Podcasts about Aleutian Islands

Dr. Matt Haney is the Scientist-in-Charge at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, where he leads the charge to monitor and communicate the activity of Alaska's volcanoes — some of the most closely watched in the world. He explains that there are several ways to count Alaska's volcanoes, but one of the most striking is this: 54 of them have erupted in the last 300 years. That's more than any other U.S. state. Most of these volcanoes are found along the Aleutian Arc, a seismically active chain that stretches from Mount Spurr — just 80 miles west of Anchorage — through Cook Inlet and out across the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands. A few outliers, like Mount Edgecumbe in Southeast and Mount Wrangell near Glennallen, add even more complexity to tracking volcanic activity across Alaska. As a volcanologist, Matt is part of a network that assesses volcanic risk using the National Volcano Early Warning System, which ranks volcanoes by threat level. In Alaska, five volcanoes are classified as “Very High Threat” — including Mount Spurr, Mount Redoubt and Mount Augustine — not just because they're active, but because they're near population centers and critical infrastructure. Mount Spurr is currently under close observation due to signs of volcanic unrest, making it one of the most closely watched in the state. When Spurr last erupted in 1992, it launched ash clouds up to 60,000 feet into the sky and shut down Anchorage's airport for nearly a full day. Ash fall can disrupt air travel, damage engines and electronics, clog air filters, and cause respiratory problems. Today, with Anchorage serving as the second busiest cargo hub in the U.S. — and the fourth busiest in the world — the stakes of an eruption are even higher.

Dr. Matt Haney is the Scientist-in-Charge at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, where he leads the charge to monitor and communicate the activity of Alaska's volcanoes — some of the most closely watched in the world. He explains that there are several ways to count Alaska's volcanoes, but one of the most striking is this: 54 of them have erupted in the last 300 years. That's more than any other U.S. state. Most of these volcanoes are found along the Aleutian Arc, a seismically active chain that stretches from Mount Spurr — just 80 miles west of Anchorage — through Cook Inlet and out across the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands. A few outliers, like Mount Edgecumbe in Southeast and Mount Wrangell near Glennallen, add even more complexity to tracking volcanic activity across Alaska. As a volcanologist, Matt is part of a network that assesses volcanic risk using the National Volcano Early Warning System, which ranks volcanoes by threat level. In Alaska, five volcanoes are classified as “Very High Threat” — including Mount Spurr, Mount Redoubt and Mount Augustine — not just because they're active, but because they're near population centers and critical infrastructure. Mount Spurr is currently under close observation due to signs of volcanic unrest, making it one of the most closely watched in the state. When Spurr last erupted in 1992, it launched ash clouds up to 60,000 feet into the sky and shut down Anchorage's airport for nearly a full day. Ash fall can disrupt air travel, damage engines and electronics, clog air filters, and cause respiratory problems. Today, with Anchorage serving as the second busiest cargo hub in the U.S. — and the fourth busiest in the world — the stakes of an eruption are even higher.

Can one person sailing solo around the world contribute to scientific knowledge? What happens when you encounter illegal fishing vessels in the middle of the ocean? How can we address the growing crisis of plastic pollution in our seas? In this episode, we dive into these questions with Bert Terhart, a scientist, explorer and entrepreneur who circumnavigated the globe alone on his sailing yacht, conducting citizen science along the way.During our conversation, Bert shares his first-hand observations of environmental challenges facing our oceans, from illegal fishing fleets operating with impunity to the stark reality of plastic pollution. We discuss how he worked with researchers to track ocean currents, monitor microplastics and count endangered albatross populations during his journey. Bert offers a shocking statistic: for some commercially exploited species of fish, approximately 80% of the commercial catches are illegal or unregulated, highlighting how enforcement remains one of our biggest environmental challenges.Beyond observations, we explore how individuals and businesses can engage positively with environmental issues. Bert emphasises the importance of persistence in creating meaningful change and discusses how new technologies, including AI, might help solve complex environmental problems. Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic about our future, believing that human ingenuity and our ability to adapt will ultimately outpace our capacity for environmental destruction – if we can combine good science with effective policy and consistent action.Further reading:Bert's Personal Website (bertterhart.com)The 5 Great Capes | Around alone via the 5 Great CapesSubscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Recommended Books: tommysoutdoors.com/booksMerch: tommysoutdoors.com/shopFollow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook---Bert terHart, self-described as 'soldier, sailor, scientist, adventurer, serial entrepreneur and author', just seems to have a knack for knocking off the impossible. A Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Explorer in Residence for the BC Historical Society, Founder of the Canadian Interactive Waterways Initiative, CEO of LeadBrain.ai, and author of, among others, the children's book 'Sir Salty Goes to Sea', Bert has sailed solo, non-stop around the world, into the Bering Sea, and out to the Aleutian Islands all in an effort to follow in the wake of some of the world's greatest explorers and cartographers. In the same vein, he paddled solo, across Canada from the Pacific to Atlantic Oceans covering more than 7800kms by foot and canoe. What's coming next is even more extreme. Or crazy. Bert terHart has had a life-long passion for the oceans and oceanography. With advanced degrees in math, physics and physical oceanography, he has studied the role the world's

Some of the largest populations of Tufted Puffins are in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and other northern coastlines. But University of Puget Sound professor Peter Hodum says the smaller colonies that breed off the coast of Washington and Oregon could provide key insights to conserve the whole species. The challenges facing birds at the fringes of their range could be the same ones that will affect the core populations further north in the future.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. 

Join Bert terHart as he shares how to face adversity, embrace purpose, and transform challenges into lasting resilience. In this compelling episode of Talking with the Experts, we dive deep into the extraordinary journey of Bert terHart as he discusses the art of facing adversity and embracing purpose. Bert shares his powerful perspective on life's critical choices—when challenges arise, you can either serve your weaknesses or commit fully to your purpose. According to Bert, you simply cannot serve two masters. His message is clear: true toughness is not about suppressing vulnerability but about harnessing adversity as a catalyst for transformation. Bert's extensive background as a soldier, sailor, adventurer, and serial entrepreneur has taken him on some of the most challenging journeys imaginable. He recounts his solo, non-stop circumnavigation by sail, his daring expeditions into the treacherous waters of the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands, and his awe-inspiring solo paddling adventure across Canada, spanning over 7,800 km by foot and canoe. These experiences have not only tested his physical limits but also shaped his inner strength and vision. Throughout the conversation, Bert emphasizes that the stereotypical definition of toughness is wildly mistaken. Instead of clinging to our limitations, he advocates for a simple positive feedback loop—acknowledging every small victory along the way to ensure you are on the right path. His insights reveal that adversity, when embraced with purpose, becomes the stepping stone to personal and professional growth. Whether you're an entrepreneur, an explorer of life's challenges, or simply seeking inspiration to overcome your own obstacles, Bert's story offers invaluable lessons in resilience. He challenges you to redefine what it means to be tough, urging you to face hardships head-on and transform them into opportunities for profound growth. Key Points from the Interview: 1. How to embrace adversity as a catalyst for transformation. 2. The importance of choosing purpose over weaknesses. 3. The role of a positive feedback loop in guiding personal growth and resilience. Connect with Bert: https://facebook.com/leadbrainai https://linkedin.com/in/bertterhart https://leadbrain.ai https://bertterhart.com ▼ ▼ You can connect with/follow Talking with the Experts: Website: https://talkingwiththeexperts.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/talking-with-the-experts/ SoundCloud [Follow] https://soundcloud.com/talking-with-the-experts YouTube: [Subscribe] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkM5n5QJhnNAmUiMzii73wQ Facebook Page: [Rose Davidson] https://www.facebook.com/rosedavidsonaustralia/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosedavidson_australia/ Want to be a guest on Talking with the Experts? Send Rose Davidson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/talkingwiththeexperts #RoseDavidson #TalkingWithTheExperts #ExpertInterviews #BusinessGrowth #LeadershipInsights #EntrepreneurMindset #IndustryLeaders #ProfessionalDevelopment #SuccessStrategies #PodcastForEntrepreneurs #InnovationAndTrends

This episode takes us far out into the Aleutian Islands off the west coast of Alaska's mainland, to hunt wild bison. Recorded audio-journal style, we're bringing it to you raw and unedited.  Hunting by invitation with Jack Jaeger, who is designated to hunt buffalo for the tribal elders, we circumnavigate the island on a small fishing boat, landing in a skiff and hunting up from the coast when buffalo are sighted.  With a big cow taken and the quarters packed out and hung to age, we weather howling winds and slashing rain, and then ascend into the Island's high peaks in an attempt to find a big bull.  Thwarted by fog, fierce winds, and relentless rain, we had to pull out and get dry and warm. Then, for days, we hunkered down and waited while the airline canceled flights day after day.  This was type 2 fun at its finest, folks! If you're interested in trying a similar adventure yourself, contact Jack Jaeger. His info is in the show notes below.  ENJOY!    Contact Jack Jaeger on Facebook Call or text Jack: (808) 854-1127 Email Jack: jaegerjohn15@gmail.com

Bert terHart, self-described as 'soldier, sailor, scientist, adventurer, serial entrepreneur and author', just seems to have a knack for knocking off the impossible. A Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Explorer in Residence for the BC Historical Society, Founder of the Canadian Interactive Waterways Initiative, CEO of LeadBrain.ai, and author of, among others, the children's book 'Sir Salty Goes to Sea', Bert has sailed solo, non-stop around the world, into the Bering Sea, and out to the Aleutian Islands all in an effort to follow in the wake of some of the world's greatest explorers and cartographers. In the same vein, he paddled solo, across Canada from the Pacific to Atlantic Oceans covering more than 7800kms by foot and canoe. What's coming next is even more extreme. Or crazy. Bert terHart has had a life-long passion for the oceans and oceanography. With advanced degrees in math, physics and physical oceanography, he has studied the role the world's oceans and coastal seas play in moderating and regulating climate, nutrient productivity and pollution distributions, and salmon migration. A career in academics, however, was not to be. Software engineering and business drew him away from the formal world of academia. Bert went on to create software and technical tools used by health care professionals in Canada, Great Britain, the United States, and Australia ultimately helping in the diagnosis and treatment of tens of thousands of patients. His passion for the oceans has translated into more than 50,000 miles of blue-water sailing, almost all of it solo, and a keen advocacy for the citizen scientist in all of us. His programming and business skills have been sought out by the universities, professionals, and environmentally responsible businesses and corporations in Canada and the US. His exploits have been featured both nationally and internationally on TV and in print. He's a frequent speaker to local business groups, libraries, museums, schools, and adventurers of every ilk.

