In June 1942, Japanese soldiers invaded Attu, the western-most island in the Aleutian chain. Located one thousand miles from the Alaska mainland and isolated by year-round fog, frequent snow, icy rain, and constant high winds, Attu was called by an early visitor "the lonesomest spot this side of hell."<BR>Attu was invaded by the Japanese in the hopes of accomplishing several goals: preventing use of the islands by the Americans, hindering U.S.-Soviet cooperation, and establishing bases for attacks on the American mainland. On 11 May 1943, the U. S. effort to retake Attu began. The ever present fog, rain, and high wind limited the use of air power, and the soggy terrain made mechanized equipment next to useless. The U.S. infantry, unsuitably clothed in apparel neither warm enough nor waterproof enough, retook the island foot by miserable foot in two and a half weeks.<BR>Lieutenant Robert J. Mitchell, one of the American wounded, took down the accounts of the survivors while their memories were fresh. The terror and extreme discomfort they experienced are evident as they relate incidents of friendly fire and surprise enemy counterattacks and describe days spent standing in frigid water.