Customer Reviews

WILLIWAW WAR: The Arkansas National Guard in the Aleutians in World War II

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Collaboratively researched and written by Donald M. Goldstein (a veteran of the United States Airforce and Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh) and Katherine V. Dillon (U.S. Airforce, Retired), The Williwaw War: The Arkansas National Guard In the Aleutians In World War II is a fascinating and informative history of the 206th Coast Artillery Regiment of the Arkansas National Guard in 1941, when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor changed their lives forever and plunged America into a global war. Deftly following the travails and experiences of these brave servicemen who struggled with boredom, extreme weather conditions, and life-or-death battles, The Williwaw War reveals a time of danger, death, and pride in the regiment. The Williwaw War is an appreciated and commended contribution to academic Military Studies collections in general, and World War II military history buff reading lists in particular.

My Dad spent WWII in the Aleutians and was present for many of the events in this book. While never as reticent about the war as many of his generation, he always had a hard time explaining what it was like. He recommended this book to me.

It was bad for these soldiers. A group of Arkansans were sent to the edge of the world to protect the country from a northern attack. Other than the battle of Dutch Harbor (a misdirection by the Japanese trying to distract us from Midway) and the retaking of Attu, there was little direct action for these men. Instead, it was three years of bone-chilling temperature, penetrating winds and inadequate shelter. Despair and suicide took a terrible toll. The soldiers held their ground, but their efforts are barely remembered.

The book is engaging and well-written. Thankfully, a number of men have survived to help document this obscure bit of history.

I live here iin Dutch Harbor Alaska, and found some war paper from a veteran
here, and wanted to know more about the men that were station out here during those hard winters and bad weather, and fined out more about the history and the forgten men that were here on the inlands. great book. thanks

Marty

I enjoyed this book. As someone who served on the island of Adak with the Marine Corps during the Cold War, it was great to read a book about a place I know very well. It gave wonderful look at what life was like during WW2 in the aleutians. You come away with an appreciation of how harsh it was to live and fight under the extreme conditions of the aleutian islands.