Bert terHart, self-described as 'soldier, sailor, adventurer, serial entrepreneur and author', just seems to have a knack for knocking off the impossible. A Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Explorer in Residence for the BC Historical Society, Founder of the Canadian Interactive Waterways Initiative, CEO of LeadBrain.ai, and author of, among others, the children's book 'Sir Salty Goes to Sea', Bert has sailed solo, non-stop around the world, into the Bering Sea, and out to the Aleutian Islands all in an effort to follow in the wake of some of the world's greatest explorers and cartographers. In the same vein, he paddled solo, across Canada from the Pacific to Atlantic Oceans covering more than 7800kms by foot and canoe. What's coming next is even more extreme. Or crazy. Bert's website: https://bertterhart.com/   SuccessGrid Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/successgridofficial/   Show notes: https://successgrid.net/sg237/   If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to https://ratethispodcast.com/successgrid  

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Nearly 180 researchers and other experts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks are in Washington, D.C., this week for an annual gathering of top geophysical scientists. A swarm of earthquakes shook Alaska's western Aleutian Islands yesterday. And A Sugt'stun language game is teaching children around the world about Sugpiaq culture. Photo: Azalyn Ukatish-Evan plays Nunaka: My Village at the Nanwalek Head Start. Photo courtesy of Chugachmiut.

Bert terHart is a modern-day explorer whose life reads like an adventure novel.   Describing himself as a "soldier, sailor, scientist, adventurer, serial entrepreneur, and author," Bert has a remarkable ability to achieve the seemingly impossible.   A Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Explorer in Residence for the BC Historical Society, he has made significant contributions as the Founder of the Canadian Interactive Waterways Initiative and CEO of LeadBrain.ai.   He is also the author of works such as the children's book Sir Salty Goes to Sea.   Bert's adventures include an awe-inspiring solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by sail, ventures into the Bering Sea, and journeys to the Aleutian Islands—all inspired by history's great explorers and cartographers.   Not stopping at the seas, Bert paddled solo across Canada, traversing more than 7,800 kilometers from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean by foot and canoe. And he shows no signs of slowing down, with even more extreme undertakings on the horizon.   With advanced degrees in mathematics, physics, and physical oceanography, Bert's lifelong passion for the oceans has driven his study of their critical roles in climate regulation, nutrient productivity, and pollution distribution, as well as their impact on salmon migration.   Although his academic career shifted, Bert's expertise found expression in software engineering and business.   He developed innovative tools used by healthcare professionals worldwide, aiding in the diagnosis and treatment of thousands of patients.   Bert terHart's blend of scientific acumen, entrepreneurial vision, and adventurous spirit makes him an extraordinary guest for discussions on exploration, environmental science, and the intersection of technology and humanity.   Whether sharing tales of his daring expeditions or offering insights into oceanography and climate change, Bert captivates audiences with his passion, intellect, and bold pursuit of what lies beyond the horizon. Learn More Here: https://bertterhart.com/ ...... Want to be a guest on WITneSSes? Send Elisha Arowojobe a message on #PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/elishaarowojobe   Elevate your business with Anastasia's expert consulting. Use code Elisha3 for an exclusive offer and transform your business today! https://resurrectionmentor.wixsite.com/so/42PDEPEB8?languageTag=en    

The stories she heard as a young girl from her own elder relatives inspired Holly Miowak Guise to research and document the experience of Alaska Native veterans of World War II. Her work is compiled in the book, Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. Her work encompasses the U.S. Government's occupation of the Aleutian Islands, the trauma of religious boarding schools, and the historic Alaska Native fight to overcome institutionalized discrimination. We'll talk with Guise about her work and the people she encountered.

The stories she heard as a young girl from her own elder relatives inspired Holly Miowak Guise to research and document the experience of Alaska Natives from the 1940s. Her work is compiled in the book, “Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II.” Her work encompasses the U.S. Government's occupation of the Aleutian Islands, the trauma of religious boarding schools, and the historic Alaska Native fight to overcome institutionalized discrimination. In this encore show, we'll talk with Guise about her work and the people she encountered. Dr. Holly Miowak Guise (Iñupiaq), assistant professor of History at the University of New Mexico and the author of Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from WWII

In this newscast: A federal court sided with halibut conservationists in a case over new rules limiting halibut bycatch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands; The power went out across Juneau for about an hour on Friday afternoon; Juneau high schoolers can swap pencils for wrenches in the districts new Diesel 101 class; Starting next year, Ketchikan students will have a full week off for Thanksgiving

On today's Midday Report with host Terry Haines: Researchers from an organization that is looking for extraterrestrial life are studying the language of humpback whales. Two Alaska State Troopers each pleaded not guilty to a felony assault charge during an arraignment at the Kenai Courthouse. And a federal court sided with halibut conservationists in a case over new rules limiting halibut bycatch in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.

The stories she heard as a young girl from her own elder relatives inspired Holly Miowak Guise to research and document the experience of Alaska Native veterans of World War II. Her work is compiled in the book, Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. Her work encompasses the U.S. Government's occupation of the Aleutian Islands, the trauma of religious boarding schools, and the historic Alaska Native fight to overcome institutionalized discrimination. We'll talk with Guise about her work and the people she encountered. GUEST Dr. Holly Miowak Guise (Iñupiaq), assistant professor of History at the University of New Mexico and the author of Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from WWII

The stories she heard as a young girl from her own elder relatives inspired Holly Miowak Guise to research and document the experience of Alaska Native veterans of World War II. Her work is compiled in the book, Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. Her work encompasses the U.S. Government's occupation of the Aleutian Islands, the trauma of religious boarding schools, and the historic Alaska Native fight to overcome institutionalized discrimination. We'll talk with Guise about her work and the people she encountered.

In this newscast: Final election results are trickling in today [WED] for the national and state races. In Alaska, unofficial results show the Republican presidential and U.S. House candidates lead in their races statewide,  but there's evidence of a lot of split-ticket voters in Juneau; A group home in Juneau for women experiencing addiction or leaving incarceration has just reopened after a three-year hiatus due to flooding. T'áa Shuyee Hit Haven House is now accepting applicants; Republican challenger Nick Begich had a solid lead in the race for Alaska's seat in the U.S. House after Tuesday's election night vote tallies; The effort to repeal Alaska's ranked choice voting and open primaries was ahead slightly late Tuesday, with about three-quarters  of the state's precincts counted; A bipartisan majority caucus is likely to hold on to control of the Alaska Senate, and some key pickups in the state House mean that the current Republican-led majority could lose control of the chamber. That's according to early election results in state legislative races; Initial results in Alaska's House District 1 race have Republican Jeremy Bynum with a commanding lead at more than 50% of the vote; The Museum of the Aleutians in Unalaska has received over 20 boxes filled with archaeological artifacts from the Islands of Four Mountains in the central Aleutian Islands. While some artifacts may never be displayed, they remain crucial to understanding Unangax̂ history.

Send us a textIn this inspiring sermon, Rabbi Yisroel Bernath shares a powerful story of two rabbinical students sent on a mission to the remote Aleutian Islands, where they encountered a young Jewish girl and her mother living in isolation. Their discovery reignited the family's connection to Judaism, emphasizing the significance of Shabbat candle lighting. Rabbi Bernath connects this story to the Rebbe's campaign encouraging young girls to light Shabbat candles, a movement that has illuminated homes worldwide for 50 years. He reminds us that each candle contributes to a global chain of light, with every woman and girl adding her unique spark to complete the circle of Jewish unity. The message is clear: the light of Shabbat candles, no matter how far or near, transforms the world, one flame at a time.Key Takeaways:No Jew is Alone: The story illustrates how even in the remotest places, a connection to Jewish identity can be rediscovered.The Power of One Candle: The act of lighting Shabbat candles holds profound spiritual significance, capable of transforming individuals, families, and communities.The Rebbe's Shabbat Candle Initiative: Since 1974, the Rebbe's campaign has empowered young girls to light Shabbat candles, ensuring that every home is illuminated with holiness.Shabbat Candles as Global Unity: Each candle lit across different time zones creates a continuous chain of Jewish light and unity across the world.Your Unique Light Matters: Every woman and girl's light is special and necessary to bring G‑d's presence into the world.Support the showGot your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.comSingle? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone.Donate and support Rabbi Bernath's work http://www.jewishndg.com/donateFollow Rabbi Bernath's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernathAccess Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

“The notion of getting rid of a closed primary system in Alaska appealed to me instantly,” says former Alaska House Speaker Bryce Edgmon who has represented Bristol Bay and parts of the Aleutian Islands for nearly two decades. “It overrode right there almost on the spot any trepidation I might have about having to rank candidates or anything else that would eventually become part of the ballot measure that narrowly passed in Alaska.” Rep. Edgmon is referring to Alaska's first-in-nation passage of a final or top four voting system with a unified open primary plus ranked choice general election. In this episode we examine the dynamics of the first state legislature in the country to have been elected by this system in 2022, even as a ballot measure to repeal the system has been put before Alaska voters in 2024. We also discuss the dynamics of the Alaska legislature with Anchorage Daily News Reporter, Iris Samuels, and University of Alaska Southeast Political Science Professor, Dr. Glenn Wright.   “Alaska is fairly unique in that even before this election reform, we've had bipartisan and tri-partisan coalitions in the House and Senate,” says Samuels, who covers the Juneau State House. “But it has reinforced that phenomenon and made it possible for elected officials to envision doing that and not experience repercussions from within their party and from voters.”  “If you talk to incumbent politicians,” explains Dr. Wright, “ they will tell you that they're less concerned about the primary challenge now– that before the reform that was in the back of their mind. And they were thinking not about what do voters in my district want but what do party primary voters in my district want.” AFL-CIO President Joelle Hall has also observed what might be a similar deepening of Alaska's cross-partisan tendencies in the two years since passage of the top four reform.  “One of the ways that we are really different is that we have always come to a bipartisan coalition at the end of every decade,” observes Hall, a legislative lobbyist for nearly three decades. “Redistricting happens. Then slowly the two parties claw back to roughly even. So it's accelerated what is already a normal path in Alaska where we gravitate towards these coalitions. But our final guest on this first of two Alaska episodes, Rep. Alyse Galvin of Anchorage, cautions that these post reform dynamics have not yet translated into legislative action. That's partially because senior house leadership has blocked several bipartisan legislative efforts, while others were vetoed at the executive level.  “if we don't allow this to play out a bit more, I'd say one more cycle, maybe two,” says Galvin, previously a two time candidate for the US House, ”then we're really missing a big chance to get things done that will give Alaskans hope.” Tune in for five different perspectives on the first legislature in the country elected by final or top four voting as citizens in four other US states (NV, ID, CO & MT) consider passing the Alaskan model for less divisive elections toward more collaborative governance.  The Purple Principle is a Fluent Knowledge production. Original music by Ryan Adair Rooney.

