Many people believe that World War II was fought in the cities of Europe and the islands of the South Pacific. It was, but what those people forget is that for about a year from 1942 to 1943, the Imperial Japanese Army occupied the Alaskan islands of Attu and Kiska.

This occupation shocked and terrified North America, and the subsequent events in the aftermath of the occupation set the stage for many military and ceremonial actions over the course of the war. These are ten interesting facts about the Japanese invasion of Alaska.

10 It Was The Only North American Land Lost By The US In World War II

On June 6, 1942, the Japanese Northern Army took control of the island of Kiska, which is a remote volcanic island in the Aleutian chain off the coast of Alaska. The next day on June 7, exactly six months after the Pearl Harbor attacks, the Japanese seized control of the island of Attu, also in the Aleutians.^[1]

This attack was the first and only land invasion of North American territory during the entire war, and it was considered extremely significant at that time, despite the fact that today, the occupation has been largely forgotten by history.

9 Canadian Troops Were Sent In, Too

The Canadian government dispatched conscripted soldiers to liberate Attu and Kiska. Although there were several cases of desertion prior to the journey to Alaska, many Canadians proudly went to the Aleutian Islands to fight alongside their American allies.^[2] Fortunately, however, many of the Canadians dispatched to the Aleutians did not see combat, as the Japanese forces had retreated prior to their arrival.

8 One Of The Largest Banzai Charges Of The War Took Place During The Battle Of Attu

The banzai counterattack was used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II in the event of an impending defeat in order to save face. The Japanese, as opposed to surrendering, would rush their enemies using their bayonets as weapons in an attempt to cause as much damage as they possibly could. This strategy, while ineffective against large numbers of Allied soldiers, struck fear into the hearts of many, as it showed how dedicated the Japanese were to their cause and that they would sacrifice themselves in order to hurt their enemies rather than be captured.

On May 29, 1943, facing certain defeat in the Battle of Attu, Japanese commander Yasuyo Yamasaki ordered one of the largest banzai charges of the Pacific War, sending nearly all of his remaining men on a full-scale charge against the invading Americans. The Americans, having not seen this kind of charge before, were overwhelmed, and the Japanese quickly broke through the American lines. This victory was short-lived, however, as the Americans quickly rallied and were able to repel the Japanese forces.^[3] Of the roughly 2,300 Japanese soldiers who occupied Attu, fewer than 30 survived to be taken prisoner.

7 The Harsh Climate Claimed The Lives Of Many Soldiers

Kiska and Attu’s location in the far north of the Pacific Ocean results in brutal weather conditions. These conditions were felt by both the occupying Japanese and the liberating Americans. The Battle of Attu was originally expected to last a few days, so the Americans only brought gear with them to last that long.

As a result, the gear wore out quickly. Because of this, many soldiers developed frostbite, gangrene, and trench foot.^[4] In addition, there were food shortages, which added to the difficulties of the liberating soldiers.

6 It Saw The First Official Case Of Gyokusai

Gyokusai was a form of ritual mass suicide done by Japanese soldiers in the name of Emperor Hirohito. This was done to prevent capture by the enemy, which was seen as the ultimate loss of honor in Japanese society at that time. During the Battle of Attu, when it became clear the Allied forces would overtake the island, approximately 500 Japanese soldiers placed hand grenades near their stomachs and detonated them.

This was a shocking turn of events, touted by some sources as the first official case of gyokusai.^[5] This type of mass suicide, and others like it, would become common in the later years of the war as Japan lost more territory and defeat became more and more common.

5 No One Is Sure Why Kiska And Attu Were Invaded

You’d think that the only North American land battle of World War II would have a well-documented chain of events from background to battle to aftermath. While the latter two have been extensively documented, the former has little information. The most popular theory as to why the Japanese invaded Kiska and Attu was to divert American naval attention away from Japanese interests in other parts of the Pacific. But with the US Pacific Fleet in shambles and American generals focusing more on war in Europe, drawing US attention was likely something the Japanese hoped to avoid.

