Did you know For some in WWII, war meant defending against invasion?

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 07:50:40 -0500

Did you know For some in WWII, war meant defending against invasion?

RP Members some great history about WWII - enjoy!

“We were called to a defense duty in Alaska and did it well. Even though there were no fatalities in the unit, no credit was given to them for the casualties — civilians as well as soldiers — that were prevented by preparing the Alaskan front for the invasion of the Japanese forces,” he said. “When the Japanese got ‘cold feet’ and fled to a warmer climate, the Florida boys got cold feet but stood their ground.”

http://www.stripes.com/military-life/military-history/for-some-in-wwii-war-meant-defending-against-invasion-1.384030

A 10-inch blanket of snow covered Fort Richardson, Alaska, when Oscar “Buck” Buchanan first arrived in October 1942.

“To some of us Florida boys, this was an experience,” Buchanan wrote in an account detailing his service during World War II that he mailed to The News Herald. “The train was late [to pick us up] and we were told it was due to moose, who would use the tracks for walking through a tunnel made of snow and couldn’t get off the tracks.”

This is where Buchanan, a private in the National Guard, spent most of World War II with the Company D, Second Battalion, 106th Engineers.

Two years earlier, Buchanan, then 22, left West Bay with his friend Alex Hinote to enlist.

“Our trucks, with a lot of equipment, were loaded onto a train and preceded us to Fort Dix, and sent directly to England. We followed later on Pullman cars — our first train ride — and were scheduled to follow our equipment to England on the Queen Mary,” Buchanan wrote. “While waiting for the boat, another decision was made for us to be sent to Alaska.”

The Japanese had occupied the Aleutian Islands, which fan out toward Asia from the southwestern tip of Alaska, and the U.S. government was worried about the possibility of a mainland invasion from the north.

So Buchanan was sent in the opposite direction of his things.

For some in WWII, war meant defending against invasion

A 10-inch blanket of snow covered Fort Richardson, Alaska, when Oscar “Buck” Buchanan first arrived in October 1942. “To some of us Florida boys, this was an experience,” Buchanan wrote.

Response by SGT Forrest Stewart made Dec 16 at 2015 7:55 AM

SGT Forrest Stewart — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 07:55:36 -0500

Wow! Didn't know this. Great share!

Response by PO2 Mark Saffell made Dec 16 at 2015 7:55 AM

PO2 Mark Saffell — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 07:55:52 -0500

A lot of people don't know that a zero was shot down in Alaska. It was a plan of Japan to attack the coast and Alaska but had issues with the fueling.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Dec 16 at 2015 9:38 AM

LTC Stephen F. — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 09:38:02 -0500

Yes COL Mikel J. Burroughs I was aware that many people and many military personnel were "coast watchers" besides the members for the Coast Guard who watched for landings, submarines, and espionage.
They used binoculars, patrol boats, private airplanes to assist those stationed near significant areas such as airfields, refineries, ship builders and ports which manned anti-aircraft weapons such as those in the picture above.

Response by SrA Daniel Hunter made Dec 16 at 2015 10:00 AM

SrA Daniel Hunter — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:00:03 -0500

Yes Sir, check out this if you're interested.
http://www.beachconnection.net/news/battruss061912_510.php

Where a Japanese Sub Fired on Oregon: Battery Russell and Fort Stevens

Where a Japanese Sub Fired on Oregon: Battery Russell and Fort Stevens - WWII History: That incident turned out to be of mammoth historical significance, almost the only time the continental U.S. was fired upon by a foreign power

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Dec 16 at 2015 10:25 AM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:25:31 -0500

Thanks, COL Mikel J. Burroughs. Did not know this.

Response by MAJ Alvin B. made Dec 16 at 2015 10:27 AM

MAJ Alvin B. — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 10:27:51 -0500

Yes. We sent units to repulse the Japanese in the Aleutians. We fought submarines on all three coasts (though mostly in the Gulf and the Atlantic), we looked for infiltrators on the Mexican and Canadian borders and Japanese floating bombs in the Pacific Northwest. Many who were involved in these actions were citizens as there were too few military members available.

Response by SGT Francis Wright made Dec 16 at 2015 4:51 PM

SGT Francis Wright — Wed, 16 Dec 2015 16:51:44 -0500

There was real concern that the country was going to be divided in 2 half to Germany and half to Japan.

Response by COL Ted Mc made Dec 17 at 2015 7:02 PM

COL Ted Mc — Thu, 17 Dec 2015 19:02:45 -0500

COL Mikel J. Burroughs - Mikel; The Aleutian Campaign was an interesting sideshow and its biggest contribution was probably the construction of the Alaska Highway.

A little known sidelight is that when the DoD asked the Canadian government if it would send some RCAF fighters to Alaska to reinforce the USAAF forces in place the Canadian government agreed and almost instantly dispatched a fighter wing to Alaska. Mind you, there was a delay in getting those fighters operational because the US Customs officers demanded that the Canadian government pay duty on the aircraft because they were being "imported" into the United States of America.

My guess is that several miles of telephone wire had to be installed to replace the lines melted during the conversation between DC and Alaska over THAT decision (which was rescinded within 24 hours).

"Civil Servants" - what more can I say?

Response by Michael Wehr made Dec 18 at 2015 3:26 PM

Michael Wehr — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 15:26:43 -0500

I appreciate the history!

Response by SGT Christopher Premore made Feb 14 at 2016 3:39 PM

SGT Christopher Premore — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 15:39:58 -0500

Luckily though the US didn't have to deal with a invasion although I am not sure it would have went all that well for the Japanese had they tried. Today's people should try to be more like the old timers as Americans we are getting to soft.