Unangax̂ (Aleut) Relocation

During World War II, American women entered the workforce and the military in unprecedented numbers. These dramatic changes also altered the way they related to their homes, families, communities, and private lives. 

During World War II the villagers were evacuated and relocated to six sites in Southeast Alaska, where they endured considerable hardship. This volume focuses instead on the places, using archival material and oral history to supplement onsite observation and photography at each of the six relocation camp sites.

Eva Kudrin was born in Kashega in 1928 and lived there until evacuation. Following the war she married John Tcheripanoff and settled in Unalaska. During World War II she was relocated from the Aleutian Islands by the US government. Check out her experience with this interview.

Nicholai S. Lekanoff was born in Makushin. He moved to Unalaska as a child, and in adult life became a Starosta, or church elder, in the Russian Orthodox church. During World War II, Nicholai, along with other Alaska Natives was relocated away from the Aleutian Islands. Watch a short movie or listen to an interview talking about Nicholai's experience.

During World War II the remote Aleutian Islands, home to the Unangax̂ (Aleut) people for over 8,000 years, became one of the fiercely contested battlegrounds of the Pacific. This thousand-mile-long archipelago saw the first invasion of American soil since the War of 1812, a mass internment of American civilians, a 15-month air war, and one of the deadliest battles in the Pacific Theatre.

Irene Makarin was raised at Biorka and lived there until evacuation at the start of the war. She later married William Yatchmenoff of Chernofski. During World War II she was among the Alaska Natives relocated out of the Aleutian Islands. Listen to an interview as she describes her experiences.

Moses Gordieff was born in Unalaska and lived in Biorka. During World War II he was evacuated and relocated to Southeast Alaska from the Aleutian Islands. Listen to his interview, part of the Beginning of Memory project.

Nicholai Galaktionoff was born in Makushin, lived in Unalaska for part of his life and was associated with Biorka through marriage. Learn how his life was affected through World War II in Alaska.

In a tragic and shameful episode, the U.S. government forcibly removed nearly 900 Unangax̂ (Aleut) people from their homes in 1942.

Chapter 7: Ward Lake CCC Camp of Charles Mobley's World War II Aleut Relocation Camps in Southeast Alaska.