Photo By Kare Lohse

RAYMOND E. NIELSEN

“WWII Attu Scrapbook, MAY 1943, by Edward A. Nielsen, Son”

My father, TSGT Raymond E. Nielsen, was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa on the 5th of December, 1915. He joined the Army at Ft. Crook, Nebraska on the 16th of December 1936. He became a platoon sergeant in the 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry, Company F, U. S. Army's 7th Division during W. W. II, and participated in the landings on Attu, 11th of May, 1943. I have many photographs that he and another First Sergeant took using a small Brownie camera. These include the form up in San Francisco, California, the troop ship transporting them to Attu, the island just before landing at Massacre Bay, and the horrible conditions that the troops had to endure while there. His Company F was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for actions on Attu. Raymond served in the Aleutian Islands, Philippine Islands (Leyte), and Central Pacific Campaigns. While serving on Leyte Island Raymond received shrapnel wounds and subsequently was returned for treatment and convalescence at the Army Hospital Center located at Camp Carson, Colorado where he was subsequently also discharged from the Army on 9 June 1945. He was the recipient of Unit Citations, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Ribbon, Asiatic Pacific Ribbon, 3 Bronze Battle Stars and the Combat Infantry Badge. Raymond passed away on 3 September 1996. Edward A. Nielsen Kingsland, GA. eMail or eMail

#3. “Attu3c”; A typical nasty day on Attu, with a mountain view.

#4. “Attu3d”; American soldiers (17th?) working their way towards the Japanese lines…and Chichagof Village.

#5. “Attu3e”; Appears to be a view across the beach at Massacre Bay.

#6. L-R: “Attu3f”; Soldier having come ashore at Massacre Bay is now occupying a guarded position on a ridge en route to engage the Japanese defenders.

#7. Attu3g”; Army encampment, possibly a field hospital.

#8. “Attu3h”; Fog…a friend of the Japanese defenders…an enemy to the American forces.

#9. “attu4a”; Doug Smith viewing directional assistance signs on Attu.

#11. “Attu4c”; International Harvester and Caterpillar were just two manufactures of dozers supplied to the military during WWII. This appears to be a Caterpillar D-4 Bulldozer/Tractor.

#12. “Attu4d”; Doug Smith and 1st Sgt. Charlie Barnett with group of cold, weary GIs taking a break.

#13. “Attu4e”; But where’s the way to Chichagof Village?

#14. “Attu4f”; The wind, fog, snow, wet and cold weather eventually takes its toll on the men.

#15. “Attu4g”; Lt. Edwards and Doug Smith with a catch of fresh fish!

#16. “Attu5a”; Taking a break, posing for a quick snapshot. Doug Smith on the right.

Originally published: 3 Oct 2016

#10: “Attu4b”; A squad pausing for a snapshot en route to do battle with the Japanese.

#17. “Attu5b”; GIs perched on a ridge searching for the Japanese.

#18. “Attu5c”; Doug Smith spending time in a fox hole, carved out of the muskeg!

#19. “Attu5d”; Squad sprawled along the side of a mountain searching for the Japanese defenders.

#20. “Attu5e”; The fog just rolls in.

#21. “Attu5f”; Surveying the landscape from an Attu mountain top.

#22. “Attu6a”; Krauter, Schmitz, and Ray Neilsen taking a break on the front…with Nielsen holding a bottle of Sake.

#23. “Attu6b”; Krauter, Schmitz, and Nielsen keeping a watchful eye for the Japanese…

#24. “Attu6c”; Schmitz enjoying something that looks like sunshine!

#25. “Attu6d”; Doug Smith heating up some coffee.

#26. “Attu7a”; Schmitz checking out the Muskeg, and Japanese hidden gun emplacements.

#27. “Attu7b”; TSgt. Melvin Meyer inspecting Japanese hidden gun emplacements.

#28. “Attu7c”; Dug-in Japanese gun emplacements.

#29. “Attu7d”; Reconnoitering battle area.

#30. “earle1”; Col. Earle on-board the troopship in transit to Attu addressing the troops prior to troops landing on Attu at Massacre Bay. Camp Earle on Attu, the U. S. Army Camp established shortly after the invasion of Attu on 11 May 1943 by the U. S. Army was named in his honor. Camp Earle had been assigned APO 726 mailing address. .