One of the things that makes the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge so unique is that it is the only place in all of the United States on which a land battle was fought during WWII. In fact, it is the only place in the United States where any battle has been fought on refuge land!
Preparing for battle in the Aleutian islands.
The Aleutian Islands Refuge was established in 1913. In 1942, war broke out on these islands as the U.S. military fought off Japanese occupation of Kiska and Attu Islands – about as far west as you can get and still be on U.S. soil. In 1980, most of the Aleutian Island Refuge was designated as wilderness and combined with 11 other coastal Alaskan refuges to make the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Today, the remnants of war remain in impeccable condition. Thanks to the extreme isolation and climate in this region, the military ordnance laid to waste throughout the refuge is said to be one of the best preserved WWII battle sites in the entire world.
This battlefield-refuge interaction has some very complex implications for wilderness character. How do you balance the immediate costs with the long term benefits of removing hazardous wastes that were left behind from the war when you consider the manpower, machinery and potential environmental destruction required to do so? What does the evidence of human history in a place as remote as the Aleutian Islands do for your sense of solitude? Some might argue that a dilapidated Quonset hut and abandoned artillery are cultural resources; that these things provoke thought about the sovereignty of the untamed wild. On the other hand, historical military access routes certainly degrade the opportunity for primitive recreation.
In some ways the battlefield adds a captivating third dimension to maritime Alaskan wilderness. However, it is at the same time a serious headache for wilderness managers.
Military artillery in the wilderness of Kiska Island (Photo Credit: Jeff Williams, 2007)
Kelly Pippins
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge
Wilderness Fellow 2012
Great post. And it is an interesting subject. My grandfather fought in WW2 in the Aleutian Islands (actually just starting blogging about Alaska and WW2, www.floridabeachestotheberingsea.com), and we are planning a trip there to tour some of those old war buildings. But as I understand it, Kiska, which is a national park and wildlife refuge, is not accessible, I guess due to its history, is pretty much off limits due to the amount of japanese mines and things still present. Such an interesting history.
ReplyDeleteIt is not clear to me when you state at the bottom of the 3rd paragraph, where you state historic military access routes certainly degrade the opportunity for primitive recreation, Attu Island is hardly a place for recreation, a place to visit yes, a place to reminisce and go back in time seventy years and enjoy a natural museum frozen in time and to re-live as you take yourself back in time and visualize in your minds eye and carefully listen to the sounds of battle to bring it all back alive again is what this place is all about, yes it all comes back to me again, but as to primitive recreation, i'm sorry you will have to enlighten me!
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