Group photo of Tony Potoski's unit, Alaska, 1943-1944

• Other Authors: University of Washington Libraries. Special Collections Division.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Soldiers > American > Alaska; Military personnel > American; Military uniforms > American > Alaska; Group portraits; World War; 1939-1945 > Campaigns > Alaska > Aleutian Islands; Kiska; Midway Island; Pacific; Attu; Alaska; Aleutian Islands
• Online Access: http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org:80/cdm/ref/collection/alaskawcanada/id/4618

Written on verso: "Group picture - I'm not in it as the camera couldn't take us all in.The men are identified on the front of the photo written by hand. PH Coll 1098.1-30 During his service in World War II Tony Potoski served with the 591st Anti-Aircraft Artillery AW Battalion taking part in the initial landings on the islands of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands of western Alaska. Tony served on the Alaskan front participating in the Aleutian Islands Campaign for twenty-two months helping to secure Attu, Kiska and the greater Aleutians from Japanese occupation throughout 1943-1944. The Battles of Attu and Kiska were the main conflicts of the Aleutian Islands Campaign of World War II where American and Japanese forces fought for control of these remote, sparsely inhabited islands of the North Pacific from May 11 to May 30, 1943. In June 1942, Japan seized Attu and its neighbor Kiska establishing garrisons on these remote, U. S. owned islands. The reason for taking Attu and Kiska, known for their barren, mountainous terrain and harsh weather, may have been to divert U.S. forces during Japan's attack on Midway Island (June 4-7, 1942) in the central Pacific. It is also possible the Japanese believed holding the two islands would prevent the U.S. from invading Japan from the north by way of the Aleutian Islands. Either way, the Japanese occupation was a blow to American morale. In May 1943, U.S. troops finally retook Attu and in August reclaimed Kiska as well.