Another common theory is that the occupation was to prevent American forces from invading Japan by way of the Aleutian Islands.^[6] However, with the exception of a few bombing raids from Attu later in the war, the islands did not serve any strategic purpose in the American war strategy. Yet others, specifically at the time of the invasion, believed it was done to gain land to serve as a base of operations for a full-scale invasion of Alaska or even the Pacific Northwest. Nonetheless, the exact reason as to why the Japanese invaded Kiska and Attu remains a mystery to this day.

4 Only Attu Needed To Be Liberated

During World War II, there are countless instances of Japanese soldiers fighting to the end and then committing suicide when they realized that defeat and capture were imminent. It was considered to be the ultimate shame to one’s family to surrender in combat. As a result of this, the Japanese would do everything possible to win and seldom surrendered, with some soldiers continuing to fight on decades after the war was over.

In the case of Kiska, however, the Japanese surrendered without a fight. After seeing the carnage and loss of life on Attu, the Japanese commanders on Kiska saw no probability of maintaining control of the island, so when weather permitted, the Japanese fled the island under the cover of fog, allowing Allied forces to swiftly recapture Kiska.^[7] This is one of the few examples of Japanese surrender during World War II.

3 Attu Lost Its Entire Population

Prior to the Japanese invasion, Attu had a population of 44, nearly all of them Alaskan natives. During the Japanese occupation, the entire population was taken prisoner and sent to Japanese prison camps. In these camps, about half of the original 44 died due to the harsh conditions. The remainder were returned to the United States after the war.

However, they were not returned to Attu due to the expensive costs of rebuilding. Most of the survivors settled in other Alaskan native communities, with the descendants of the original Attu residents returning to the island 75 years later in 2017 as part of a reconciliation effort.^[8]

2 The Battle Was Fought At Sea, Too

Few history books and records mention the Attu and Kiska campaigns, and those that do rarely mention the naval operations that preceded the American liberation.

In March 1943, after months of neglect from the US, a naval force led by Rear Admiral Thomas C. Kincaid blockaded Attu and Kiska in an attempt to stop the flow of supplies to Japanese forces. On March 26, 1943, the American fleet engaged the Japanese Navy, who were attempting to bring supplies to occupying Japanese soldiers.^[9]

In what became known as Battle of the Komandorski Islands, Japanese forces were able to inflict serious damage to the American fleet, but they ultimately retreated due to fear of American bombers and diminishing resources. The Japanese did not attempt to send supplies by ship again, only resorting to the occasional submarine run. This weakened Japanese control of Attu and Kiska and allowed the Allies to take control more effectively.

1 It Is The Last Battle Fought On American Soil

Many Americans believe that the US Civil War in the mid-19th century marked the end of conflict in the United States. However, this list and the facts presented show that that is not the case. As of this writing, there has been no further occupation of American soil by an invading force. Furthermore, there has been no conflict or attack warranting the description of “battle.”^[10]

The Aleutian Islands Campaign remains the last battle fought in US territory. Although it is not as well-remembered as other American battles such as Gettysburg or Valley Forge, the Aleutian Islands Campaign claimed thousands of lives and brought World War II to the shores of the United States.

Alaska, America’s 49th state, is home to 17 of the country’s 20 highest peaks, more than 100,000 glaciers, and over half of the nation’s wilderness. But this state isn’t just holding some impressive stats. It hides a dark secret: it’s home to more than 16,000 disappearances within the Alaska Triangle.

Located between Utqiagvik, Anchorage, and Juneau, the region famous for Bigfoot sightings, vanishing airplanes, paranormal phenomena, and alien abduction continues to give experts sleepless nights. Even though it gets considerably less attention and publicity than its counterpart, the Bermuda Triangle, the Alaska Triangle has a far higher rate of unexplained disappearances.

Here, of the many cases, we discuss the top ten mysterious disappearances associated with the Alaska Triangle.

