Attu Station
The Aleutian Islands were historically
occupied by the Unangas. Attu was called "Saint Theodore" by Capt. A.I. Chirikov
in 1742. The first non-Native landing on the island appears to have been in
1745. The Aleut name was early transcribed by the Russians as "Ostrov Attu,"
spelled "Atakou" by Capt. Cook in 1785. Attu was listed in the 1880 Census with
107 people; 101 in 1890; 29 in 1930; and 44 in 1940. Attu and Kiska Islands were
occupied by Japanese forces during World War II. Attu was virtually destroyed in
1943 when the U.S. Army mounted a successful offensive from Adak against the
island. It was known as "Chichagof" by the armed forces. It is currently a Coast
Guard LORAN station.
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