The Battle of Attu was one of the most brutal and overlooked campaigns of World War II. Fought from May 11–30, 1943, it was the only land battle of the war fought on American soil. U.S. forces faced Japanese defenders across the frozen mountains, snow, bogs, and dense fog of Alaska's remote Aleutian Islands.

 

After Japan occupied Attu in June 1942, American forces spent nearly a year preparing to retake the island. When the assault finally came, American soldiers discovered that the environment itself could be as deadly as the enemy. Frostbite, exposure, disease, exhaustion, and treacherous terrain added enormously to the human cost of the campaign.

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This is a tribute to the fighting men and women who have served in defense of freedom throughout history and in every clime and place. The Battle of Attu reminds us that courage, sacrifice, and endurance are often demanded in places far removed from the famous battlefields remembered in history books.