American missions against Attu, Holtz Bay and Chichagof Harbor
June 7, 1942–April 13, 1945

June 10, 1942
(USN) PBY Catalinas from Patrol Wing 4 (Pat Wing 4) discovered Japanese forces on Kiska and Attu, confirming news of Japanese landings took place on June 7, 1942.

July 2, 1942
(11th AF) Seven B-24s and one B-17 fly photo and bombing missions to Attu, which appears deserted.

July 7, 1942
(11th AF) 1 B-17 and 7 B-24s fly weather, bombing and photo missions to Attu and other islands; all bombs are returned to base due to weather; 1 seaplane is shot down.

July 19, 1942
(11th AF) Search missions are flown over Attu.

August 6, 1942
(11th AF) Photo reconnaissance is flown over Attu.

August 9, 1942
(11th AF) Six bombers fly armed reconnaissance over Attu.

August 11, 1942
(11th AF) One B-24 flies photo reconnaissance over west Semichi and the north coast of Attu.

August 18, 1942
(11th AF) Heavy fog over Attu precludes armed reconnaissance.

August 25, 1942
(11th AF) A photo reconnaissance mission is flown over Attu and Adak, then turns back because of mechanical failure.

August 27, 1942
(11th AF) The Japanese begin to transfer the Attu garrison to Kiska, which is completed by September 16.

August 28, 1942
(11th AF) An attack mission to Attu is cancelled due to weather.

August 30. 1942
(11th AF) Seaplane Tender Teal provides forward air cover. The occupation puts North Pacific forces within 250 miles of Kiska and to Attu.

September 8, 1942
(11th AF) 1 B-24 and 1 B-26 fly photo reconnaissance over Attu.

September 10, 1942
(11th AF) Weather, photo reconnaissance, and patrol missions are flown during the morning, poor weather is encountered over Attu.

September 11, 1942
(11th AF) A weather, photo, and patrol aircraft draws AA fire over Chichagof Harbor.

September 12, 1942
(11th AF) A weather and patrol reconnaissance aircraft finds overcast at Kiska but takes photos over Attu and other islands.

September 22, 1942
(11th AF) photo reconnaissance suggests that Chichagof Harbor on Attu is abandoned.

September 23, 1942
(11th AF) Photo reconnaissance over Attu confirms it is abandonment by the enemy.

September 27, 1942
(11th AF) A LB-30 flies photo-weather reconnaissance over Attu and other islands.

September 28, 1942
(11th AF) Fighters and bomber strike Attu. One of the B-24s and the LB-30 bomb the village and Chichagof Harbor on Attu and on returning silence AA guns on a freighter.

September 29, 1942
(11th AF) A morning armed reconnaissance mission is flown by an LB-30 over Semichi and Attu; it strafes a ship at Attu; 3 B-24s bomb and strafe sea transport, scoring no hits.

September 30, 1942
(11th AF) Nine B-24s bomb Kiska and Attu, two turn back; the others blast the Attu Camp area

October 7, 1942
(11th AF) Three B-24s taking off to bomb Kiska and patrol, but abort the mission due to mechanical failure and instead fly reconnaissance over Attu.

October 12, 1942
(11th AF) Two B-24s abort bombing of Kiska due to overcast and instead fly shipping search west of Attu.

October 15, 1942
(11th AF) 3 B-26s bomb and 1 B-24 flys a photo reconnaissance over Kiska and Attu. On Attu, they hit buildings. AA claims 1 B-26 shot down.

October 18, 1942
(11th AF) Weather aircraft fly reconnaissance missions over Attu and other islands.

October 19, 1942
(11th AF) A B-17 flies weather reconnaissance and bomb runs over Attu.

October 20, 1942
(11th AF) Six B-24s take off for Kiska but return due to weather; reconnaissance is flown to 70 miles east of Attu.

Ocotober 24, 1942
(11th AF) A weather reconnaissance flight is made over Attu.

October 27, 1942
(11th AF) A weather aircraft flies reconnaissance over Attu and other islands.

October 28, 1942
(11th AF) A B-17 bombs Attu with unobserved results.

October 29, 1942
(11th AF) The Japanese reoccupy Attu.

October 31, 1942
(11th AF) Weather and reconnaissance flight over Attu and Kiska.

November 7, 1942
(11th AF) A B-17 flies reconnaissance over the airfield west of Holtz Bay at 700'.

November 8, 1942
(11th AF) One B-17 and 4 P-38s attack Holtz Bay and Attu Airfield, destroying 8 float Zekes

November 9, 1942
(11th AF) One B-17 and 4 P-38s attack Holtz Bay on Attu and Attu Airfield, destroying 8 float Zekes; 1 B-17 flies weather reconnaissance over Attu and other islands.