Related: 10 Best Theories That Explain The Bermuda Triangle

10 Richard Lyman Griffiths

Richard Lyman Griffiths is famous for inventing a wilderness survival cocoon that he so desperately wanted to test its viability. The summer of 2006 seemed the perfect time for him to do so. Nobody questioned his motives when he left for the wilderness of southeast Alaska. It took over a year for anyone to report him missing.

Upon investigation, the authorities figured that a bus had dropped him along the Alaska Highway, where he checked into a lodge near the White River. Here, he left some of his gear and informed some people that he was planning to go camping in McCarthy, a small town near the St. Elias National Park. However, when Richard took to the hills, he never returned.

While most people believed he was testing his wilderness cocoon, no one bothered to check whether he was okay until several months after. To date, Richard’s body or cocoon traces have never been found. Given that he disappeared in a region within the Alaska Triangle, he joined the list of the over 16,000 people that have never made it back.

9 Alan Foster

Alan Foster might not be a popular figure, but he, too, makes the list of the people who have mysteriously disappeared in the Alaska Triangle. On September 9, 2013, Alan flew a Piper PA-32-260, which was later reported missing while traveling over the Alaska Triangle region.

The National Transport Safety Board reports that Alan had been flying under a visual flight rules flight plan, fueled at Yakutat, and continued flying around 3:30 p.m. He even contacted Juneau flight service, indicating that he would stop at Cordova if the conditions dictated. However, 18 minutes after takeoff, somewhere between Malaspina Glacier and the Gulf of Alaska, the radar showed Alan’s aircraft descending to about 1,100 feet before disappearing.

No one ever heard from Alan Foster again, and no remains of his body nor the aircraft have since been found at the time of writing. Alan’s disappearance is bizarre because he was experienced. He had over 9,700 flight hours in various aircraft, he kept asking for key details before and during his flight, and he never reported any problems before disappearing. The only suspicious factor is where he disappeared: the Alaska Triangle.

8 Frank Minano

A traditional educator and mentor on subsistence living, hunting, and culture, Frank Minano was reported missing from Nenana on August 17, 2020. He joins the thousands of people who have succumbed to the wrath of the deadly Alaska Triangle.

There is very little information available about Minano’s disappearance. The police only know that he took shelter in a nearby cabin on the first day that he was reported missing. Several years later, there is no trace of his remains whatsoever. Sadly, this mysterious disappearance is typical for most victims of the Alaska Triangle—very little information is available, but people keep going missing.

7 Leonard Lane

Leonard Lane was a 73-year-old World War II veteran at the time of his disappearance. On the evening of July 4, 1995, Leonard was reported missing after a parade in Fairbanks. He vanished in the Alaska Triangle, where he had taken a walk. Those who had seen him moments before he went missing say that he was limping, probably because of the injuries sustained during the war.

Typical to the other cases where people have gone missing mysteriously at the Alaska Triangle, police have no leads as to what might have happened to Leonard. Two years later, in 1997, he was declared legally dead, but his case remains unsolved.

6 Thomas Anthony Nuzzi

Thomas Anthony Nuzzi was a well-known nurse who traveled throughout Alaska, picking up different shifts in various locations. He had a well-paying job and a perfect mode of transport but obviously no permanent residence address.

For someone who is always on the go, it’s tough to know their whereabouts unless they want you to know. Given that this was 2001, the task was even harder. However, it wouldn’t be challenging for an employer to notice a missing employee, which is precisely what happened.

While staying at a Super 8 motel in Anchorage, Nuzzi was reported missing after failing to show up for work in Bethel, Alaska, a short flight from where he was staying. Investigators’ reports indicate that Nuzzi was spotted buying a pack of cigarettes, a lighter, chips, and soda at a gas station the night before he was reported missing. The reports also show that he was in the company of a woman. Upon questioning the staff of the Super 8 motel, some said that a different man was spotted in Nuzzi’s room on that same night that he went missing. While his bicycle and Jeep were later found, no one really knows where Nuzzi vanished to date.

