Operation Cottage

Operation Cottage
Part of the Aleutian Islands campaign of World War II

American troops landing on Kiska
DateAugust 15, 1943
Location
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
 United States
 Canada
 Japan (not present)
Commanders and leaders
Charles Corlett
Harry W. Foster
Not present
Units involved

7th Infantry Division

10th Mountain Division

US Navy

  • Task Group 16.22

6th Canadian Infantry Division

1st Special Service Force
None present
Strength

34,000

5,300
Sea mines, mines, booby traps
Casualties and losses
92 killed
221 wounded
Landing forces:
32 killed
100 wounded
U.S Navy:
1 destroyer (USS Abner Read) heavily damaged
71 killed
47 wounded
None

Operation Cottage was a joint American-Canadian plan to complete the recapture of the Aleutian Islands from the Japanese. On August 15, 1943, Allied military forces landed on Kiska Island, which had been occupied by Japanese forces since June 1942. However, the Japanese had secretly abandoned the island two weeks earlier, and so the Allied landings were unopposed. Allied forces suffered over 500 casualties in total during the operation from Japanese landmines and booby traps, friendly fire incidents, and vehicle accidents.