J. Rene "Frenchy" Thibault standing by the door of the Guard Shack, Attu, 1946. (Rene Thibault)

So, what's going on here? Seems like it's Rene Thibault, on Attu...but what has happened to the building? Ah, a little tomfoolery by HLS's graphics artist, Nadine Smith. The building photo was shot in 1995, while Rene's photo was from 1946! See photo #29 above for a view of the building (and Rene) in 1946.

The Marine Brig, Attu, 1946. Interior view. Chances are if you were in the Navy (or Marines) and had a little too much kickapoo joy juice to drink, you would end up here! (R. Thibault)

Sometimes the bonds of friendship are eternal...well, at least for over 50 years! Kober Seippel (on the left) and Rene Thibault, friends on Attu in 1946, meet up again at Camp Pendleton, CA in August of 1996.

Attu's South Barracks, 1946. Rene Thibault's bunk was under the middle window on the second floor. (R. Thibault)

The 28th of May, 1946, 2nd Squad's Squad Room, Top Side, South Barracks. From left to right: Rick Shwery, Ed Robnett, Bob Stone, Charles Pizzotti, J.R."Frenchy" Thibault, Kober Seippel. Standing behind stove: Bill Thornberg. In bunk on the right: "Buzz" Sawyer. There's a doorway behind the stove pipe, behind the rifles, that goes into another similar squad room.

Attu, February 1946. Left to right: Thornberg, Velasco, and Jones. Jones passed away in November of 1998. (Rene Thibault)

A 1946 panoramic view of the Marine Area looking South towards Massacre Bay and in the direction of Casco or Temnac Bay. See the 1995 version on the post-war page, and to compare the 1946 image with 1995, click here. (R. Thibault)

A picture of the cemetery on Attu. The price of freedom is never cheap. The cost of war is always high. On both sides. The remains of the American Heroes of Attu have been transferred stateside and have been buried either in their hometowns, at Ft. Richardson, AK., or at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, DC.

Another picture of the Little Falls Cemetery on Attu. This one from Dan Lange.

"Aleutians Cemetery" by Edward Lanning. More than 3000 Japanese and Americans died in the fighting at Attu. (Army Art Collection)

This photo of the sign at Little Falls Cemetery comes to us via Dan Lange. It reads: "Little Falls Cemetery...This, the largest cemetery on Attu...contains the graves of Soldiers who died in action for two Nations... Here are buried 425 Americans and 261 Japanese battle dead."

As Dan recalls, some of the small signs only read "In this row are buried (so many) Japanese dead."

"LT 375 was built for the United States Army Transportation Service in June 1944 by Barbee Marine Yard, Seattle Washington. In November 1946 while serving duty with the United States Army Transportation Service in the Aleutians, LT 375 hit a reef at Attu harbor and sank. Her hull was towed out behind Alexi point landing, stripped, abandoned and turned bottom up." Email: Ken Benthian

Attu's Holtz Bay Cemetery. Photo supplied by Melvin White via his son, Stephen. Date: Circa 1944-46. This photo was taken with a small Brownie camera and developed by Dad in his off time once he got to the island. Apparently by 1945, they had some sort of "hobby craft" program as he called it, where you could do that sort of thing.Email: Melvin White, Stephen White.

Another photo of Attu's Holtz Bay Cemetery. Photo supplied by Melvin White, via his son, Stephen. This photo was taken with a small Brownie camera and developed by Dad in his off time once he got to the island. Apparently by 1945, they had some sort of "hobby craft" program as he called it, where you could do that sort of thing. Date: Circa 1944-46.