Only Alaskan Army National Guard members survived shipwreck

[snopes]

Comment: I have been told by several Soldiers here in the WY Army National
Guard that some ship or vessel sank off the coast of Alaska during WW2 and
everyone perished except about 20 Alaskan Army National Guard Soldiers who
survived because of their training and because they were from Alaska.

[hardhead]

I would find it unlikely, most native Alaskans (menaing Inuit and other native americans) can't swim. The water is too cold whether the sea or fresh water.

[Magpye]

Originally Posted by hardhead

I would find it unlikely, most native Alaskans (menaing Inuit and other native americans) can't swim. The water is too cold whether the sea or fresh water.

The Guard members were not necessarily Native Alaskans, and even if they were, they might have learned to swim as part of their training; in any case, swimming is the least of it when it comes to surviving in cold water. Warm gear and a quick rescue are vital. It wouldn't surprise me that people trained in Alaska (and presumably trained in cold-water survival) might have a better chance than others who might not have that training. However, I have no evidence either supporting or disproving the OP's claim.

[hardhead]

I heartily agree with the quick rescue, you have to get out of the water immediately. Warm gear (unless its waterproof like the survival suits now mandatory for the fishing fleet in Alaskan waters) won't help if you can't get out of the water.

[Magpye]

Originally Posted by hardhead

Warm gear (unless its waterproof like the survival suits now mandatory for the fishing fleet in Alaskan waters) won't help if you can't get out of the water.

I was thinking of the survival suits, actually, but I don't know whether anything of that sort even existed during WWII. In any event, though, wool would be better than cotton, even if not much better if rescue were not immediately forthcoming.

[Elizabeth]

Originally Posted by hardhead

I would find it unlikely, most native Alaskans (menaing Inuit and other native americans) can't swim. The water is too cold whether the sea or fresh water.

In Nome we swam in the Bering Sea in the summer. You wouldn't think it would get really warm up there, but it could get in the 80's some days.

[Tootsie Plunkette]

Doing a little Internet research it seems as though there was no Alaska Army National Guard during WWII (it wasn't yet a state). However, there was the Alaskan Territorial Guard or Eskimo Scouts, created for WWII and dissolved at the end of the war, which was comprised mostly of Alaskan Natives. This may be the organization the OP is referring to.

ETA: Correction - apparently the Alaska Army National Guard was founded in 1940-41, according to Wikipedia.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by Tootsie Plunkette

ETA: Correction - apparently the Alaska Army National Guard was founded in 1940-41, according to Wikipedia.

Another item says that all members of the ANG out of state were transferred to Washington National Guard in 1942, being replaced by the Territorial Guard (mainly native and used locally). However I would assume that the OP is a scare story, as the basic theme seems to be that you would not survive a ship sinking in Alaskan waters unless you were an Alaskan

[rockstar1976]

who said they had to swim? The vessel sank, they got in a liferaft or lifeboat maybe. They were used to the elements because they were Alaskan. Maybe they were also used to being is such cold rough seas on small boats that they didn't succumb to sea sickness, etc.