Today, June 3, is Dutch Harbor Remembrance Day, when Alaskans take a moment to remember and honor those who fought to defend Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands from a WWII Japanese attack six months following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The attack on Dutch Harbor, located on the Amaknak Island in Unalaska, was the first aerial attack by an enemy on the continental United States. Japanese pilots expected little resistance, but the U.S. intercepted a message three weeks earlier, allowing Navy and Marine personnel to prepare with anti-aircraft defenses. After encountering unexpected resistance at Dutch Harbor, Japanese forces shifted their attack to the Margaret Bay Naval Barracks, claiming the lives of 25 servicemen.
Japanese forces also launched assaults on Adak, Kiska, and Attu. The Aleut people were evacuated and held in internment camps in Southeast Alaska for three years where many of them died.
The brave soldiers of the United States Armed Forces and allied Canadian Forces fought for more than a year to reclaim the Aleutian Islands. The battle of Attu stands as one of the costliest American assaults in the Pacific with hundreds of servicemen making the ultimate sacrifice to liberate Alaska.
This year is the 84th anniversary of the bombing of Dutch Harbor. We pause to remember and honor all who were affected by the attack, paying tribute both to the military personnel who served and died to defend our Nation and to the Aleut people who died while imprisoned.
Governor Bill Walker instituted Dutch Harbor Remembrance Day in 2015, ordering flags to be flown at half-mast each year on June 3. “As a child, my dad told us stories about his serving on the front line in the Alaska Scouts in the Aleutian Campaign during World War II, and the brave soldiers who served alongside him,” said Governor Walker. “I encourage all Alaskans to honor the heroic men and women who courageously fought to defend our land.”