Mike Livingston specializes in the cultural heritage of the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands. His background makes him uniquely qualified for this position. He grew up in Cold Bay, Alaska, located on the Aleutians, and his family homesteaded where Trout Creek flows into Cold Bay. He says they didn't have much money, so they lived a subsistence lifestyle and built their home using remnants left on the island from World War II.   At 21, he moved to Unalaska and worked as a police officer for three years, then he moved to Anchorage and was an officer for the Anchorage Police Department for 20 years. In that time, he worked in a number of different departments: burglary, theft, felony assaults, the crimes against children unit, and the major crimes unit. His work in law enforcement and his research into the Unangax̂ region — in addition to a local murder he remembers from when he was 16 — eventually led him to his work with Murdered and Missing Indigenous Persons. More recently, Mike's been focused on ways to integrate ancient sod housing design into the construction of modern houses. Traditional sod houses were used in the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula for at least 10,000 years. They were so energy efficient that their carbon footprint was virtually non-existent.  He's also been working on correcting historical inaccuracies of Benny Benson, the boy who designed the Alaska flag in 1927. The research he's involved in found that Benny was not of Alutiiq heritage, like it's been believed for decades, but of Unangax̂ heritage.

Mike Livingston specializes in the cultural heritage of the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands. His background makes him uniquely qualified for this position. He grew up in Cold Bay, Alaska, located on the Aleutians, and his family homesteaded where Trout Creek flows into Cold Bay. He says they didn't have much money, so they lived a subsistence lifestyle and built their home using remnants left on the island from World War II.   At 21, he moved to Unalaska and worked as a police officer for three years, then he moved to Anchorage and was an officer for the Anchorage Police Department for 20 years. In that time, he worked in a number of different departments: burglary, theft, felony assaults, the crimes against children unit, and the major crimes unit. His work in law enforcement and his research into the Unangax̂ region — in addition to a local murder he remembers from when he was 16 — eventually led him to his work with Murdered and Missing Indigenous Persons. More recently, Mike's been focused on ways to integrate ancient sod housing design into the construction of modern houses. Traditional sod houses were used in the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula for at least 10,000 years. They were so energy efficient that their carbon footprint was virtually non-existent.  He's also been working on correcting historical inaccuracies of Benny Benson, the boy who designed the Alaska flag in 1927. The research he's involved in found that Benny was not of Alutiiq heritage, like it's been believed for decades, but of Unangax̂ heritage.

The U.S. military is responding after Russia and China increased their military activity near Alaska.  The U.S. military deployed 130 Army airborne soldiers with mobile rocket launchers earlier this month to the Aleutian Islands of western Alaska. The action comes after Russia and China conducted joint military exercises close to Alaska. “There's been naval exercises, there has been joint flyovers … not necessarily our airspace, but identification airspace, which is between the Russian airspace and our airspace,” Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy said, adding that the military activity near Alaska is “becoming more frequent.”   Earlier this month, Russia and China carried out a week of joint naval exercises in the Sea of Japan. On Monday, the U.S. Naval Institute reported that the U.S. "detected Russian aircraft operating in the Alaska air-defense identification zone.” “I think these are, you know, chess cases and probes,” Dunleavy said of Russia and China's actions. “But because of the instability in the world, and to some degree, I think some of these countries are questioning America's resolve, [so] you may be seeing more of these activities in the future.” Mainland Russia is only 55 miles from Alaska, making America's northernmost state key to national security, especially as Russia is actively building its Arctic military capabilities. The Daily Signal had the opportunity to visit Dunleavy at his Anchorage office and discuss the national security threat Russia and China pose to the U.S., and why Russia has its eye on the Arctic. Enjoy the show!

The U.S. military is responding after Russia and China increased their military activity near Alaska. The U.S. military deployed 130 Army airborne soldiers with mobile rocket launchers earlier this month to the Aleutian Islands of western Alaska. The action comes after Russia and China conducted joint military exercises close to Alaska. “There’s been naval exercises, […]

Soldiers stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Fort Wainwright have been deployed to the Aleutian Islands following what some leaders characterized as increased Russian and Chinese activity near Alaska.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands during World War II changed Alaska, serving as justification for a large American military presence across the peninsula and advancing colonialism into the territory in the years before statehood.  In Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II (U Washington Press, 2024), University of New Mexico historian Holly Guise uses a range of sources and methods, including oral history, to explain how Native people from several tribes across Alaska, experienced, resisted, and proved resiliant to, American colonialism in the mid-20th century. From forced relocation to outright warfare and sexual violence, the 1940s were a difficult decade for Alaska Natives, but through community building, activism, and even mundane forms of resistance and resiliance, Indigenous people across the region were able to, in Guise's words, engage in "equilibirum restoration" and maintain their links to each other, and to the land itself. Alaska Native Resilience forces readers to rethink what they know about World War II, and places a region often thought of as at the periphery of that war directly in the center of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands during World War II changed Alaska, serving as justification for a large American military presence across the peninsula and advancing colonialism into the territory in the years before statehood.  In Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II (U Washington Press, 2024), University of New Mexico historian Holly Guise uses a range of sources and methods, including oral history, to explain how Native people from several tribes across Alaska, experienced, resisted, and proved resiliant to, American colonialism in the mid-20th century. From forced relocation to outright warfare and sexual violence, the 1940s were a difficult decade for Alaska Natives, but through community building, activism, and even mundane forms of resistance and resiliance, Indigenous people across the region were able to, in Guise's words, engage in "equilibirum restoration" and maintain their links to each other, and to the land itself. Alaska Native Resilience forces readers to rethink what they know about World War II, and places a region often thought of as at the periphery of that war directly in the center of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands during World War II changed Alaska, serving as justification for a large American military presence across the peninsula and advancing colonialism into the territory in the years before statehood.  In Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II (U Washington Press, 2024), University of New Mexico historian Holly Guise uses a range of sources and methods, including oral history, to explain how Native people from several tribes across Alaska, experienced, resisted, and proved resiliant to, American colonialism in the mid-20th century. From forced relocation to outright warfare and sexual violence, the 1940s were a difficult decade for Alaska Natives, but through community building, activism, and even mundane forms of resistance and resiliance, Indigenous people across the region were able to, in Guise's words, engage in "equilibirum restoration" and maintain their links to each other, and to the land itself. Alaska Native Resilience forces readers to rethink what they know about World War II, and places a region often thought of as at the periphery of that war directly in the center of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/native-american-studies

The Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands during World War II changed Alaska, serving as justification for a large American military presence across the peninsula and advancing colonialism into the territory in the years before statehood.  In Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II (U Washington Press, 2024), University of New Mexico historian Holly Guise uses a range of sources and methods, including oral history, to explain how Native people from several tribes across Alaska, experienced, resisted, and proved resiliant to, American colonialism in the mid-20th century. From forced relocation to outright warfare and sexual violence, the 1940s were a difficult decade for Alaska Natives, but through community building, activism, and even mundane forms of resistance and resiliance, Indigenous people across the region were able to, in Guise's words, engage in "equilibirum restoration" and maintain their links to each other, and to the land itself. Alaska Native Resilience forces readers to rethink what they know about World War II, and places a region often thought of as at the periphery of that war directly in the center of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

The Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands during World War II changed Alaska, serving as justification for a large American military presence across the peninsula and advancing colonialism into the territory in the years before statehood.  In Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II (U Washington Press, 2024), University of New Mexico historian Holly Guise uses a range of sources and methods, including oral history, to explain how Native people from several tribes across Alaska, experienced, resisted, and proved resiliant to, American colonialism in the mid-20th century. From forced relocation to outright warfare and sexual violence, the 1940s were a difficult decade for Alaska Natives, but through community building, activism, and even mundane forms of resistance and resiliance, Indigenous people across the region were able to, in Guise's words, engage in "equilibirum restoration" and maintain their links to each other, and to the land itself. Alaska Native Resilience forces readers to rethink what they know about World War II, and places a region often thought of as at the periphery of that war directly in the center of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

The Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands during World War II changed Alaska, serving as justification for a large American military presence across the peninsula and advancing colonialism into the territory in the years before statehood.  In Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II (U Washington Press, 2024), University of New Mexico historian Holly Guise uses a range of sources and methods, including oral history, to explain how Native people from several tribes across Alaska, experienced, resisted, and proved resiliant to, American colonialism in the mid-20th century. From forced relocation to outright warfare and sexual violence, the 1940s were a difficult decade for Alaska Natives, but through community building, activism, and even mundane forms of resistance and resiliance, Indigenous people across the region were able to, in Guise's words, engage in "equilibirum restoration" and maintain their links to each other, and to the land itself. Alaska Native Resilience forces readers to rethink what they know about World War II, and places a region often thought of as at the periphery of that war directly in the center of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-west

