The Aleutian Islands campaign (June 1942–August 1943) stands as World War II's only military confrontation on North American soil. Following diversionary strikes on Dutch Harbor, Japanese forces occupied Attu and Kiska islands, triggering American fears of West Coast vulnerability. The subsequent 14-month campaign to reclaim these barren islands became a brutal struggle against both enemy forces and Arctic conditions. The Battle of Attu in May 1943 killed 549 Americans and ended with one of the