U.S. Navy Department (August 21, 1943)
Joint Statement in Québec and Washington
For Immediate Release
August 21, 1943
A strong force of U.S. and Canadian troops supported by surface vessels have occupied the island of Kiska in the Aleutians. The landing began on August 15; no Japanese were found, and it is our belief that the enemy evacuation was made under cover of heavy fog.
It is evident that the position of the Jap troops became untenable because of the occupation of Attu, the harassment of enemy supply lines and the recent bombings and bombardments of Kiska by air and surface craft.
For security reasons, this announcement has been withheld pending the unloading of transports.
The present occupation of Kiska frees the last vestige of North American territory of Jap forces.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
W. L. MACKENZIE KING
Communiqué No. 459
North Pacific.
A Task Force of the Pacific Fleet has landed a force of U.S. and Canadian troops on Kiska, beginning on August 15.
No Japanese have been found. There were indications of recent hasty evacuation of the Japanese garrison. Presumably, the heavy bombardments by our ships and planes that have been carried on for some time and the danger to their supply lines by our capture of Attu made the enemy positions on Kiska untenable. It is not known how the Japanese got away, but it is possible that enemy surface ships were able to reach Kiska under cover of the heavy fogs that have been prevalent.
Since the air and surface bombardments in the latter part of July had apparently destroyed Japanese radio equipment on Kiska, the assumption was that they were not in communication with the homeland. Consequently, no release of Allied operations against Kiska has been made since July 31, as it would have conveyed information to the enemy which he otherwise would not have had. This particularly applied to the period during which the transports were in areas exposed to enemy submarine attacks and while they were unloading.