Operation Watchtower

On August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine Division performed an amphibious landing east of the Tenaru River. Initially, only unarmed Japanese construction and support personnel occupied Guadalcanal itself, allowing the Americans to come ashore almost unhindered. A nearby muddy airstrip was captured and renamed to Henderson Field after Major Lofton Henderson who had been killed at the Battle of Midway. Henderson Field would be a main focus of the Guadalcanal campaign, as it enabled US airpower to nullify Japanese attempts to use slow heavy transports to resupply their forces. August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... This article is about the year. ... The 1st Marine Division is the oldest, largest (active duty), and most decorated division-sized unit in the United States Marine Corps representing a combat-ready force of more than 19,000 men and women. ... Several airports have been named Henderson Field, most famously on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, where control of the airstrip was the focus of months of fighting in the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. It was renamed to Honiara International Airport in 2003, but the name lives on... Combatants United States Japan Commanders Chester Nimitz Frank J. Fletcher Raymond A. Spruance Isoroku Yamamoto Chuichi Nagumo Tamon Yamaguchi† Strength Three carriers, about 50 support ships 233 carrier aircraft, 127 land-based aircraft Four carriers, about 150 support ships 248 carrier aircraft, 16 floatplanes Casualties 1 carrier, 1 destroyer sunk...

On 8th August, Admiral Fletcher informed General Vandegrift that his aircraft carriers would be leaving the area, thus Rear Admiral Turner departed with his transports, taking over half the Marines' supplies and all their heavy artillery. This was before the battle of Savo Island. Combatants United States, Australia Japan Commanders Richmond K. Turner Gunichi Mikawa Strength 5 cruisers, 5 destroyers 7 cruisers, 1 destroyer Casualties 4 cruisers sunk, 1 cruiser damaged, 2 destroyers damaged 1,270 killed, 709 wounded 2 cruisers damaged, 58 dead, 70 wounded The Battle of Savo Island was a naval...

Because of the invasion, Japanese reinforcements were dispatched to the island from Rabaul to destroy the Americans and take back the airstrip (Operation Ka-Go). The Japanese build-up would be under the command of the Japanese 17th Army, led by Lieutenant-General Hyakutake Haruyoshi. Space Radar Image of Rabaul Volcano Rabaul was the capital of East New Britain province, on New Britain Island, Papua New Guinea until 1994. ...

Operations on Guadalcanal, August-November 1942

The first significant battle occurred at the Tenaru River on August 20 when a battalion-sized force of Japanese named the Ichiki Detachment attacked the Marines across the river sand bars. The attackers were killed almost to the last man. The massacre was so stunning that the Japanese commander, Kiyonao Ichiki, committed seppuku shortly afterwards. Download high resolution version (1500x1047, 234 KB)Operations on Guadalcanal: August-November 1942 Source: Scanned from Reports of General MacArthur (1994 facsimile printing), Vol 2. ... Download high resolution version (1500x1047, 234 KB)Operations on Guadalcanal: August-November 1942 Source: Scanned from Reports of General MacArthur (1994 facsimile printing), Vol 2. ... August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO code In military terminology, a battalion consists of two to six companies typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. ... Seppuku with ritual attire and second (staged) Image:Akashi Gidayu writing his death poem before committing Seppuku. ...

The following month, 6,000 Japanese troops mounted a night assault against 11,000 Marines from the south with the goal of taking back the airfield. The "Battle of Edson's Ridge" (called "Bloody Ridge" by some) began on September 11 and continued until the 14th before the attack was finally beaten back by the Marines. September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ...

On September 23 the Marines began a drive to establish defensive positions along the Mantanikau River. A land attack was combined with a small amphibious landing on the flank, but the operation was repulsed by the Japanese. September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ...

A lull in the fighting occurred as the Japanese prepared for a new attack. The Japanese Navy, led by battleships Kongo and Haruna, bombarded the airfield with special fragmentation shells on October 13 and 14th in an attempt to suppress the aircraft operating from the base. The airfield suffered heavy damage, but was returned to service. The Japanese Navy would attempt another similar sortie to knock out Henderson Field but that force was intercepted in the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Kongo (金剛) was the Imperial Japanese Navys first superdreadnought class battle cruiser, and the name-ship of its class. ... Haruna (榛名) was a Kongo class battleship laid down by the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Company at Kobe on 16 March 1912, launched on 14 December 1913 and completed on 19 April 1915. ... Combatants United States; Australia; New Zealand Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr Isoroku Yamamoto Strength 2 battleships, 5 cruisers, 12 destroyers 2 battleships, 8 cruisers, 16 destroyers Casualties 2 cruisers, 7 destroyers, 2,000 men 2 battleships, 1 cruiser, 3 destroyers, 11 transports, 10,000 men The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal...

Finally on October 23, with the addition of more troops, the Japanese made another attempt to capture Henderson Field from the south of the salient. The newly arrived US Army's 164th Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion 7th Marines defended this position, and after a determined battle the attack was finally repulsed after committing the U.S. reserves. October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ... Several airports have been named Henderson Field, most famously on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, where control of the airstrip was the focus of months of fighting in the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. It was renamed to Honiara International Airport in 2003, but the name lives on... In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. ...

On October 25 Platoon Sgt. Mitchell Paige and 33 marine riflemen emplaced 4 water-cooled 30-caliber Brownings on a ridge to defend Henderson Field. By the time the night was over the Japanese 29th Infantry Regiment had lost 553 killed or missing and 479 wounded among its 2,554 men. The Japanese 16th Regiment's losses were not accounted for but the 164th's burial parties handled 975 Japanese bodies. Total American estimates for Japanese casualties on that ridge were 2,200. All the men in Mitchell Paige's platoon were either killed or wounded during the night of fierce fighting. Mitchell Paige moved up and down the line placing dead and wounded troops back into foxholes and firing short bursts from each of the four Brownings to deceive the Japanese that a force still held the ridge. Paige was subsequently cited for a Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions that night. He was also honored in 1998 by the Hasbro Toy Co. when it produced a Mitchell Paige version of its G.I. Joe action figure. October 25 is the 298th day of the year (299th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 67 days remaining. ... Mitchell Paige (August 31, 1918-November 15, 2003) was a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor from World War II. He received this most prestigious military honor awarded by the United States of America for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands on October 26... The Hasbro logo uses a smile to indicate the carefree nature of its products. ... Classic G.I. Joe Adventure Team Image, circa 1973 Alternately see G.I. Joe the homing pigeon awarded the Dickin_Medal in 1946. ... An action figure is a posable plastic figurine of a superhero, villain, or a character from a movie or television program. ...

At dawn of the next day, battalion executive officer Major Odell M. Conoley reinforced Paige on the hill. It was decided that they would charge the remnants of the two Japanese regiments who were now regrouping. Conoley gathered his resources who consisted "three enlisted communication personnel, several riflemen, a few company runners who were at the point, together with a cook and a few messmen who had brought food to the position the evening before." In total 17 marines charged the Japanese at 5:40 a.m. on the morning of the 26th, signaling the turn in the Pacific theatre of the second world war.

In November the Japanese sent reinforcements in the form of the 38th Infantry Division. During the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, however, the transports carrying this reinforcement were badly damaged and the division was reduced to the strength of a regiment. Through November, American forces continued its offensive in an attempt to push the perimeter out beyond artillery range of the airfield. The Mantanikau River area was finally cleared after overcoming strong Japanese resistance. Combatants United States; Australia; New Zealand Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr Isoroku Yamamoto Strength 2 battleships, 5 cruisers, 12 destroyers 2 battleships, 8 cruisers, 16 destroyers Casualties 2 cruisers, 7 destroyers, 2,000 men 2 battleships, 1 cruiser, 3 destroyers, 11 transports, 10,000 men The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal...

By December the weary 1st Marine Division was withdrawn for recuperation, and over the course of the next month the U.S. XIV Corps took over operations on the island. This Corps consisted of the 2nd Marine Division, the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division, and the Americal Division. The 1st Marine Division is the oldest, largest (active duty), and most decorated division-sized unit in the United States Marine Corps representing a combat-ready force of more than 19,000 men and women. ... The history of XIV Army Corps in World War II dates from December, 1942. ... A corps (a word that immigrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: , but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body; plural same as singular) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or signals... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... Patch of the United States Army 25th Infantry Division. ... Americal Division Shoulder Patch The Americal Division of the United States Army was formed in May 1942 on the island of New Caledonia. ...

Japanese strength on the island waned due to attrition and shortages of supplies brought on by the build-up of Allied ships and aircraft. The U.S. XIV Corps began offensive operations on January 10, 1943, and by February 8 they had forced the remaining Japanese to be evacuated from Cape Esperance. American authorities declared Guadalcanal secure on 9 February, 1943, after more than six months of combat. Attrition may have multiple meanings: From a military standpoint, attrition means a gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death. ... The history of XIV Army Corps in World War II dates from December, 1942. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

The lack of supply on both sides meant that combat was especially intense and characterized by extreme desperation. The Japanese used fear as a tactic by placing the severed heads of dead Americans on pikes and planting them around the Marine perimeter. Additionally, neither side took many prisoners. Disease also played a significant role in the ground campaign, as both the Japanese and American forces were weakened by malaria in the insect-infested jungles. Both sides had difficulty maintaining their supplies to the island, the Japanese particularly, to the extent that island became also known as 'Starvation Island' to them. A disease is an abnormal condition of the body or mind that causes discomfort, dysfunction, or distress to the person afflicted or those in contact with the person. ... Red blood cell infected with Malaria, derived from male aria (Italian for bad air) and formerly called ague or marsh fever in English, is an infectious disease which causes about 350-500 million infections with humans and approximately 1. ... Box Log Falls, Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia Jungle refers usually to a forest. ...