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Otis Willie
July 28th 03, 10:26 PM
Aleutian air war only WWII fight waged on North American soil

(EXCERPT) , By Wayne Specht, Stars and Stripes Pacific edition,
Monday, July 28, 2003

Primarily an air war, the Aleutian Campaign was the only World War II
campaign fought on North American soil.

It ended with the reoccupation of Kiska Island on Aug. 15, 1943,
according to a history of the 11th Air Force posted on the Elmendorf
Air Force Base, Alaska, Web site.

To manage the buildup of Army air forces in Alaska, the Alaskan Air
Force was activated at Elmendorf Field in January 1942 and
redesignated the 11th Air Force on Feb. 5, 1942.

Following the Japanese bombing of Dutch Harbor in the eastern Aleutian
Islands and the occupation of Attu and Kiska in the western Aleutians
in early June 1942, the 11th Air Force launched an air offensive on
the two islands.

Missions were flown initially from Cape Field on Umnak Island in the
eastern Aleutians and later from fields on...

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http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=16764

---------------------------
Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com

Chuck
July 29th 03, 01:57 AM
Nice article with a one sentence mention of USN PBY reconnaissance
support.

Actually VP-16 (re-designated VP-41) had been flying the Alaskan Pacific
since 1938, and by mid-1941 three Navy Aviation bases were there; Sitka,
Kodiak and Dutch Harbor - P2Y-2 and PBY-3.

My uncle Ed Froelich, then ACCM, now retired CDR in Pensacola, flew with
Lt. Paul Ramsey, later CINCPAC, when they flew out of a cloud and found
the Japanese. Good link at http://www.daileyint.com/flying/flywar6.htm

Chuck Huber



HEAVY ATTACK COMPOSITE (VC-5,6,7,8,9) WEBSITE
http://community.webtv.net/charles379/USNComposite

FAIRECONRON ONE AND TWO (VQ-1/2) CASUALTIES
http://www.anzwers.org/free/navyscpo4/Chuck_Huber_AirCrew.html

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