World War II, Everett Stevenson

I entered into the service on Sept. 21, 1941, at the age of 23. Doing only nine weeks of our 13 weeks of basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., we were sent to San Jose, Calif., on full alert. I served in other places in California, before being sent to the Aleutian Islands with the 7th Division to take Attu and Kiska back from the Japanese.

In July 1943, Adiak (one of the Aleutian Island Chain) was our first stop, headed for Attu. The main battle of Attu, which had been forecast to last only three days, actually took more than 30 days to fight. It was fought by the 184th, 32nd and the 19th regiment. We were the 159th Regiment that made the 7th Division.

Attu was mostly mountainous, there were no trees. There were very few places where the troops could make a landing and get a foot hold before going inland. I was stationed about three miles from where three landings were made. There was a portion of land where the Japanese had their headquarters. They had a kitchen underground, where command was located and could see the west side where most of their trenches and caves were located. I saw no buildings that the Japanese had that provided shelter. Inside the caves were mats made out of bamboo straw on the dirt floor with several extra pieces of heavy coats and blankets.

Attu is 750 miles from Japan, so they could bomb us and it was 700 miles up the chain, where the Army was building runways for our bombers. We were on constant alert as Tokyo Rose was always telling us that we were doomed as they knew we had only one regiment left on the island.

I arrived back in Sedalia on July 3, 1945. I am the father of four sons and two daughters. Then and today I have the feeling that my guardian angel is watching over me.