//The Wire//2100Z July 12, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: CHINESE ACTIVITY CONTINUES IN THE PACIFIC. AT&T REVEALS DETAILS OF 2022 CYBERATTACK.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Far East: Chinese activity continues to expand throughout the region. Yesterday, a USCG cutter began shadowing a PLAN Task Force operating off the coast of Alaska. Four PLAN vessels were conducting maneuvers in the Bering Sea within the US EEZ, but remained within international waters approximately 100 NM north of Amchitka Pass in the Aleutian Islands.-HomeFront-USA: This morning AT&T revealed the damage caused by a major cyberattack and data breach that took place in late 2022. AT&T stated that the phone call logs and text message data of “nearly all” customers was compromised nationwide, encompassing roughly 110 million Americans. Hackers were allegedly able to access AT&T's cloud server data, but AT&T claims that the content of data pertaining to phone calls and text messages stored on their servers was not compromised. AT&T also claims that customer's names were not compromised, however this data could be easily obtained by other means. At least one person has reportedly been arrested in connection with this cyberattack.AC: AT&T claims that this 2022 breach is somehow related to the recent Snowflake data breach incident, which has slowly increased in severity over the past month as forensic examination of the data cloud giant reveals the true magnitude of the breach.North Carolina: The controversy surrounding a training product referring to peaceful pro-life groups has widened following additional information coming to light. The National Right to Life Committee (RTLC) has issued a statement in response to being categorized as a terror group, in which they mentioned that the logo on the controversial training slide had been retired some time ago. Subsequent investigation by users on social media found evidence of that training product being used years ago, with anecdotal testimony from soldiers familiar with the training product asserting that this Powerpoint slide deck has been in use for over a decade (though this latter claim cannot be independently verified beyond reasonable doubt). Fort Liberty (Bragg) has not responded to this latest information.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The Chinese activity in the Far East is probably related to a myriad of operational goals. First and foremost, China and Russia are currently conducting large joint naval maneuvers and/or drills (which itself is probably scheduled to coincide with American RIMPAC 2024 exercises) in the Pacific. However, activity not traditionally part of the exercises has been noted, such as the presence of PLAN vessels off the coast of Alaska. China's long-standing deception doctrine heavily relies on the theory of blending real-world operational deployments, with training exercises. In theory, this would allow China to creep ever closer to war, under the guise of conducting training exercises. On that front, China has demonstrated significant gains. Right now, China's newest aircraft carrier, the Shandong, is conducting maneuvers in the western Pacific, which is the first time China has projected this much naval power beyond the First Island Chain. However, as most of China's real-world combat experience lies with the lessons learned during the Korean War, most of China's military doctrine (especially amphibious operations or expeditionary campaigns) remains largely untested in the modern battlespace. This strategic ambiguity makes it challenging to discern the true likelihood of China's aspirations being successful.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday that it had encountered several Chinese navy ships near Alaska's Aleutian Islands. All four of the Chinese vessels were transiting international waters but still inside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with leaders of Indo-Pacific partners Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington on Thursday. The leaders agreed to step up cooperation to address issues that include the Russia–Ukraine war and security in the Indo-Pacific. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. annual inflation rate eased for the third consecutive month, coming in below the consensus estimate. The consumer price index (CPI) increased 3 percent in June, slowing down from a 3.3-percent rise in May. ⭕️Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Wednesday that it had encountered several Chinese navy ships near Alaska's Aleutian Islands. All four of the Chinese vessels were transiting international waters but still inside the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone.NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with leaders of Indo-Pacific partners Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington on Thursday. The leaders agreed to step up cooperation to address issues that include the Russia–Ukraine war and security in the Indo-Pacific.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. annual inflation rate eased for the third consecutive month, coming in below the consensus estimate. The consumer price index (CPI) increased 3 percent in June, slowing down from 3.3 percent in May.

We Talk about the volcano Novarupta in this episode. Novarupta was the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century and is located along the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.

In today's episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by Quoc “Double Magic” Nguyen. Double Magic might just be the most accomplished backpacker you've never heard of, along with being in the running for most interesting person on earth. His 23,000 miles of backpacking started with trails you know, like the Colorado Trail and the Pacific Northwest Trail, and quickly evolved to trails you likely haven't including Norge pa Langs,  Via Dinarica, the Colorado Loop (a 1500 mile route he made up), a pair of epic excursions in Alaska, and trekking around the Aleutian Islands, a thing people don't do. This one is a like a snowball rolling downhill, it gets more momentum and becomes more dangerous the further it goes.  We wrap the show with some news of grizzlies getting reintroduced to the Cascades, the triple crown of cheeses, and a listener pumps our tires on our behalf. Gossamer Gear: Use code “SNUGGLEBUG” for 20% off shelters at gossamergear.com.  Jenna Davis: Email jenna@firstsummitrealty.com or call 303-946-9476 to get a free consultation. Shady Rays: Use code “TREK20” for $20 off polarized sunglasses at shadyrays.com. [divider] Interview with Quoc “Double Magic” Nguyen Quoc's Instagram Quoc's Website Time stamps & Questions 00:03:50 - Reminders: Support us on Patreon to get exclusive bonus content and don't miss important updates by subscribing to the Trek's newsletter or submitting your email on our website! 00:05:45 - Introducing Quoc 00:07:28 - How did you get into the outdoors? 00:09:34 - How did you transition from peakbagging to thru-hiking? 00:12:04 - What stood out to you from your first thru-hike? 00:13:14 - Were you stressed about money after graduating law school? 00:16:28 - How do you deal with shifting priorities? 00:18:25 - What is your trail name origin story? 00:19:41 - Why the Te Araroa as a second hike? 00:22:45 - Discussion about the TA 00:24:16 - How did you learn about the international hikes you've done? 00:26:14 - What did you learn about thru-hiking during your first two hikes? 00:27:29 - What was the first route you created? 00:28:42 - Tell us about the Iceland Traverse 00:35:45 - Do you not feel fear? 00:38:30 - Did you ever think you were gunna die? 00:42:00 - Tell us about the Norway end to end hike 00:45:26 - Was this a stressful trek? 00:46:30 - What were the terrain and resupplies like? 00:48:11 - Discussion about the ULA circuit 00:49:00 - Do you have tips for hiking efficiently? 00:50:38 - Tell us about your nutrition while hiking 00:55:00 - Would you recommend the Norway hike to others? 00:57:29 - How tired are you after the Norway hike? 01:00:00 - How do you make your trips work financially? 01:05:30 - Does it bother you when people don't return their carts? 01:07:30 - Tell us about your current job in homeland security 01:09:32 - What are the worst things that have happened to you on trail? 01:15:15 - Why don't you use a satellite communication device or bear spray? 01:17:00 - Story about being charged by bears 01:21:48 - Have your feelings about grizzly bears changed? 01:24:52 - What are you afraid of? 01:27:00 - What is your gym routine like? 01:31:00 - Tell us about the Brooks Range Traverse 01:35:55 - Do you ever get frustrated or lose your temper? 01:36:50 - What are the mileages of these two traverses? 01:39:25 - Tell us about the Alaska Traverse 01:46:00 - What are your big three? 01:47:20 - What do you use for footwear? 01:48:50 - Do you carry a bear canister? 01:51:00 - Tell us about the Cordillera Blanca Traverse & Huayhuash Circuit 01:54:41 - Tell us about the 1,500 mile Colorado Loop 01:58:40 - What are your favorite 13ers? 02:01:22 - Kumo Question: What is the most ridiculous fashion trend you've participated in? Segments Chaunce's Wedding Update Trek Propaganda: Grizzlies To Be Reintroduced in North Cascades: What It Means for the PCT by Kelly Floro QOTD:  Would you rather be a cowboy, a samurai, or a pirate? Triple Crown of cheeses Listener Voicemail Mail Bag 5 Star Review [divider] Check out our sound guy @my_boy_pauly/. Leave us a voicemail! Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes (and please leave us a review)!  Find us on Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play. Support us on Patreon to get bonus content. Advertise on Backpacker Radio Follow The Trek, Chaunce, Badger, and Trail Correspondents on Instagram. Follow Backpacker Radio, The Trek and Chaunce on YouTube. Follow Backpacker Radio on Tik Tok.  Our theme song is Walking Slow by Animal Years. A super big thank you to our Chuck Norris Award winner(s) from Patreon: Alex & Misty with Navigators Crafting, Andrew, Austen McDaniel, Austin Ford, Brad & Blair (Thirteen Adventures), Brent Stenberg, Bryan Alsop, Christopher Marshburn, Coach from Marion Outdoors, Dayne, Derek Koch, Eric Casper, Erik Hofmann, Greg Knight, Greg McDaniel may he bring honor to his name, Hailey Buckingham, Jason “Snail” Snailer barely know her, Liz Seger, Patrick Cianciolo, Sawyer Products, SPAM, Timothy Hahn, and Tracy “Trigger” Fawns. A big thank you to our Cinnamon Connection Champions from Patreon: 12 Trees Farms, Bonnie Ackerman, David, Dcnerdlet, Emily Galusha, Jeanie, Jeanne Latshaw, Joann Menzer, Katharine Rudzitis, Keith Dobie Jr, Merle Watkins, Peter, and Ruth S.

Welcome to Episode 14 of Baird Country, where we dive deep into the remarkable life and adventures of Brooke Whipple. (Watch the video podcast on my YouTube channel here https://youtu.be/sbh_HC48JXE). Brook is the host of her popular YouTube channel "Girl in the Woods" and she was on both ALONE season 4 and 5! Join us as Brooke shares her extraordinary journey from rural Michigan to the rugged landscapes of Alaska, where she and her husband Dave Whipple carved out a life in a small log cabin while raising their children. With tales of battling forest fires in Montana, caretaking in the remote Aleutian Islands, and her gripping experiences on the survival series Alone in Mongolia and northern Vancouver Island, Brooke offers invaluable insights into resilience, self-reliance, and the beauty of living off the grid. Tune in as we uncover the secrets behind Brooke's remarkable story and her unwavering spirit of adventure.Check out Brook's Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/ /  Subscribe to Brook's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@therealgirlinthewoods Check out my social media channels for trip photos, articles I write, video reels and podcast updates.https://www.instagram.com/jbadventurer/https://www.facebook.com/jbadventurerhttps://www.tiktok.com/@jbadventurerCheck out all my podcast episodes through the playlist linked here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdWkde9gml__GpO_JouKEWl1UdckeYDeg&si=w9jDkhiQ6Xj7Gzl8

