SNAFU with Ed Helms – S4E17: Kelly Corrigan and Operation Cottage

Release Date: January 28, 2026
Podcast: SNAFU with Ed Helms (iHeartPodcasts)
Guest: Kelly Corrigan – author, podcast host (Kelly Corrigan Wonders)

Episode Overview

In this episode of SNAFU, Ed Helms welcomes celebrated author and podcaster Kelly Corrigan to dissect one of World War II’s most baffling military blunders: Operation Cottage. They explore how a meticulously planned Allied assault devolved into confusion, friendly fire, and a costly invasion—of an empty island. The conversation weaves humor, empathy, and introspection into a history lesson about the “fog of war,” both literal and metaphorical, and what these screwups reveal about human nature and problem-solving.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet Kelly Corrigan & Musings on Human Nature

• Deep Friend Vibes: Ed and Kelly laugh about their first meeting and immediate friendship.
  • "As soon as I met you, I was like, oh, this is a friend... there was something about the very first conversation we had that was much deeper and better than most first interactions." (Ed, 03:23)
• Secret to a Good Life: Kelly reflects on lessons from her podcast:
  • "The best thing for a human central nervous system is another human central nervous system. And the worst thing... is another human central nervous system. So pick your human central nervous systems wisely." (Kelly, 05:13)
  • "Listening is so close to love that most people can't tell the difference." (Kelly quoting a guest, 06:11)
• Podcasting as Antidote: Ed notes the depth of podcast conversations vs. social media:
  • "Podcasting has emerged as such a vital medium in our culture now because it feels like an antidote to social media." (Ed, 07:28)

2. Setting the Stage: The Origin of Operation Cottage

• Elite Forces Born of a Fail: The US/Canada 1st Special Service Force was created to strike Nazi targets in Norway but repurposed for the Aleutians after the Norway plan collapsed.
  • "Frederick handpicked lumberjacks, miners, hunters, anyone who could survive the rigorous training in a Montana winter and still smile about it. These guys were basically human Sasquatches trained in war fighting." (Ed, 09:44)
  • Kelly laughs about her lack of hardiness despite living in Montana (11:10).
• Aleutian Geography & Stakes:
  • “The Aleutians are that long, sort of ragged tale of islands that stretch nearly a thousand miles between Alaska and Russia... It’s beautiful, but absolutely out to get you.” (Ed, 12:28)
  • Recognition of the Aleut (Unangan) people’s endurance and suffering in the conflict (13:44-17:39).

3. Backdrop: The Grim Reality of War in the Aleutians

• Battle of Attu: Americans suffer heavy losses retaking a remote, inhospitable island.
  • "Just the most insane way to solve a problem... the only way they can figure out how to solve it is to take their 18 year olds and put them against our 18 year olds and see who kills the most." (Kelly, 15:16)
• Empathy for Soldiers: Both marvel at the burden placed on young troops and populations caught in the crossfire.

4. The SNAFU Unfolds: Operation Cottage Goes Awry

• All-Out Invasion Preparations: US and Canadian forces amass 30,000 troops, 100 warships, and 100 aircraft to retake Kiska from a supposedly entrenched Japanese force (17:49).
• Naval Blunder – Battle of the Pips:
  • In dense fog, US Navy fires at phantom radar signals for 30 minutes—nothing there.
  • "The Navy eventually realized they'd spent half the night shelling phantom radar echoes and gave the whole debacle a name worthy of this absurdity. The Battle of the Pips." (Ed, 26:39)
• Botched Landing:
  • Troops struggle to land due to incorrect tide calculations—some boats drift out to sea (27:52-28:12). Kelly jokes about how quickly she’d want to give up in those cold, miserable conditions.