5 Shanna Oman

On June 3, 2019, Shanna Oman vanished after leaving her friend’s house in Fairbanks, Alaska, around noon. Following her visit, Shanna’s friend dropped her at Nico River, close to where she lived. When Shanna was entirely out of sight, her friend concluded she was okay. However, several hours later, Shanna’s roommate called the friend that Shanna had visited earlier, indicating that she had not arrived home.

After filing a missing person’s case, the authorities combed the area. Even though it sounds repetitive, Shanna was never seen again. To date, no one really knows what happened to her as soon as “she walked away” from her friend’s house. Either way, she joins the list of mysterious disappearances in the Alaska Triangle.

4 Paul Michael Lemaitre

Paul Michael Lemaitre, a 65-year-old marathoner, was competing for the first time in the 85th edition of the Mount Marathon Race when he suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth. Usually, participants have to run up the thick-forested mountain and navigate through creeks for about three and a half miles.

Like any other competition, the Mount Marathon Race has its fair share of trouble, but none that involves sudden disappearance, which was the case for Lemaitre. The last person to see Lemaitre was a race steward. He remembered seeing him ascend to the turnaround point about 200 feet from the finish line.

Even though the weather conditions were foggy, the steward says he saw no problem for the runner. If anything, when asked his bib number, Lemaitre replied “548,” indicating that he was still conscious. However, this was Lemaitre’s last time ever seen or heard of. All the efforts by mountain rescue experts, state troopers, and search dogs proved futile. Was the fog part of Alaska’s Triangle evil doings to get its man? No one knows for sure.

3 Jael Tiara Hamblen

Last seen in the trailside loop area in southern anchorage, Alaska, a lady identified as Jael Tiara Hamblen was reported missing on October 11, 2014, in what appears to be a mixture of homicide and unexplained dark forces of the Alaska Triangle.

After having dinner with her roommate, Kendra Vincent Estrada, Hamblen thought of going out again, but her roommate opted to sleep since it was already 10 p.m. It is said that Hamblen was feeling upset on the said night because of relationship issues that she was having with an unnamed man. She opted to text another man asking if they could go out, to which he seemingly agreed.

Tragedy struck when Estrada couldn’t connect with Hamblen on the phone. It is unknown what happened on the night when the two left, but given that this is the Alaska Triangle we are talking about, anything could have happened. Apart from her purse and vehicle that were later recovered, there is no trace of Hamblen’s remains or whereabouts.

2 1950 Douglas C-54D

On the morning of January 26, 1950, Robert Espe, a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, waved goodbye to his wife, not knowing it was the last time they would see each other alive. As Robert and the other 43 passengers boarded the Douglas C-54D Skymaster, all was set for the journey to Montana to begin. Usually, all airborne aircraft must be in constant communication with the operators at the airport. However, this Skymaster cut off all communications moments after takeoff.

With friends and relatives waiting in Minnesota, their loved ones never arrived as fate would have. Very few cases of disappearances around the Alaska Triangle had been reported at the time. Over 75 Canadian and U.S. aircraft were assigned to look for the missing plane to no avail. The aircraft and the passengers’ remains have never been recovered.

1 The Disappearance of U.S. Reps. Nick Begich and Hale Boggs

If you thought only the Alaska Triangle only targets the “small fish,” you are wrong. In fact, one of the earliest victims was the country’s top powerful men in the form of Hale Boggs, the House majority leader from Louisiana, and Nick Begich, a freshman congressman from Alaska.

Together with their aides, the two had embarked on a journey that involved passing over Anchorage and Juneau in Alaska. However, their small plane vanished mid-air, prompting the government to call all hands on deck in a bid to locate the aircraft.

Several months later, no bodies or plane wreckage was recovered, ending the mission. Nobody really knows what happened to the famous figures, but we can all say with certainty that the Alaska Triangle must have played a part.