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 1173, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Historic Classifieds 1: "FSBO." this "vast region including Aleutian Islands. $7.2 million OBO". Alaska. 2: In 431 he would have jumped at the ad "Bishop needed for Celtic island. Must have shamrock". St. Patrick. 3: Situation wanted: this "ex-naval minister seeks post, nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, sweat". Winston Churchill. 4: In 1508 he may have successfully responded to "Chapel painter needed. Strong neck a must". Michelangelo. 5: In the 1660s she could have advertised, "Experienced queen seeks throne. Catholic countries only". Queen Christina of Sweden. Round 2. Category: 1995 Cars 1: This company has a new ragtop Celica. Toyota. 2: Pontiac's Sunfire replaced this other "Sun" model. the Sunbird. 3: Its new XJ6 sedan has a base price of $53,450; its XJ12, $77,250. Jaguar. 4: This Japanese automaker's Odyssey is its first minivan. Honda. 5: Its Integra LS is Consumer Reports' top recommended small car. Acura. Round 3. Category: Tough Chicks 1: Yvonne Craig on TV and Alicia Silverstone on film played this hero. Batgirl. 2: This New Zealander hung up her chakram in 2001. Lucy Lawless. 3: As this hero, Lynda Carter was in her satin tights, fighting for her rights. Wonder Woman. 4: She was played on TV by Diana Rigg and on film by Uma Thurman. Emma Peel. 5: She was a kick as Yu Shu Lien in "Crouching Tiger" and Wai Lin in "Tomorrow Never Dies". Michelle Yeoh. Round 4. Category: Comedians 1: Comic whose "trial by fire" fueled his comedy routines. Richard Pryor. 2: Michael Palin was one of "the knights who say 'Ni'" in a 1975 film by this comedy troupe. Monty Python. 3: His teaming with Dean Martin lasted 10 years - 1946 to 1956. Jerry Lewis. 4: Before he became Mork from Ork, he studied acting with John Houseman at Juilliard. Robin Williams. 5: After walking the beat with Nick Nolte, he's on his own in "Beverly Hills Cop". Eddie Murphy. Round 5. Category: Transportation In Song 1: In "The Christmas Song, "They know that Santa's on his way, he's loaded lots of toys and goodies on" this. his sleigh. 2: A hotel party inspired Steven Tyler to write, "Love In" one of these, "livin' it up when I'm goin' down". an elevator. 3: In "Dead Man's Curve" the driver of a Jaguar XK-E challenged the driver of this Chevy sports car to a drag race. a (Stingray) Corvette. 4: Day-o! This Harry Belafonte calypso favorite was featured in a raucous dinner scene in the film "Beetlejuice". the "Banana Boat" (song). 5: In "The Letter" the Box Tops didn't have "time to make the fast train", so they got a ticket on this. an airplane. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/ AI Voices used

REPORTED THREE USN ARLEIGH BURKE DESTROYERS SUPPORTING ISRAEL AIR DEFENSE. 4/4: To Provide and Maintain a Navy: Why Naval Primacy Is America's First, Best Strategy by Henry J Hendrix  (Author) https://www.amazon.com/Provide-Maintain-Navy-Americas-Strategy/dp/0960039198/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NGUTL4LKSVEL&keywords=to+provide+and+maintain+a+navy&qid=1673808583&s=books&sprefix=to+provide+and+maintain+a+navy%2Cstripbooks%2C86&sr=1-1 The national conversation regarding the United States Navy has, for far too long, been focused on the popular question of how many ships does the service need? "To Provide and Maintain a Navy," a succinct but encompassing treatise on sea power by Dr. Henry J "Jerry" Hendrix, goes beyond the numbers to reveal the crucial importance of Mare Liberum (Free Sea) to the development of the Western thought and the rules based order that presently governs the global commons that is the high seas. Proceeding from this philosophical basis, Hendrix explores how a "free sea" gave way to free trade and the central role sea borne commercial trade has played in the overall rise in global living standards. This is followed by analysis of how the relative naval balance of power has played out in terms of naval battles and wars over the centuries and how the dominance of the United States Navy following World War II has resulted in seven decades of unprecedented peace on the world's oceans. He further considers how, in the years that followed the demise of the Soviet Union, both China and Russia began laying the groundwork to challenge the United States maritime leadership and upend five centuries of naval precedents in order to establish a new approach to sovereignty over the world's seas. It is only at this point that Dr. Hendrixapproaches the question of the number of ships required for the United States Navy, the industrial base required to build them, and the importance of once again aligning the nation's strategic outlook to that of a "seapower" in order to effectively and efficiently address the rising threat. "To Provide and Maintain a Navy" is brief enough to be read in a weekend but deep enough to inform the reader as to the numerous complexities surrounding what promises to be the most important strategic conversation facing the United States as it enters a new age of great power competition with not one, but two nations who seek nothing less than to close and control the world's seas. 1943 Dutch Harbor USS Casco The USS Casco Bay was a Casablanca-class escort carrier that served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Dutch Harbor is a port town in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. It was the site of the Japanese invasion and occupation of the Aleutian Islands in 1942-1943, which was part of the broader Pacific campaign. In June 1942, Dutch Harbor was attacked by Japanese forces, resulting in damage to the town and naval facilities there.

Rabbi Pinchas Allouche, head Rabbi at Congregation Beth Tefillah in Scottsdale, and the host of the Rabbi Allouche podcast, joins Seth for the full hour to talk about this week's Torah portion, Genesis 41, the story of Joseph in Egypt, and a story of missionaries in Alaska's Aleutian Islands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this one, Cody talks to Christopher Michlig. He's a visual artist and a professor at the University of Oregon, and he recently released a book titled "File Under: Slime." In it, he traces the origins of the idea of slime back to the early 1900s, with associations to ectoplasm, femininity, and sexuality. In his research, he found that people like HP Lovecraft and John Paul Sartre helped solidify the concept of slime within philosophy and pop culture, paving the way for it to be an analog, or a proxy, for describing the unknown. In the 1950s, for example, there were movies like "The Blob," representing the social anxiety surrounding the atomic bomb. And then in the 1980s — with movies like "The Stuff," "Street Trash," and "The Toxic Avenger" — slime represented a fear of toxicity or the handling of toxic waste. Christopher says that what we choose slime to represent evolves over time. More recently, it has entered rap music through artists like N.O.R.E, from Capone-N-Noreaga, and newer guys like Young Thug. The way these rappers are using the word “slime” is different than how it's been used in the past. It's positive, it's a substitute for friend or homie.   Christopher grew up in Girdwood, Alaska, in the ‘80s. He remembers it being a small town back then, maybe about 400 to 500 people. It's a place that instilled in him the idea of closeness and the importance of a supportive community, sentiments that continue to inspire and influence him. Recently, he's been doing research on different Aleutian communities, trying to get a better grasp on his family history. He has roots, on his dad's side, in the Aleutian Islands, before the Russian fur trade. He says it's been a difficult process, that it's confusing for him because of the complicated history of Aleutian communities as a result of colonialism and the displacement that occurred during and after World War II. How people who had been living in a place for generations were forced to upend their ancestral ways of living. So, he tries to imagine — even project himself — to the time of his ancestors on the Island of Unga. Without much oral history from his own family to go off of, his research is helping him better understand where he comes from.   PHOTO / Ilka Sankari

Christopher Michlig is a visual artist and a professor at the University of Oregon, and he recently released a book titled File Under: Slime. In it, he traces the origins of the idea of slime back to the early 1900s, with associations to ectoplasm, femininity, and sexuality. In his research, he found that people like HP Lovecraft and John Paul Sartre helped solidify the concept of slime within philosophy and pop culture, paving the way for it to be an analog, or a proxy, for describing the unknown. In the 1950s, for example, there were movies like The Blob, representing the social anxiety surrounding the atomic bomb. And then in the 1980s — with movies like The Stuff, Street Trash, and The Toxic Avenger — slime represented a fear of toxicity or the handling of toxic waste. Christopher says that what we choose slime to represent evolves over time. More recently, it has entered rap music through artists like N.O.R.E, from Capone-N-Noreaga, and newer guys like Young Thug. The way these rappers are using the word “slime” is different than how it's been used in the past. It's positive, it's a substitute for friend or homie. He grew up in Girdwood, Alaska, in the ‘80s. He remembers it being a small town back then, maybe about 400 to 500 people. It's a place that instilled in him the idea of closeness and the importance of a supportive community, sentiments that continue to inspire and influence him. Recently, he's been doing research on different Aleutian communities, trying to get a better grasp on his family history. He has roots, on his dad's side, in the Aleutian Islands, before the Russian fur trade. He says it's been a difficult process, that it's confusing for him because of the complicated history of Aleutian communities as a result of colonialism and the displacement that occurred during and after World War II. How people who had been living in a place for generations were forced to upend their ancestral ways of living. So, he tries to imagine — even project himself — to the time of his ancestors on the Island of Unga. Without much oral history from his own family to go off of, his research is helping him better understand where he comes from.  Photo by Ilka Sankari

Theo Greenly reports for a public radio station in the far-flung Aleutian Islands in Alaska. When he started, about two and a half years ago, he thought he'd hit the ground running reporting in-depth, documentary-style pieces. Instead, he learned he really needed to get his bearings first and just report the news. His stories about how to report -- and navigate all the transportation challenges -- in such a remote location are fun and insightful. 

