On the recordMay 22, 2018
as we approach Memorial Day to remember the men and women who sacrificed their lives in devotion to the causes of liberty, freedom, and democracy, I would like to take the opportunity to speak about one event in our Nation's history that had a profound impact on my great State. The Battle of Attu was the only land battle fought in North America during the Second World War. Commonly referred to as the Forgotten Battle or Forgotten War, the campaign began in 1942 with the bombing of Dutch Harbor and subsequent invasions of Adak, Kiska, and Attu by the navy of Imperial Japan. On June 7, 1942, close to 3,000 Japanese soldiers invaded Attu, exactly 6 months to the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. As the only land battle during World War II, it was costly. In May of 1943, over 15,000 American soldiers stormed this small island in the Aleutians, and over the course of the engagement, the United States suffered 549 casualties and sustained more than 1,200 injuries. Many more were taken out of action due to disease and nonbattle injuries. Of the over 2,400 Japanese soldiers present at the battle, only 28 survived the battle by capture. In addition to these often forgotten sacrifices is the impact on those residents who lived on Attu. During the Japanese invasion, all 47 residents of the island were detained, captured, and taken to Japan as prisoners, where 22 would later perish.…
