In a remarkable underwater expedition near Alaska’s remote Aleutian Islands, researchers have uncovered three World War II shipwrecks tied to the Battle of Attu — a brutal and often overlooked clash fought on North American soil. Known as the "forgotten battle," the May 1943 conflict marked the only time during the Second World War that opposing forces fought on what is now U.S. territory. The recent discovery not only sheds light on a pivotal moment in history but also reopens conversations about the broader human and cultural toll of the war in the North Pacific.

Led by maritime archaeologist Dominic Bush, a team of 14 researchers aboard the Norseman II located the wreckage of two Japanese freighters and the American cable ship SS Dellwood. The group had just five days to complete their mission, navigating the frigid, fog-shrouded waters off Attu Island with sonar equipment and underwater imaging tools. I found this detail striking — the sheer logistical challenge of such a short window in such a remote, unforgiving environment speaks volumes about the dedication behind this project.

The Japanese vessels, including the Kotohira Maru, were sunk by American aircraft during the Japanese occupation of Attu in June 1942. The SS Dellwood, used by the United States to lay undersea communication cables, went down approximately a month after U.S. forces reclaimed the island in May 1943. These wrecks had not been seen since they disappeared beneath the waves more than 80 years ago.

According to Bush, the expedition had been in the planning stages for nearly four years. At the time of the mission, he was a doctoral student at East Carolina University and now works with the archaeological nonprofit Ships of Discovery. The team prioritized these three wrecks due to their historical significance, and their success in locating them was a major breakthrough. “We were really just kinda exploring, in the truest sense of the word,” Bush told the Anchorage Daily News.

The Battle of Attu unfolded in one of the most inhospitable theaters of World War II. The Aleutian Islands, with their freezing temperatures, dense fog, and rugged terrain, posed immense challenges to both sides. After Japan’s occupation of Attu and nearby Kiska in 1942, the United States launched Operation Landcrab to retake the islands. About 15,000 American troops faced off against approximately 2,600 Japanese soldiers entrenched in the mountainous landscape.

Fighting was intense and often up close. The Japanese, under Colonel Yasuyo Yamasaki, used the terrain to their advantage, forcing American troops into hand-to-hand combat and enduring artillery barrages. On May 29, with defeat imminent, Yamasaki led a final banzai charge that temporarily broke through American lines before being repelled. By the end of the battle, nearly all of the Japanese soldiers had perished, with only 28 taken prisoner. American casualties exceeded 3,800, including more than 500 dead.

The strategic importance of the Aleutians was clear. The Japanese aimed to use Attu as an “unsinkable aircraft carrier,” a base from which to launch further attacks. However, as the Pacific campaign evolved, the Imperial command abandoned the garrison, instructing soldiers to hold out at all costs. “Essentially, to die with honor,” Bush explained to Live Science.

The human cost extended beyond the battlefield. In the chaos of the Japanese invasion, 42 Unangax (Aleut) residents of Attu were taken to Japan as prisoners of war. Many died from disease and malnutrition, and those who survived never returned to their ancestral home. Their villages were destroyed, and the cultural disruption remains a painful legacy. Bush emphasized the importance of acknowledging this aspect of the story: “We’re really trying to bring attention to it, both from the military perspective and from the Native perspective.”

Despite its significance, the Battle of Attu is often overshadowed by more well-known conflicts in the Pacific Theater, such as the Battle of Guadalcanal or the Battle of Midway. Yet, as Bush pointed out, the Aleutian campaign was its own theater of war — the North Pacific — and deserves recognition in the broader narrative of World War II. The discovery of these sunken ships offers a tangible link to that history, one that researchers hope will encourage deeper understanding and remembrance.

There are no current plans to recover materials from the wrecks. Instead, the team is working with the Japanese government to determine appropriate steps for potentially repatriating any remains found at the sites. Bush expressed hope that maritime archaeology could serve as a bridge between cultures, helping to heal historical wounds. “This isn’t just an American story, this isn’t just a Japanese story. It’s a shared story,” he said.

As these long-lost vessels rest quietly on the ocean floor, they remind us of a time when the icy waters of the Aleutians were a battleground. Their rediscovery not only honors those who fought and died but also invites us to reflect on the broader consequences of war — for soldiers, for civilians, and for the Indigenous peoples whose lives were forever altered.

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