November 10, 1942
(11th AF) Reconnaissance is flown over Attu

November 11, 1942
(11th AF) A weather aircraft flies over Attu.

November 13, 1942
(11th AF) Reconnaissance over Attu reveals five landing barges in Chichagof Harbor.

November 14, 1942
(11th AF) One B-24 flies armed reconnaissance over Kiska and Attu and bomb Holtz Bay and Chichagof Harbor with negative results.

November 16, 1942
(11th AF) A weather reconnaissance flight is flown over Kiska and Attu. On Attu demolition charges are dropped on Holtz Bay, AA guns, and on a village; results are not observed.

November 18, 1942
(11th AF) An armed reconnaissance is flown over Kiska and Attu, no bombs are dropped.

November 19, 1942
(11th AF) Reconnaissance aircraft over Attu and Agattu sights two unidentified float monoplanes east of Buldir.

November 22, 1942
(11th AF) A B-24 flies reconnaissance over Kiska and Attu.

Novmember 23, 1942
(11th AF): A reconnaissance is flown over Attu and other islands.

November 25, 1942
(11th AF) A reconnaissance is flown over Attu and other islands.

November 26, 1942
(11th AF) A B-24 reconnoitering Holtz Bay on Attu spots shipping targets which are subsequently hit by four B-26s escorted by four P-38s. Reconnaissance is flown over Attu and other islands.

November 27, 1942
(11th AF) Photo reconnaissance covers Attu and other islands. A ship attacked in Holtz Bay on Attu on the previous day is observed lower in water and still burning.

November 28, 1942
(11th AF) A B-24 photographs a beached freighter at Holtz Bay on Attu drawing no AA fire during ten runs over the bay.

November 29, 1942
(11th AF) A B-24 over Holtz Bay on Attu reports the vessel bombed and damaged on 26 Nov as still sinking.

November 30, 1942
(11th AF) A B-24 flies reconnaissance over Semichi and Attu.

December 2, 1942
(11th AF) A B-24 finds Semichi and Attu unchanged during a reconnaissance run.

December 3, 1942
(11th AF) Two bombers and several fighters fly reconnaissance over Attu and other islands.

December 5, 1942
(11th AF) Reconnaissance missions over Attu and other islands turns up nothing.

December 6, 1942
(11th AF) Reconnaissance is flown over Attu.

December 8, 1942
(11th AF) An attempted bombing mission of Attu and Kiska by six B-24s and six B-26s, escorted by eight P-38s, is forced back by weather. An uneventful reconnaissance is flown by a B-24 and a B-26 over Attu and other islands.

December 10, 1942
(11th AF) An uneventful reconnaissance covers Attu and other islands.

December 11, 1942
(11th AF) An uneventful reconnaissance covers Attu and other islands.

December 13, 1942
(11th AF) A largely negative reconnaissance is flown over Attu and other islands by two B-24s and two P-38s.

December 17, 1942
(11th AF) A reconnaissance sortie is flown over Attu.

December 20, 1942
(11th AF) One B-24 and two P-38s fly photographic and reconnaissance patrol over Attu.

December 21, 1942
(11th AF) One B-24s flies an uneventful reconnaissance over Attu and other islands.

December 25, 1942
(11th AF) A B-24 takes photographs of Kiska and Attu.

December 26, 1942
(11th AF) Six B-24s and nine P-38s attack Holtz Bay but do not find the eight float Zekes seen there yesterday; the P-38s strafe Attu installations at minimum altitude. while the B-24s bomb Sarana Bay. AA fire downs on P-38 and damages another.

January 5, 1943
(11th AF) Three B-25s sink a 6,500-ton cargo vessel previously sighted by a PBY off Holtz Bay.

January 6, 1943
(11th AF) Flotsam sighted outside of Holtz Bay confirms that the freighter bombed yesterday sank.

February 18, 1943
(USN) Task Group 8.6 (TG 8.6) under the command of Rear Admiral Charles H. McMorris consists of light cruiser USS Richmond (CL-9), heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35), and four destroyers bombard Japanese installations on Attu including Chichagof Harbor.

March 3, 1943
(11th AF) Admiral Thomas C. Kincaid, Commanding Officer of the Alaska Defense Command, tables the Kiska invasion plan and substitutes an Attu invasion plan.

March 6, 1943
(11th AF) A B-24 flies uneventful reconnaissance over Attu and other islands.

March 7, 1943
(11th AF) B-24s and 4 P-38s bomb and strafe the Chichagof Harbor and installations on Attu.

March 25, 1943
(11th AF) A weather airplane take photos of Holtz Bay and Chichapof Harbor on Attu.

