Aleutian Islands, Alaska

In June 1942, Japanese forces occupied Attu and Kiska, two small islands at the western end of the Aleutian chain, making them the only part of North American territory occupied by a foreign power during the Second World War. The subsequent Battle of Attu in May 1943 lasted 18 days in extreme cold, fog, and terrain that made movement nearly impossible; over 600 American soldiers and nearly 2,600 Japanese troops died in the fighting. The Aleutian Campaign is among the least discussed battles of the Pacific War and one of the most punishing environments any military engagement was ever fought in.

The Islands

The Aleutian chain stretches 1,200 miles from the Alaskan mainland toward Russia, over 140 volcanic islands formed where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath North America. Most of them are uninhabited. The main human settlement is Unalaska/Dutch Harbor, which holds the largest commercial fishing operation in the United States by volume. The islands receive remarkably few leisure visitors given what they contain.

Unalaska has the Cathedral of the Holy Ascension (1894, Russian Orthodox, a reminder of the Russian colonial period), the Museum of the Aleutians covering Unangan (Aleut) culture and the WWII campaign, and Dutch Harbor’s working fishing port. Alaska Airlines serves Unalaska from Anchorage. Accommodation is limited and should be booked ahead.

Wildlife

The offshore waters are extraordinarily productive: humpback, grey, and blue whales pass through from May through September; Steller sea lions haul out on the rocks; sea otters are common. Birdwatching draws serious practitioners from across the world; the islands sit on the Pacific Flyway and produce rarities from Asia that appear nowhere else in North America.

Practical Notes

The Aleutians are genuinely remote and not simple to reach or move around in. Weather is unpredictable and often severe; delays are routine. This is not a destination for flexible schedules. People who come specifically for birdwatching, fishing charters, wildlife watching, or the WWII history find the difficulty worthwhile; casual visitors looking for a standard Alaska experience are better served elsewhere.