5. Chaos & Tragedy: Friendly Fire in the Fog

• Disaster Strikes:
  • In thick fog and total confusion, US and Canadian troops shoot at perceived enemies—who turn out to be their own.
  • "When the smoke cleared, a dozen soldiers were dead. Casualties of a battle fought entirely against themselves.” (Ed, 30:39)
• High Anxiety: Kelly powerfully narrates the physiological stress and decision paralysis:
  • "...the adrenaline and the cortisol... a crazy physiological state to try to make a decent decision in. Then the hecticness and the sort of group... think of it like, if you shoot, the guy next to me is gonna start shooting, then I'm gonna start shooting.” (Kelly, 31:17)

6. The Ultimate Facepalm: The Enemy Was Gone All Along

• Kiska is Empty:
  • After two days of tense searching, troops realize Japanese forces had secretly evacuated weeks before.
  • “Thirty thousand troops had stormed an empty island.” (Ed, 34:18)
  • Kelly reflects on how easily these kinds of disasters must have unfolded in wartime (“I don’t have an ounce of judgment over this” – 34:50).
• Casualty Toll: Over 313 Allied deaths (many from friendly fire and accidents), despite no enemy resistance (38:08).

7. What Actually Happened? The Japanese Side

• Evacuation Under US Noses:
  • On the night of the "Battle of the Pips," the Japanese Navy was evacuating their troops in radio silence, while US forces bombarded empty ocean (38:08-39:44).
  • "While the US was shooting at the Pips, the Japanese ships sailed by in the opposite direction..." (Ed, 39:23)
• Mind-Boggling Logistics: Both hosts marvel at the difficulty of moving 5,000 soldiers in total secrecy with 1940s technology.

8. Aftermath & Legacy

• Soldier Reactions: Relief rather than anger—many survivors felt lucky rather than frustrated (41:43).
  • “My reaction since I didn’t have a strong death wish at age 21 was relief.” (Unknown soldier, quoted by Ed, 42:22)
• Freddy's Fighters Redeem Themselves: The unit later goes to Europe and earns legendary status for bravery against Nazi forces.
  • Churchill reportedly called Frederick “the greatest fighting general of all time” (43:51).

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the “fog of war” and human fallibility:
  • “The fog of war is incredibly real and present all the time. Whether or not there's literal fog...” (Ed, 34:34)
• On war’s insanity and the cost to ordinary people:
  • “It is imperative that we find a different way of solving these problems... it draws the eye to the ludicrous nature of war as a problem-solving method.” (Kelly, 44:56)
  • "Why don't we let one leader try to kill another leader? Why do we have to do it with all these kids, like... why can’t we pit five people, five of our people versus five of their people?" (Kelly, 45:52)
• On the emotional fog and making decisions under stress:
  • “When the water’s rough, sit down, don’t stand up in a rocky boat. Meaning, like, when you’re being flooded with cortisol, adrenaline, this is not a time to make decisions.” (Kelly, 49:52)
  • “No feeling is final… I just know that in not that many minutes, I’m going to feel different.” (Kelly, 50:55)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [03:16] – Ed & Kelly reflect on first meeting and friendship
• [04:46] – Kelly’s takeaways from podcasting—emotional wisdom
• [08:06] – Introduction of Operation Cottage and militarized “Team Sasquatch”
• [12:28] – Geography & suffering of the Aleutians
• [17:49] – Invasion begins, stakes outlined
• [26:39] – “Battle of the Pips”: firing on phantom radar blips
• [28:02] – Landing disasters
• [30:39] – Tragic friendly fire in the fog
• [34:18] – Punchline: Island is empty, Allies realize blunder
• [38:08] – True story of the Japanese evacuation
• [41:43] – Soldier quotes on learning the truth
• [43:51] – Churchill’s praise for Frederick
• [44:56] – Kelly’s big-picture reflections on war’s absurdity
• [49:52] – Applying “fog of war” to personal life; how not to act when emotional
• [50:55] – Silver lining: “No feeling is final” and emotional weather

Themes & Takeaways

• Empathy Over Scorn: Kelly and Ed resist judging past mistakes, focusing instead on the impossibility and psychological toll of war.
• The Cost of Bad Information: The “fog of war” is literal and metaphorical—misinformation, confusion, and stress can lead people or organizations to make disastrous decisions.
• Humanity Amid SNAFUs: Behind every fiasco are real people—ordinary young men asked to do extraordinary, and sometimes ridiculous, things.
• Universal Lessons: The episode closes with a comparison between military and emotional confusion—don’t make life-changing decisions when you’re in your own “fog.”

Final Thoughts

Ed and Kelly’s humorous, compassionate breakdown provides a humanizing lens on one of history’s most pointless military episodes. They push listeners to recognize the limits of certainty, the dangers of “shooting at phantoms,” and the critical importance of empathy and steadiness—whether in war or life's everyday fog.