March 26, 1943
(11th AF) A reconnaissance aircraft covers Attu and other islands. Thirteen B-24's, eleven B-25's and eight P-38's are ordered to hit the enemy, reported 150 miles west of Cape Wrangell on Attu. Because of mechanical failures and weather, airplanes cannot take off until six hours after the surface force is sighted.

March 30, 1943
(11th AF) Six missions are dispatched against Kiska and Attu. From Adak, 6 B-24's, 6 B-25's, and 4 P-38's are over Kiska at 1200 hours local but cannot bomb due to weather. Four B-24's, 4 P-38's, and 2 F-5A's bomb the runway at Attu.

April 1, 1943
(11th AF) A joint directive by Commander-in-Chief, Pacific and Commanding General Western Defense Command orders preparations for Operation Landgrab, the invasion of Attu. Reconnaissance covers Attu and other islands.

April 2, 1943
(11th AF) Four B-24's bomb the runway at Attu.

April 5, 1943
(11th AF) 16 B-24's and 6 B-25's bomb the Attu Airfield.

April 9, 1943
(11th AF) A B-24 flies reconnaissance over Attu.

April 16, 1943
(11th AF) Reconnaissance over Attu and other islands spots no new enemy activities.

April 17, 1943
(11th AF) Seven B-24's bomb and score 8 direct hits on Attu Airfield and gun emplacements at Attu. One B-24 and 2 F-5A's abort due to weather.

April 25, 1943
(11th AF) 15 B-24's, 12 B-25's, 32 P-40's, 23 P-38's, and 1 F-5A fly 12 missions to Kiska and Attu.

April 25, 1943
(11th AF) American aircraft hit Holtz Bay.

April 26, 1943
(USN) Task Group 16.6 (TG 16.6) under the command of Rear Admiral Charles H. McMorris with three light cruisers and six destroyers conduct the second naval bombardment of Japanese installations on Attu including Chichagof Harbor.

May 1, 1943
(11th AF) Sixteen attack missions on Kiska and Attu are flown by 16 B-24's, 15 B-25's, 35 P-38's, 38 P-40's, and 4 F-5A's. Attu targets include east Attu, Holtz Bay and Chichagof Harbor installations.

May 3, 1943
(11th AF) Seven B-24's, eleven B-25's, twenty P-38's, twenty-seven P-40's and two F-5A's participate in a weather reconnaissance mission to Attu.

May 4, 1943
(11th AF) Five B-24's, six B-25's, eight P-38's, two P-40's and two F-5A's take off on two Kiska and Attu missions. Missions to Kiska abort due to weather. Attu targets include Chichagof Harbor, AA positions at Holtz Bay, and a floatplane.

May 5, 1943
(11th AF) A weather reconnaissance airplane over Attu observes a floatplane burning on the water. Fourteen B-24's, 17 B-25's, 16 P-38's, 32 P-40's, and 5 F-5A's fly 4 attack missions to Attu and 6 [partly with Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) pilots]. Bombs are dropped on Attu installations and fighters strafe and set afire one seaplane and silence AA guns.

May 6, 1943
(11th AF) B-24's, B-25's and P-38's drop over 52 tons on Attu targets including Holtz Bay, Sarana Bay, and the Chichagof Harbor area and nearby gun positions.

May 11, 1943
U.S. Army: Operation Landcrab the 17th Infantry Regiment lands on Attu.
(11th AF) The following missions are flown to support US forces landing on Attu: 1 air-ground liaison sortie by 1 B-24; a B-24 supply sortie dropping supplies to ground forces; and 5 attack missions, flown by 11 B-24's and 12 B-25's. The first attack mission cannot find the target and instrument-bombs targets which include the runway, radar, submarine base, and camp area. Because of poor visibility the next two missions hit Kiska. Two B-24's then bomb the Chichagof Harbor area through fog while another drops leaflets on Attu.

May 12, 1943
(11th AF) At Attu, an air-ground liaison B-24 watches US forces land on beach "Red" while another B-24 drops supplies. Seven attack missions flown by 10 B-24's, 12 B-25's, and 24 P-38's bomb and strafe assigned Attu targets. Four barges are set afire in the west arm of Holtz Bay.

May 13, 1943
(11th AF) Bad weather keeps the air-ground liaison B-24 from observing or helping friendly ground forces on Attu and returns to base. An air-ground support mission of six B-24's divert from Attu to Kiska; two of the bombers don't get the message, proceed to Attu, and bomb Chichagof Harbor and Holtz Bay.

