fallen WWII fighters". Alaska Dispatch News. Retrieved 2015-12-27.
^The Army Air Forces in World War II, Volume Four: The Pacific, Guadalcanal to Saipan, August 1942 to July 1944. DIANE Publishing. ISBN9781428915893.
December 17, 2023
landing, amchitka, landing, amchitka, january, 1943, unopposed, amphibious, landing, operation, occupation, amchitka, island, american, forces, during, aleutian, islands, campaign, during, world, part, aleutian, islands, campaignthe, american, landing, constan. The landing at Amchitka on 12 January 1943 was the unopposed amphibious landing operation and occupation of Amchitka island by American forces during the Aleutian Islands campaign during World War II 1 Landing at AmchitkaPart of the Aleutian Islands campaignThe American landing at Constantine Harbor 12 JanuaryDate12 January 1943LocationAmchitka Territory of Alaska United StatesResultAmerican victory Successful landing seizure of AmchitkaBelligerents United StatesJapan not present Commanders and leadersLloyd E JonesN AStrength2 100N ACasualties and losses14 killed1 destroyer sunkN A Contents 1 Background 2 Landing at Constantine Harbor 3 See also 4 ReferencesBackground editIn June 1942 the Japanese occupied the western Aleutian Islands of Attu and Kiska and they hoped to occupy Amchitka 2 A Japanese survey team scouted the island but rejected it for military purposes citation needed American military planners determined that an airbase was needed near the Japanese occupied islands Amchitka was ruled out as a possible candidate since it was only 50 miles away from Kiska At the War Department s suggestion an initial reconnaissance of Amchitka was carried out in September 1942 which found that it would be difficult to build an airstrip on the island 2 Nevertheless planners decided in December that the airfield had to be built to prevent the Japanese from doing the same 2 A reconnaissance mission visited Amchitka from 17 to 19 December and reported that a fighter strip could be built in two to three weeks and a main airfield in three to four months 2 Plans were drawn out for the landings dubbed Operation Longview The operation would scrape together 2 000 immediate U S military in the Aleutian Islands by the Alaska Defense Command It was thought through reconnaissance that Amchitka was occupied by a small Japanese military presence Eager to remove the Japanese the Joint Chiefs of Staff agreed to move quickly to regain the territory 3 4 Landing at Constantine Harbor editThe operation was set for 9 January 1943 but was delayed by weather 5 American forces made an unopposed landing at Constantine Harbor near the southwest end of the island on 12 January Nearly 2 100 troops disembarked without opposition Their only enemies were the weather the unpredictable current and the rock studded waters through which the landing was made The destroyer USS Worden was guarding the transport USS Arthur Middleton as she put the preliminary Army security unit on the shore The destroyer maneuvered into the rock edged harbor and stayed there until the last men had landed and then turned to the business of clearing the harbor A strong current however swept Worden onto a pinnacle that tore into a hull beneath the engine room and caused a complete loss of power The destroyer then broached and began breaking up in the surf Commander William G Pogue the destroyer s commanding officer ordered abandon ship and as he was directing that effort he was swept overboard into the wintry seas by a heavy wave that broke over the ship Pogue was among the fortunate ones however because he was hauled unconscious out of the sea Fourteen of the crew drowned nbsp USS Worden being abandoned shortly after a hull breach beneath the engine roomOnce on the ground the island was cleared and found to be empty of Japanese military 6 7 During the first night ashore a willowaw violent squall smashed many of the landing boats and swept a troop transport aground On the second day a blizzard wracked the island with snow sleet and biting wind Lasting for nearly two weeks the blizzard finally subsided enough to reveal to a Japanese scout plane from Kiska the American beachhead on Amchitka Harassed by bombing and strafing attacks from Kiska engineers continued work on an airfield on Amchitka completing it in mid February Japanese attacks on the island then sharply declined By 16 February the fighter strip was ready for limited operation On that day eight Curtis P 40 Warhawks arrived on Amchitka and within a week they were running patrols over Kiska 8 9 The stage was now set for the next phase of operations amphibious attacks to eject the Japanese from their Aleutian footholds 10 See also editBattle of Attu Military history of the Aleutian Islands Operation CottageReferences edit WILLIWAW WAR C The Arkansas National Guard in the Aleutians in World War II University of Arkansas Press 1992 ISBN 9781610754644 a b c d Conn Stetson 2000 Chapter X Alaska in the War 1942 Guarding the United States and its outposts United States Army Center of Military History ISBN 0 16 001904 4 LCCN 62 60067 CMH 4 2 Archived from the original on 2007 12 25 Retrieved 2006 10 09 Chandonnet Fern 2007 09 15 Alaska at War 1941 1945 The Forgotten War Remembered University of Alaska Press ISBN 9781602231351 MacGarrigle George L October 2003 Aleutian Islands The Campaigns of World War II United States Army Center of Military History CMH Pub 72 6 paper GPO S N 008 029 00232 9 Archived from the original on 2014 03 17 Retrieved 2006 10 07 Kohlhoff Dean 2011 05 15 Amchitka and the bomb nuclear testing in Alaska University of Washington Press ISBN 9780295800509 USS Worden DD 352 Home dd352 us Retrieved 2015 12 27 Chapter X Alaska in the War 1942 www history army mil Archived from the original on 2021 12 08 Retrieved 2015 12 27 Morison Samuel Eliot 2001 11 01 History of United States Naval Operations in World War II Aleutians Gilberts and Marshalls June 1942 April 1944 University of Illinois Press ISBN 9780252070372 Researcher digs into the stories of Amchitka s fallen WWII fighters Alaska Dispatch News Retrieved 2015 12 27 The Army Air Forces in World War II Volume Four The Pacific Guadalcanal to Saipan August 1942 to July 1944 DIANE Publishing ISBN 9781428915893 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Landing at Amchitka amp oldid 1178698075, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