Last time we spoke about the Japanese counteroffensive against the Marine beachhead on Bougainville. Things were looking bad for the Japanese before they got even worse. The Japanese had underestimated the amount of Marines on Bougainville and sent Major Mitsuhiro with his special units to try and hit the marine left flank, later to join up with the Iwasa detachment. Mitsuhiro's men were in for a hell of a surprise when they attacked a larger force than expected. They took heavy losses before pulling back into the interior of the island to search for Iwasa. Meanwhile Iwasa also bit off more than he could chew with a counteroffensive targeting the Piva trail. In the end the marines not only repelled the attacks, but also greatly expanded their perimeter. We also spoke about the battle of Changde seeing the forces of Yokoyama crush multiple Chinese armies and unleash chemical and biological warfare in the area. This episode is the Battle of Sattelberg Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Vice Admiral John Henry Towers the commander of pacific air force circled a plan to recapture Wake island and use it as a springboard to latte assault the Marshalls that were around 500 miles south. Admiral Spruance favored opening a new campaign much father southeast, where the fleet could count on more land base air support in the south pacific. Spruance wanted to launch an offensive into the Gilbert Islands, some 600 miles southeast of the Marshalls. Admiral Nimitz was swapped by this and in turn twisted King's arm. And thus was born Operation Galvanic, the simultaneous capture of the Ellice islands, the Gilbert Islands and Nauru set for November 15th. Since his victorious return from the battle of Midway a year earlier, Admiral Raymond Spruance had privately longed for a major command at sea. But it was an admirals way to lobby for a job and he would not be surprised when Nimitz told him one morning in May of 1943  “There are going to be some changes in the high command of the fleet. I would like to let you go, but unfortunately for you I need you here” Spruance replied “Well, the war is an important thing. I personally would like to have another crack at the Japs, but if you need me here, this is where I should be.” The next day the two met again and Nimitz said “I have been thinking this over during the night. Spruance, you are lucky. I've decided that I am going to let you go, after all.” Nimitz reported to King the new assignment during their meeting in San Francisco a month later. On May 30th, Spruance received the rank of vice admiral and shortly after was detached from the CINCPAC staff and placed in command of the Central Pacific Force, later to be designated the 5th Fleet. It would be the largest seagoing command in the history of the US Navy.  Spruance would have little more than four months to plan the largest and most complex amphibious operation yet attempted. Naval forces and landing troops would be taken from far flung parts of the south pacific and USA mainland. His key commanders had not yet been identified. Spruance immediately recruited a chief of staff with a lot of experience and initiative, his old friend and shipmate, Captain Charles “Carl” Moore. Moore had been serving in Washington as a member of Admiral King's war planning staff. Spruance asked Moore to select other key staff officers, poaching many from naval HQ. Moore would arrive to Pearl Harbor on August 5th and took up a spare bedroom in Nimitz and Spruance house atop Makalapa Hill. Now Spruance was the type of manager that delegated everything possible, he once said “Looking at myself objectively, I think I am a good judge of men; and I know that I tend to be lazy about many things, so I do not try to do anything that I can pass down the line to someone more competent than I am to do it.” Moore was perfectly fine with this philosophy. Some would say Spruance was a bit lazy, the man did seem to bore rather easily and was a compulsive walker, often spent days just walking, grabbing staff with him. Moore wrote about such an instance once that occurred a few days after he arrived to Hawaii  “Raymond is up to his tricks already, and yesterday took me on an eight mile hike in the foothills. It was hot and a hard pull at times, and particularly so as we carried on a lively conversation all the way which kept me completely winded.” On this occasion Moore tried to talk to Spruance about operation Galvanic, but Spruance kept changing subjects. A few days later Moore would write to his wife “Yesterday Raymond stepped up the pace and the distance and we covered over 10 miles in three hours. My right leg caught up with my left and both were wrecked by the time I got back. . . . If he can get me burned to a crisp or crippled from walking he will be completely happy.” Spruance wanted Kelly Turner to command his amphibious fleet. Turner at that point held a year of hard experience in the South Pacific. He was the navy's preeminent amphibious specialist. Spruance knew the man well both at sea and at the Naval War College. Spruance told Nimitz in Juen“I would like to get Admiral Kelly Turner from Admiral Halsey, if I can steal him,” However with the northern Solomons campaign in high gear, Halsey was not too keen to release Turner. Nimitz sent a personal note to Hasley explaining that he had been ordered to wage a new offensive in the central Pacific: “This means I must have Turner report to me as soon as possible.” Unfortunately for Hasley, Turner also took some of their best staff officers with him. Major General Holland Smith would command the invasion troops, designated the 5th amphibious corps or ‘VAC”. Smith was one of the pioneers of amphibious warfare. He had persuaded the navy to adopt Andrew Higgen's shallow draft boats as landing craft and successfully trained several divisions in amphibious operations over at Camps Elliot and Pendleton in California. He fought hard to get combat command in the Pacific and was backed up by Secretary Knox and Admiral King. Nimitz did not know the man well, but Spruance had worked with him in the 1930's when they were both stationed in the Caribbean. Turner and Smith would make quite the combustible pair. Both men were aggressive, ambitious and quite overbearing. They were both used to running things without competition. Both were prone to fits of rage and this earned them the nicknames “terrible turner and Howlin'mad'smith”. At Guadalcanal Turner once offended General Vandegrift by infringing upon his command, this led Spruance to wonder “whether we could get the operation planned out before there was an explosion between them.” Smith had met Kelly Turner once in Washington and he found the admiral to be precise and courteous, describing him as “an exacting schoolmaster, affable in an academic manner. He could be plain ornery. He wasn't called ‘Terrible Turner' without reason.” For Operation Galvanic, Turner expected to be above Smith in the chain of command. This was consistent with how Operation Watchtower went about. But Smith wanted direct command of all amphibious troops throughout the operation, prior, during and after the landings, and he wanted to directly report to Spruance. Spruance wanted nothing to do with such arguments and because of his laissez-faire style this meant Moore would be acting as referee between Turner and Smith. Here is what Moore had to say of it “Holland Smith particularly complained about Kelly Turner. He was a whining, complaining type. He loved to complain. He loved to talk and loved to complain, and he would come and sit on my desk and growl about Turner. ‘All I want to do is kill some Japs. Just give me a rifle. I don't want to be a commanding general. Just give me a rifle, I'll go out there and shoot some Japs. . . . I'm not worried about anything else around here.' See, that kind of a line. I was trying to soothe him down, and Turner would come and complain about that blankety-blank Smith, couldn't get any cooperation out of him, and so forth.”Through these referee'd battles a compromise was met. Turner would be in command of the landing forces until the shore commander went ashore and assumed command of the troops. When turner was informed, all the troops ashore would fall under the command of the 5th amphibious corps and thus report to Smith. This model was accepted by both men and would remain in force throughout the Pacific War.  So at this point its important to note the US Navy had still not fully recovered from the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, and was still in the process of building the largest fleets the world had ever seen. You have probably heard this phrase many times: “World War Two would be won through British brains, American brawn, and Russian blood.” As said at the Tehran conference of December 1943 by Joseph Stalin. That brawn was simply incredible. From the start of the war until the end of 1943, the US would commission 7 aircraft carriers, the Essex, Lexington, Yorktown, Bunker Hill, Intrepid, Wasp and Hornet. Of the new Essex-class, 9 light carriers would be commissioned the Independence, Princeton, Belleau Wood, Cowpens, Monterey, Cabot, Langley, Bataan and San Jacinto. Of the new Independence class there would be 35 escort carriers, no worries not going to list them all haha. There would also be 6 new battleships the South Dakota, Indiana, Massachusetts, Alabama, Iowa and New Jersey; 4 new heavy cruisers, the  Baltimore, Boston, Canberra and Quincy; 16 light cruisers, 212 destroyers, 234 destroyer escorts and 92 submarines. To match this in the same period, Japanese commissioned two aircraft carriers the Junyo and Hiyo; one light aircraft carrier the Ryuho; 4 escort carriers the  Unyo, Chuyo, Kaiyo and Shinyo; 2 superbattleships the Yamato and Musashi; 4 light cruisers the Agano, Oyodo, Noshiro and Yahagi; 22 destroyers, 15 destroyer escorts and 61 submarines. Thus it was absolutely clear, the Americans had a significant advantage in naval production.  On September 4th, the 5th amphibious corps of Smith were officially established. Smith proceeded to train and control the units assigned to operation Galvanic which included Major General Julian Smith's 2nd Marine division and Major General Ralph Smith's 27th division, that's a lot of Smiths. As the 5th amphibious force and corps were still undergoing organization during the planning phase of the Gilberts operations, much of the burden for tacticaling planning fell initially onto the staffs of the two divisions involved. Julian Smith was informed in august his job was to capture the Tarawa and Apamama atolls. Ralph Smith was told he was to invade Nauru, but Holland Smith believed Nauru offered too many problems. Nauru was 390 miles west of the Gilberts and would place strain on available shipping. Simultaneous landings in the two places would further widen the dispersal of supporting fleet element, a dangerous division of forces in view of the presumed possibility of a Japanese naval counterattack. Finally, the terrain on Nauru would make an amphibious assault and the land fighting extremely costly to be warranted by the strategic advantages to be gained. Makin Atoll was considered no less suitable than Nauru as an air base for operations against the Marshalls and was thought to be considerably less well defended. Makin was also only about 105 miles north of Tarawa making it possible to concentrate the supporting fleet in one area and thus avoid the danger of excessive dispersion. So in early October, Spruance and Nimitz made the decision to invade Makin Atoll instead. Unfortunately the Americans did not have great intelligence on the Gilberts, so they had to do some photographic coverage of Tarawa and Makin between July and October 1943. The USS Nautilus contributed a lot to the intelligence effort by obtaining hydrographic and each conditions for both atolls, such as their surfs, reefs, beaches, lagoon entrance, current data, tidal data and so forth. The unsexy logistical stuff no one talks about. If you want to invade a beach, you have to know about said beach. During September and October a total of 16 former residents and travelers of the islands were attached to Turners staff to help out. Many of these were Australian, New Zealanders, Fijian naval reserve officers, officials of the Western pacific high commission, Australian army reserve officers and enlisted men and a few civilians. Another source of information was given by Lt Colonel James Roosevelt who had taken part in the raid upon Makin. For the landings at Makin, Turner's task for 54 and 53. He would have at his disposal 4 destroyer transports, one Cargoship, one LSD and 9 LSTS to transport the reinforced 165th regiment of Colonel Gardiner Conroy. He would be supported by the 7th army defense battalion, detachments of the 105th infantry regiment, 27th division, units of the 193rd tank battalion, 152nd engineer battalion, coastal artillery and anti-aircraft batteries of the 98th and 93rd Coastal artillery battalions, a platoon from the 5th Amphibious corps reconnaissance company, sundry medical, signal, ordnance, quartermaster and bomb disposal detachments. Their screening force would be 4 older battleships, 4 heavy cruisers, 13 destroyers and 3 escort carriers. The Tarawa force would be given one destroyer transport, 1 attack transport, 12 Destroyer transports, 3 AKA's, one LSD and 12 LST's under Rear Admiral Harry Hill, screened by 3 battleships, 3 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 21 destroyers and 5 escort carriers. Turner would also make a legendary decision. He appointed Colonel Eareckson, the veteran of the Aleutian Islands campaign to be commander of the support Aircraft, thus establishing a centralized system of ground control for support aircraft in amphibious operations. Eareckson became famous for his innovative tactics such as using radar equipped B-17's to guide P-38's to attack Kawanishi flying boats during the Aleutian islands campaign. He also pioneered low level bombing raids through the brutal aleutian weather. Aerial support, both at the tactical and strategic level would be provided by Rear admiral Charles Pownalls carrier task force 50 formed around 6 lage and 5 small carriers and by Rear admiral John Hoovers shore based aircraft; consisting of task groups 57.2/3/4. Both forces had to destroyer aircraft and air/harbor facilities at Tarawa, Mille, Jaluit, Makin and Nauru while simultaneously providing air support. Hoover also was responsible for conducting photographic reconnaissance over the Marshalls. After the air strikes and naval bombardment obliterated the Japanese defenses and installations, Turner planned to assault the beaches with the troops ferried using amphibian tractors, followed up by LCVPS and medium tanks in LCMS. For Tarawa, Ralph Smith's plan was a bit more elaborate and extreme, he was going to attempt something never done before. The amphibious assault of Tarawa had unique problems. There was no immediate means of achieving depth of deployment. The landing forces would initially be pinned down on a long narrow beach. The island offered basically no room for flank maneuvers and the aerial and naval bombardments would do little. Ralph assigned a major role to troops of a different regiment than the one that made up the main landing force. Detachments X and Y, of the 3rd Battalion, 105th Infantry and 193rd Tank Battalion,  led by Maj. Edward T. Bradt would be the first to land on the west coast of Butaritari, designated Red Beaches. This would be followed up quickly by the 1st and 3rd Battalions. On the right, the 3rd Battalion Landing Team would land on Red Beach 2 and seize the right half of the division beachhead to about 1,600 yards inland. Then they would move right to clear the area around Ukiangong Village and Ukiangong Point. Over on the left, the 1st Battalion Landing Team would land on Red Beach 1, seize the division beachhead in its zone of action and move left to capture the area from the north end of Red Beach to Flink Point. Meanwhile the reinforced 2nd Platoon of Company G, 165th Regiment, and 19 marines of the 4th Platoon of the 5th Amphibious Corps Reconnaissance Company were going to land on Kotabu island, lying just north of Flink point. This would secure the seward approaches into the lagoon. After two hours while the troops consolidated their beachhead the Z detachment of the 105th regiment led by Captain William Ferns would land on Yellow beach 2 on the north side of the island between On Chong's and King's Wharfs. The detachment would split into two groups, one heading east to clear Kings wharf the other west to clear On Chong's wharf. After this a wave of the 165th battalion would advance west. Comparing the two, Julian's plan was a lot more simple, it called for the landing at Betio of 3 battalions; the 2nd battalion, 8th marines, 2nd battalion and the  2nd and 3rd battalions 2nd marines. Colonel David Shoup and Colonel Elmer Hall would lead the 3 battalions.The 1st battalion, 2nd marines would be held in reserve. The corps reserve for Tarawa, Makin or Apamama would be Colonel Maurice Holmes 6th marines. Once the beachhead was secured, troops would advance across the island to the south, seizing the airfield and mopping up enemy positions along the major beaches To further prepare for Operation Galvanic, Admiral Pownall led three carriers, the Lexington, Princeton and Belleau Wood to strike the Gilberts on September 18th. Supported by 38 Liberators flying out of Canton, Funafuti and Guadalcanal, Pownall made 6 separate and unopposed air strikes against Tarawa. A ton of fuel and ammunition was destroyed, several buildings were wrecked and a small freighter was sunk. Attacks on Makin saw three flying boats lit on fire with some damage done to shore installations. What was more important than these strikes was the photographic coverage that accompanied them. Zero fighter interception was found at either, though two Japanese medium bombers were shot down northwest of Makin. According to the diary of a Japanese laborer, 28 laborers were killed during a strike on Makin, most likely from a direct bomb hit to a shelter. On Beito they hit a runway, though it would be quickly repaired. Pownall tried to keep the strikes going but now saw an interception from 18 zeros which shot down 5 of his aircraft.  