>> sasser: it was, oh, it was. it was-- it was tough. >> obmascik: the code was death before dishonor, and of more than 2,600 japanese men who started, only 28 survived. >> wertheim: 28? >> obmascik: the only battle in the war in the pacific that had a worse casualty rate was at iwo jima. >> wertheim: 549 americans were killed on attu more than 3,000 were wounded or suffered weather-related injuries. dick laird survived. he turned over paul tatsuguchi's diary to superiors. instead of containing military secrets, the diary contained human sentiments. so much so, english translations began circulating. harry sasser read a copy in mississippi. >> sasser: well, it was-- it was a compelling account. and as he bid farewell to his wife and to his, his daughter. i, i, i sympathized with him. >> wertheim: what was dick laird's reaction to reading the diary? >> obmascik: crestfallen, but angry, because tatsuguchi was one of the eight guys who had captured the mortar and, here, they were going to try to kill him. but at the s