Unit Scrapbooks and Histories
54th Fighter Squadron
73rd Bombardment Squadron
On June 4, 1942, this Squadron participated in attack upon enemy Task Force which was attacking Dutch Harbo~, Alaska. This was the initial operation of the 73rd in Alaska, though they saw extensive action in the campaign thereafter. Read the full history of the 73rd Bombardment Squadron to learn more about their operations and losses.
77th Bomb Squadron
The 77th Bomb Squadron served throughout the war in the Aleutians with operations on Attu, Adak, Amchitka and Umnak Islands as well as at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage. They flew the B-18, B-25 and B-26 aircraft. The squadron received the Distinguished Unit Citation for their Kurile Island Missions. One of the famous members of the squadron was Charlton Heston. Read the 77th Bomb Squadron history to learn more.
Patrol Bombing Squadron 139 (VP-139)
This Navy Patrol Squadron made a mark on history with its patrols and bombing missions to the Japanese Kurile Islands. From Attu the squadron flew these dangerous missions, fending off enemy fighters in the air, attacks from ground forces and shipping. Weather was always an issue and with no refueling capability VP-139 aircraft were flying to the limits of their fuel reserves. Shot up or low on fuel many went missing while others were forced to land on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula and suffer internment. Read more about the history of the squadron in the 1945 historical survey, chronology, and war diary.
Did You Know?
The waters around Unalaska Island are one of the few places in the world to find the rare whiskered auklet.