To follow up the raid on the Gilberts, Admiral Montgomery hit Wake with one of the largest carrie strike forces to date. The Essex, Lexington, Yorktown, Cowpens, Independence and Belleau Wood with support from land based aircraft hit Wake on October 5th and 6th. Over 67 Japanese planes were reported to be destroyed in the air and on the ground. Shore installations were also battered heavily. Then beginning on november 13th, land-based bombers of Admiral Hoover made nightly raids against Tarawa, Makin, Nauru and some central Marshall islands. Meanwhile between November 13-17th, Major General Willis Hale's 7th air force's heavy bombers flew 141 bombing sorties against the Gilberts and Marshalls. They dropped over 173 tons of bombs, destroying at least 5 Japanese aircraft and inflicting heavy damage to their facilities and installations. Against the Americans, the Japanese forces in the area initially were that of Rear Admiral Abe Koso's 6th base force operating on Kwajalein. Koso commanded the 61st guard unit on Kwajalian, 62nd guard unit on Jaluit, 63rd guard unit on Taroa, 64th guard unit at Wotje,  65th guard unit at Wake, 43rd guard unit at Nauru, a detachment of the 63rd guard unit at Ocean island and another detachment of the 51st guard unit on Makin. For the Marshalls he had the 22nd air flotilla consisting of 46 Zeros, 40 kates, 3 vals, 5 flying boats and 11 reconnaissance aircraft. The raid of Makin back in 1942 alerted the Japanese to its significance so they sent the 6th Yokosuka SNLF to help occupy the Gilberts. During the spring of 1943, the IJN created the 3rd special base force of Rear-Admiral Shibazaki Keiji who would defend Tarawa, Makin, Apamama, Nauru and Ocean island. The Sasebo 7th SNLF would be sent to Tarawa, the 2nd Yokosuka SNLF to Nauru. The Japanese went to work on Makin and Tarawa constructing concrete and log emplacements for guns of all sizes. They used coconut tree logs to build tank barricade, tank pits, laid underwatch obstacles and dugouts for riflemen and machine gunners. On Makin the airbase was expanded and by july 1943 was able to take land based bombers. The Marshalls, Marianas and Carolines alongside other islands would be reinforced in preparation for expected American offensives. Four new south sea detachments were formed and tow mobile amphibious brigades that would be used for counterlandings. The Japanese were outmanned and outgunned, but they would make the Americans pay in blood for every inch of land, island by island. Now it is time for us to travel back to Green Hell as the allies were preparing to hit Sattelberg. By November 9th, the Australians knew the Japanese had two out posts west of Jivevaneng, at Green and Coconut ridges with another strong patrol base at Steeple Tree Hill. Whitehead decided to deploy the 2/24th battalion on the right to guard the enemy along the Palanko road; the 2/48th would take up the center advancing along the sattelberg road supported by the 1st tank battalion and the 2/23rd would take the left advancing along Sisi. Major General Frank Berryman would be appointed the new commander of the 2nd corps, as General Morshead was appointed commander of the New Guinea Force. The date for the new offensive was set for November 17th. A preliminary advance was made by a company along the sattelberg road to seize the enemy held Green Ridge. Under the support of heavy machine gun and artillery fire.    At 8:20am two batteries and the company of the 2/2nd machine gun battalion fired upon Green Ridge. Captain Isaksson's company of the 2/48th then moved up, but were unable to properly follow up the bombardment. The men advanced at a slow rate up the ridge because of thick bamboo. Both the nearby near and far features were strongly defended and would only be captured by 10 and 12:4-pm respectfully. The capture of the Far feature took the machine gunners 26,000 rounds to keep the enemy heads down for the infantry to storm their positions. Captain Brocksopp's company occupied Green Ridge, Isakssons took White Trunk Tree lying on the junction of Sattelberg road and the Sisi track by 1:40pm. 5 men were killed in the process, 18 Japanese died on Green Ridge. At first light on November 17th, four Matilda tanks led by Major Samuel Hordern led the way to the start line converted under the noise of a deadly rocket barrage. Beginning at 6:30am  rocket propelled bombs were fired from jeeps. These 30 pound bombs had a maximum range of 1200 yards. Several of them ended up being duds, but those that did explode had a very lethal effect, killing within a radius of 50 yards. On top of this came artillery and mortar bombardments, until Horderns tanks began smashing Coconut ridge with the infantry close behind them. A company of the 2/23rd would find Sisi unoccupied and continued north to help defend Green Ridge. Around 50 yards up the track the Australians found the first signs of opposition, a heavy machine gun post. The tanks fired blindly at the enemy defenses, mostly pillboxes and foxholes. Despite the terrifying attack, the Japanese held their ground and replied using machine guns, mortars and grenades, until the tanks blew them and their defenses to pieces. Halfway to Coconut ridge, the Matilada's had to halt to refill their ammunition. Within all of the excitement, the tank crews had run out of ammunition for their Besa guns. The Besa's had been firing bursts of around 50 rounds when they could have been firing 10s. Three deeps loaded with ammunition at Jivevaneng rushed forward as the tanks backed up some 60 yards to protect their approach. All of this was coordinated using walkie talkies, an absolutely crucial technology of the war. Meanwhile the 2/24th continued north to attack Japanese positions along the Palank road and to the south the 2/23rd met resistance halfway to Steeple Tree. At 10:20am, Horderns tanks were resuming their advance, eliminating pockets of resistance one by one. Upon reaching the Kunai Knoll on the southern Coconuts, two Matilda's became disabled. Upon seeing the halting tanks, the Japanese unleashed as much firepower as they could pinning down the infantry alongside their tanks. Lt Colonel Robert Ainslie ordered the men to advance on without the tanks. The men stormed the slopes of the Kunai Knoll, forced to crawl forward under heavy fire. It became a fierce battle, the Australians were unable to make much ground and forced to dig in for the night. Two companies dug in on the slopes of the Kunai Knoll while a third dug in near White Trunk Tree. Despite the terrifying tank attack, the Japanese did not flinch and fought throughout the day to halt the Australian advance. However during the night the Australians unleashed an artillery bombardment forcing the Japanese to abandon the ridge. The next morning, the Australians found the ridge abandoned and went to work repairing the two disabled tanks so they could continue the advance. Three more Matildas wielding 2 pounders and 3 inch Howitzers were brought up. The 2/2rd now advanced towards Mararuo, pushing the Japanese up a spur. The tanks advanced again, allowing the Australians to go another 250 yards until they were met again with heavy resistance. The Japanese held very strong positions upon the 2600 foot Steeple Tree Hill. Their system of defense was to have positions at every possible line of approach near bamboo obstacles. The Japanese would wait to fire until the infantry were just a few yards away to cause maximum damage. Armed with 37mm anti-tank guns the Japanese did all they could to neutralize the tank menace. By nightfall the attackers were forced to pull back to Coconut ridge and during the night the Japanese launched counter attacks using grenades and small arms.  The next morning at 8am the Australians resumed their advance. The tanks led the way, but they were met with extremely fast and well coordinated anti-tank measures. At around 100 yards from the start line, the advance was halted by an anti-tank ditch 6 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Major Moodie's engineers of the 2/13th field company were able to dislodge the tanks and soon the tanks were overrun an 81mm mortar position. The tanks ran havoc upon a Woodpecker and two light machine gun positions, then after another 150 yards ran into another tank ditch around 10am. Lt Farquhars platoon charged past the tanks to give the engineers room to dislodge them only to see the tanks hit another ditch when they came forward again. The men fashioned two fougasses out of 4 gallon drums filled with petrol to hit the defenders of one of the slopes later to be named Fougasse Corner. A fougasse by the way is a projectile weapon, typically using a 40 gallon drum with a flammable substance like petrol. They would be inclined and when triggered using an explosive charge, shot a flame going perhaps 10 feet up, 3 feet wide for about 30 yards. Picture a really big flamethrower burst. This was unleashed on the slope causing roughly 20 casualties. The Japanese would leave 46 of their dead abandoning the slope when the Australians charged into them. The Japanese then launched a counterattack against the Fougasse Corner leading to more casualties, but were repelled. To the north, the 2/24th launched an attack on a knoll near the summit of the 2200 Feature. After an artillery bombardment, Lt Caples platoon took the unoccupied knoll, but soon the Japanese began encircling them. They fought until 2:30pm when the Australians finally established a secure position on the knoll. Meanwhile, General Katagiri was preparing to send the 79th regiment to attack the mouth of the Song River. Katagiri was facing a dire supply situation. Although 2-3 barges came up daily to bring supplies to Kanimi and Lakona, once the supplies landed they had to be carried overland and that was the crux of the problem. The main roads, Kanimi to Ago to Lakona to Wario to Sattelberg and secondary roads leading to Zageheme and Merikeo were all steep and mountainous, taking 5 days to traverse. This led the supply line to the front lines to be inconsistent. From the Diary entry of an unknown Japanese infantry man at Sattelberg October 15th "I eat potatoes and live in a hole and cannot speak in a loud voice. I live the life of a mud rat or similar creature" At the same time the 2/15th battalion had sent a diversionary force led by Major Newcomb with orders to "in conjunction with the opening of the attack towards Sattelberg… you are to command a diversionary force, broaden the apparent front of the attack on Sattelberg by simulating a new threat towards Wareo" The 2/15th set out on November 17th and reached Garabow the next day. They began bombarding it to  cause the distraction. This was done to support Whiteheads offensive while in the east Brigadier Porter was going to cut the enemy's main supply line by attacking along the coast. Porter sent the 2/32nd battalion to take some high ground at Pabu. On November 19th, the 2/32nd were able to seize Pabu, avoiding any enemy, finding the hill unoccupied. The next morning the 2/32nd began patrolling and found large numbers of Japanese 500 yards to their west, and that said enemy then found them. Katagiri feared a possible attack upon Bonga so he decided to launch a secondary counteroffensive on November 21st. Meanwhile the 2/48th resumed their advance, this time without Horderns tanks who could not traverse past 250 yards because of bamboo obstacles. By 9:30am the tanks were able to bypass the obstacles and caught up to the infantry. At 10am, Whitehead gave the order “Go ahead as fast as possible” and 50 minutes later the skirmishing began upon the first enemy positions. The Australians pushed on slowly in a sluggish battle but were able to capture Steeple Tree by the late afternoon. At the same time the 2/23rd were trying to drive the enemy away from the southern approaches to Steeple Tree, gradually linking up with the 2/48th.  To the north the 2/24th once again found themselves halted. The Japanese had created strong bamboo obstacles along the slopes that were difficult to traverse. In an attempt to force the issue, Wootten committed another troop of tanks to assist the 2/24th, but it would take a lot of time before the Matildas could climb the 2200 Feature. But the Japanese were caught between two enemy forces and were forced to pull back to Sattelberg during the night. The next morning the 2/48th resumed their advance while the 2/23rd patrolled towards Mararuo. Meeting no opposition the troops moved ahead quickly. At 4:35pm the enemy unleashed machine gun fire at point blank range upon them. The 2/48th tossed mortars and their tank support who crushed the enemy defenses, rapidly overwhelming the enemy, sending them scattering. But on November 22nd, Katagiri finally launched his counterattack using the bulk of the 79th regiment against Porters positions along the Song. Katagiri also sent the Fujii detachment led by Lt Colonel Fujii to attack Pabu. It just so happened Davies Company  had left Pabu to search for the main Japanese supply road, and they came across Horace's Hoof in the afternoon. A company sized force of the Fujii detachment began their attack forcing Davies company back towards Pabu. But that is it for New Guinea as we now need to travel over to Bougainville. Generals Geiger and Turnage ordered a group of naval and marine engineers with construction personnel led by Civil Engineer corps officer Commander William Painter to construct airfields in the interior of the island. They were escorted by units of the 21st marines and used aerial photographs to find an area about 3 miles inland, roughly 1 mile beyond the defensive perimeter where suitable sites were located for two airstrips to be made. Unable to expand the perimeter properly because of the swamps around them, Turnage directed the 21st marines to establish a strong outpost at the junction of the East-West and Numa Numa trails to cover the new airfield sites. On November 13th, the inexperienced 2nd battalion, 21st marines of Lt Colonel Eustace Smoak set out with E company in the lead. Unbeknownst to them, Colonel Hamanoue had just realized the tactical value of said junction and sent a battalion to occupy Coconut Grove the previous day. The men had managed to establish a solid defensive perimeter.  At 11:05 Company E ran right into an ambush. The Japanese unleashed machine gun and mortar fire with sniper support from the treelines. E companies commander sent a report back to Colonel Smoak, one of many panicked and incoherent reports he would receive from said company. This was the first combat experience for the 2nd battalion, 21st marines. Smoak rushed forward and established his command post close to the action. He ordered F company to relieve E company who had suffered heavy casualties. F company however, advanced too far to the right and suffered a lot of casualties in a disorganized manner. Unable to get artillery support, Smoak ordered his units to begin digging in for the night. The next morning, 5 light tanks of the 1st battalion, 21st regiment came up to support Smoak. While Smoak organized his forces, a air strike hit the Coconut grove area at 9:05am consisting of around 20 Avengers carrying 100lb bombs using 1 second delay fuses. The marines then performed an artillery barrage before resuming their advance upon the grove. The Japanese fired upon the tanks, managing to disable two of them. At this point Smoak ordered the disorganized assault to halt and began regrouping his men to attack again. This time they were able to break the Japanese resistance and by late afternoon established a perimeter around the Coconut Grove. The marines found 40 dead Japanese, the baptism under fire for the 2nd battalions, 21st marines cost them 20 dead men and 39 wounded. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Operation Galvanic was being prepared and in the meanwhile, a large number of air raids were hitting numerous places in the central pacific. The advance to sattelberg was getting closer day by day, the boys on Bougainville were finding inhospitable Japanese around every corner. 

