The Invasion of Kiska: A Ghostly Encounter

The Invasion of Kiska: A Ghostly Encounter

Date: August 15, 1943

Story:

In August 1943, as part of the Allied campaign to reclaim the Aleutian Islands from Japanese occupation, a massive invasion force of over 34,000 American and Canadian troops landed on Kiska Island. This was to be a major battle, following the bloody fight for Attu. The invasion was meticulously planned, involving naval bombardment, air strikes, and a coordinated amphibious assault. Expecting fierce Japanese resistance, the Allied soldiers advanced cautiously, prepared for house-to-house combat. However, what they found was utterly baffling: the island was completely deserted. The Japanese garrison, numbering around 5,200 men, had secretly and skillfully evacuated the island two weeks prior under the cover of dense fog, without the Allies detecting their departure. The invasion became a surreal "ghost battle," marked only by accidental friendly-fire incidents and injuries from booby traps left by the Japanese. The unexpected emptiness of Kiska was a remarkable feat of Japanese deception and withdrawal, leaving the Allied forces to invade an island that was already abandoned.

Reference:

Fine, Herbert A. A History of U.S. Army Forces in the Aleutian Campaign. U.S. Army, Center of Military History, 1993.

Morison, Samuel Eliot. History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Vol. 7: Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, June 1942-April 1944. Little, Brown and Company, 1951.