May 14, 1943
(11th AF) In the Aleutians, poor weather curtails bombings. The air-ground liaison B-24 flies reconnaissance and photo reconnaissance over Attu throughout the day. One B-24 carrying supplies for the ground forces hits a mountain side 10 miles (16 km) west of the drop zone. Six B-24 s and 5 B-25's fly ground support bombing missions over Attu.

May 15, 1943
(11th AF) The air-ground liaison B-24 observes and directs air operations at Attu throughout the day as visibility permits and directs a supply drop for ground forces by another B-24 in two air-ground support missions. Six B-24's bomb Holtz Bay and Chichagof Harbor and 6 P-38's strafe AA installations in the Holtz Bay area.

May 16, 1943
(11th AF) Air-ground liaison B-24 bomb Chichagof Harbor with unobserved results. Another B-24 drops supplies to ground forces on Attu. 8 B-24's, 12 B-25's, and 12 P-38's fly ground support missions to Attu; because of weather, only the P-38's get through and strafe AA guns, installations and barges, scoring several hits.

May 17, 1943
(11th AF) In the Aleutians, two attempted ground support missions to Attu by a B-24, 5 B-25's, and 6 P-38's are recalled due to weather.

May 19, 1943
(11th AF) 6 B-24's and 11 B-25's fly 3 air-ground support missions to Attu, bombing the Sarana Valley.

May 20, 1942
(US Army) Japanese forces on Attu are defeated. Only 29 out of 2,500 surrender, the rest are either killed or commit suicide. Americans suffer 2,000 casualties. Japanese on Attu are concentrated in the Chichagof Harbor area.

May 21, 1943
(11th AF) 10 B-24's, 12 B-25's, and 24 P-38's are dispatched to Attu but only 3 missions, totalling 6 P-38's and 1 B-24, are able to bomb and strafe troops and installations.

May 23, 1943
(11th AF) Six B-24's and 12 B-25's fly 3 air-ground support missions to Attu, due to bad weather they are routed to Kiska. Next, 3 B-24's and 18 P-38's fly 3 air cover missions to Attu. The last of these missions is notified by a PBY that 16 Japanese bombers are west of Attu. 5 of the P-38's then intercept the bombers over Attu, which jettison their bombs and close formation. The P-38's score 5 kills and 7 probables. 2 P-38's are lost.

May 24, 1943
(11th AF) 2 of 3 air-ground support missions to Attu, together 6 B-24's, 11 B-25's, and 1 F-5A, bomb Attu. The third mission is cancelled, except for 2 B-25's which do not hear the cancelling order. 3 B-24's and 14 P-38's fly 3 more air cover missions over Attu but make no contacts.

May 26, 1943
(11th AF) 2 B-24's and 12 P-38's fly air cover sorties and also patrol and strafe Attu.

May 30, 1943
(11th AF) Three air-ground support missions to Attu by seven B-24's and twelve B-25's drop no bombs there and instead bomb Kiska installations. Two B-24's and twevle P-38's fly air cover missions over Attu and patrol the area.

January 24, 1945
(11th AF) Six fighters take off after radar reports an unidentified target southeast of Attu; they spot a Japanese balloon bomb which they shoot down with gunfire.

April 11, 1945
(11th AF) P-38s together with USN aircraft pick up Japanese balloon bombs over Attu and east of Adak. One Japanese balloon bombs is shot down over Attu and portions of the gondola are recovered from Massacre Bay.

April 13, 1945
(14th AF) At Attu Airfield, 27 P-38s and P-40s scramble following radar reports of unidentified plots; later, they shoot down nine of eleven Japanese balloon bombs sighted over the western Aleutians.

Japanese missions against Attu Island and Holtz Bay
May 22, 1943–October 13, 1943

May 22, 1943
Fifteen enemy bombers make a torpedo attack on the gunboat USS Charleston (PG-51) and destroyer USS Phelps (DD-360) patrolling Attu. The ships suffer only negligible damage.

May 23, 1943
(11th AF) 3 B-24's and 18 P-38's fly 3 air cover missions to Attu. A PBY notifies that 16 Japanese bombers are west of Attu. 5 of the P-38's then intercept the bombers over Attu, which jettison their bombs and close formation. The P-38's score 5 kills and 7 probables. Two P- 38's are lost.

August 2, 1943
(11th AF) 1 or 2 enemy aircraft over Attu cannot be intercepted due to weather.

September 1, 1943
(11th AF) 2 P-40's attempting to intercept Japanese aircraft reported near Attu abort because of weather.

October 9, 1943
(11th AF) 12 Kuril-based Japanese bombers attack Attu.

October 13, 1943
(11th AF) Eleven P-40's unsuccessfully intercept eight Japanese medium bombers attacking Massacre Bay and Attu Airfield (Alexai Point Airfield).