In early 1945, as World War II neared its climax, 19-year-old Gore Vidal was the first officer of an Army supply ship in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. The weather was often stormy. Another ship in the fleet was hit by an especially nasty type of wind storm. Vidal wrote his first novel about his time in the Aleutians, and incorporated that storm into the plot. In fact, he named the novel after the wind: Williwaw.In scientific parlance, a williwaw is a type of katabatic wind. Such winds plunge down the sides of mountains, roaring outward when they hit level ground. They're found all over the world. And they have many names. The warm, dry wind of Southern California, for example, is called a “Santa Ana.” In Alaska, British Columbia, and off the tip of South America, though, they're known as williwaws.A williwaw begins as dense, cold air atop a mountain slides to lower elevations, accelerated by gravity. When it reaches the bottom of the mountain, the wind blows along the coastline and out to sea. And it's something that no mariner wants to see coming.Williwaws produce powerful gusts. The strongest recorded in Alaska hit almost 140 miles per hour—the equivalent of a category four hurricane. The winds rattle buildings, rock boats in port and near the coastline, and can even capsize boats. When a williwaw is in the forecast, a vessel might add extra mooring lines, drop a second anchor, or even head to sea to stay out of its way—avoiding the fury of a williwaw.

In this episode, I'm joined by Archaeologist Kirk Freeman to talk about the Battle of Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands, making this story part-Pacific Theater and technically also part-Homefront. In addition to the story from 1942-1943, Kirk talks about his experiences as an Archaeologist on Kiska and with some of the other islands in that chain. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mother-of-tanks/message

In 1944, Sgt. Donald D. Fida was tortured and gutted by Japanese solders and left to die in the Philippine jungle, when his childhood friend miraculously came upon him and saved his life.  Because of this experience, Donald survived and continued to fight til the war's end, living to finally tell his tale at age 99.Twice a Purple Heart recipient, Donald shares his first-person account of his numerous adventures as an Army Scout in the wartime Pacific Theater, describing his combat in the Aleutian Islands, the Marshall Islands (Sitka, Attu), the Philippines (Leyte), and the brutal Battle of Okinawa.This video is airing posthumously; we salute and honor the spirit of this remarkable yet humble man, and are proud to help his voice reach across time and inspire all of us.Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com

Former President Donald Trump's lawyer claimed efforts to overturn 2020 election were only 'aspirational,' not criminal.Des Moines Register Audience Growth Strategist Brian Smith talks about the Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair.Eleven military vessels from China and Russia found operating near the Aleutian Islands last week were met by four U.S. Navy warships.USA TODAY White House Correspondent Francesca Chambers talks about Vice President Kamala Harris' role on cultural issues.What happened to the U.S. women's national team?Episode Transcript available hereAlso available at art19.com/shows/5-ThingsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we catch our breath over the holidays, enjoy this episode of Slate's One Year podcast. What Next returns next week. Six months after Pearl Harbor, Japan launched another attack on the United States. This time, Axis forces actually invaded, turning the Aleutian Islands into a battleground. What the country did next, in the name of “protecting” Alaska's Indigenous people, is a shameful chapter of the war. And it's one the nation has never fully reckoned with. This episode of One Year was produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Sol Werthan, and Josh Levin. Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Six months after Pearl Harbor, Japan launched another attack on the United States. This time, Axis forces actually invaded, turning the Aleutian Islands into a battleground. What the country did next, in the name of “protecting” Alaska's indigenous people, is a shameful chapter of the war. And it's one the nation has never fully reckoned with. This episode of One Year was produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Sol Werthan, and Josh Levin. Derek John is senior supervising producer of narrative podcasts and Merritt Jacob is senior technical director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices