Aleutian Islands Campaign Exhibit
In June 1942, during World War II, Japan invaded the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, marking the first time since 1812 that a foreign power occupied and forced entry onto American territory.
On Thursday, March 27, the National WWII Museum opened their new exhibit On American Shores: The Aleutian Islands Campaign to the public for viewing until January 11, 2026.
New to the WWII Museum
This exhibit highlights a period of momentous efforts many American soldiers faced to reclaim the only North American soil seized during World War II. The exhibit also explores the Battle of the Komandorski Islands on March 26, 1943, the last daylight gun battle between surface warships in history; an event which the 82nd anniversary was commemorated with the exhibit's opening.
"On American Shores highlights this campaign through an array of unique materials from the Museum's collection paired with period photographs and firsthand accounts of those who were there eight decades ago," said Museum Curator Ross Patterson II in a press release.
The museum is using this campaign to explore the brutal conditions veterans faced, the invasion's influence on American morale, the lessons learned through strategic efforts, and the lasting impacts on native civilian populations.
"Visitors will be able to gain an appreciation for a unique theater of war in the Pacific, seeing the war against Japan from a perspective that has largely faded from the public consciousness," said Patterson.
Overall, the aim of this special exhibit is to expand awareness of this often-overlooked time of World War II and the aftermath that was produced and is still affecting the present day.
Visit the Exhibit
Take family, friends, or yourself to learn more about the first offensive campaign executed by American soldiers. The exhibit features over 70 unique artifacts and materials from the museum's collection, including never-before-seen images, rare American and Japanese cold-weather uniforms, and equipment from those who were there. On American Shores features numerous first-person accounts from veterans who fought to retake the islands from the Japanese.
For more information or to purchase tickets visit the National WWII museum's website. If you are into museums, the are plenty museums to check out around New Orleans.
