On Guadalcanal, American servicemembers battled heat, mosquitoes, disease, dense vegetation, and unfamiliar terrain along with a determined Japanese enemy in an all-consuming, round-the-clock battle. Members of the U. Image: National Archives and Records Administration. Determined to achieve a decisive victory, Japanese forces massed for an all-out attack in October Meanwhile, the Marines finally began receiving fresh reinforcements, including soldiers from the US Army.
The Americans strengthened their defenses at Henderson Field and launched aggressive jabs to keep the Japanese off-balance. When the Japanese Seventeenth Army launched the assault on October 23, , striking at multiple points along the airfield perimeter over four days, tenacious fighting by US Marines and soldiers threw back the attacks.
American losses were significant, but Japanese losses were devastating. The battle at sea also heated up in the fall of Japan secured a tactical victory, sinking the carrier Hornet, but paid a severe price in aircraft and skilled aircrew.
The Solomon Islands Campaign cost the Allies approximately 7, men, 29 ships, and aircraft. The Japanese lost 31, men, 38 ships, and aircraft. With each island taken from the Japanese, the United States moved closer to Japan. The main objective of the fighting was a tiny airstrip that the Japanese were building at the western end of Guadalcanal, a speck of land in the Solomon Islands.
The airstrip, later named Henderson Field, would become an important launching point for Allied air attacks during the Pacific island hopping campaign. Now check out these 7 interesting facts you didn't know about the battle. The Army provided infantry to assist the Marines in the landings and sent planes and pilots to operate out of Henderson Field. The Navy provided most logistics, shore bombardments, and aviation support.
The Marines did much of the heavy lifting on the island itself, capturing and holding the ground while their aviators provided additional support. After the initial invasion, the US controlled the westernmost part of the island and the Japanese controlled the rest. A river ran between the two camps and neither force could get a foothold on the other side. Lewis "Chesty" Puller ordered a force to move through the ocean and land east of the river.
The Marines encountered little resistance at first but were then ambushed by the Japanese. Munro led a group of unarmored landing craft to pick up the Marines while under heavy fire from Japanese machine guns.
Just as they were escaping the kill zone, Munro was shot through the head. In addition to Chesty Puller, many Marine legends were at the island. Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone earned his Medal of Honor there.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Leland Diamond drove off a Japanese cruiser with a mortar. Joe Foss earned a Medal of Honor and became a fighter Ace after downing 26 enemy aircraft around the island. US forces, having learnt of Japanese plans, sent their own naval forces to intercept them. Although the US suffered more losses than the Japanese, they succeeded in turning back Japanese warships send to attack the airfield. Air attacks carried out by Allied aircraft also managed to sink a great number of Japanese troop transports, preventing the bulk of the Japanese troops and equipment from reaching Guadalcanal.
Although the Japanese did not finish evacuating their forces until February , the Allies effectively won their victory in December , when the Japanese abandoned any further attempt to recapture Guadalcanal. Cultural differences between US and Japanese soldiers were evident during the battle. US Marines looked on uncomprehendingly as defeated Japanese soldiers refused to board US ships, preferring to remain in the water and be eaten by sharks.
Goddam it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me! Captain Henry P. Did you know?
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