GHOSTS IN THE FOG: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALASKA'S WWII INVASION by Samantha Seiple

Did you know that Alaska was invaded by the Japanese during WWII?  Author Samantha Seiple tells the story of that little known invasion in GHOSTS IN THE FOG.

The invasion began on June 7, 1942.  The Japanese didn’t leave until more than one year later, and American and Alaskan native prisoners of war were still in the hands of the Japanese until the second half of 1945.  Most details of the attack and invasion were kept secret by the U.S. Navy.

The focus of the attack was the Aleutian Islands.  The inhabitants of the islands were made up of mostly native Alaskans and Eskimos.  Some military personnel lived there to man weather stations and lookout stations designed to report information to the American forces.  This harsh territory could have been an easy stepping stone for the Japanese to invade the lower United States. 

Although, their military presence was just limited to the islands, many Americans lost their lives and those natives lucky enough to survive the fighting and later imprisonment, lost all their possessions to looting by the Japanese and even the American soldiers.

GHOSTS IN THE FOG chronicles the attacks on various islands in the Aleutian chain and the ill-prepared U.S. troops.  The planes available were not always capable of dealing with the adverse weather conditions and were forced to fly well below safe altitudes in hopes of hitting their targets.  Food and supplies were scarce.  The troops and local natives lived in appalling conditions which often made becoming prisoners of war a more attractive proposition.

Readers who enjoy WWII nonfiction selections will find this new release filled with interesting information.  GHOSTS IN THE FOG makes one wonder how many other historical events have been under-reported by the government.