Purchased by the Benton Museum of Art at Pomona College on August 12, 2020 from Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York.

Start of Invasion on Kiska: Tank invasion troops hustle into line as they board an invasion barge for the attack on Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands. Note U.S. warships in background. Apparently realizing the futility of further resistance, the Japanese left this strongpoint under the cover of fog.

As one of the only two invasions of the United States during World War II, the Japanese No. 3 Special Landing Party and 500 marines went ashore at Kiska on June 6, 1942. This was a separate campaign concurrent with the Japanese plan for the Battle of Midway. The Japanese captured the only inhabitants of the island: a small United States Navy Weather Detachment consisting of ten men. The military importance of this frozen, difficult-to-supply island was questionable, but the psychological impact upon the Americans of losing U.S. soil to a foreign enemy for the first time since the War of 1812 was tangible. On August 15, 1943, an invasion force consisting of 34,426 Allied troops landed on Kiska, only to find the island completely abandoned. The invasion force included elements of the 7th Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Regiment, 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment, 5,300 Canadians (mainly the 13th Canadian Infantry Brigade from the 6th Infantry Division, with supporting units including two artillery units from the 7th Infantry Division), 95 ships including three battleships and a heavy cruiser, and 168 aircraft.

Ferrotyped prints are processed in such a way that they are shiny. The print has a sensitive surface, usually thinner, because it was put through a press while still wet.

On recto: Label in bottom right corner, "DISPATCH / PHOTO NEWS / SERVICE / INC. / NEW YORK".

On verso: Typewritten label attached in center, "START OF INVASION ON KISKA / Tank invasion troops hustle into line as they board an invasion barge for the attack on / Kiska. Note U.S. warships in background. Apparently realizing the futility in further / resistance the Japs left this strongpoint under the cover of fog. Produced Exclusively by Dispatch Photo News Service, New York City". Handwritten in graphite in top left corner, "DP-WW2-002".

Ferrotyped prints have a sensitive surface, usually shiny and thinner, because they are put through a press while still wet. Ferrotyping makes the surface of the photograph smoother. Light does not scatter as much on a smoother surface, so this increases contrast. That makes ferrotyped images better for press photography.

This object has the following keywords:

• Canada
• Invasions
• Invasions
• Japanese No. 3 Special Landing Party
• Kiska Island
• Kiska Island
• Landing craft
• Pacific Theater
• Soldiers
• U.S. 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment
• U.S. Fourth Infantry
• U.S. Seventh Infantry
• Warships
• World War II

This object is a member of the following portfolios: