Today In History WWII
Feb 8, 2023 07:57:01 #
Today in 1943 Guadalcanal was pronounced secured and all Japanese resistance eradicated.
What many people do not realize is that Guadalcanal was not entirely a Marine and Naval operation; several US Army regiments participated in quite a bit of the fighting, especially the three battalions of the 164th.
On the morning of 7 August 1942, the 1st Marine Division followed heavy naval preparatory fires and landed across the north beaches east of the Tenaru River. In a three-month struggle marked by moderate battlefield but high disease casualties and accompanied by sea battles that first interrupted and finally secured resupply lines, the marines took the airfield and established a beachhead roughly six miles wide and three miles deep.
On 13 October the 164th Infantry, the first Army unit on Guadalcanal, came ashore to reinforce the marines and took a 6,600-yard sector at the east end of the American perimeter. Commanded by Col. Bryant E. Moore, the 164th had come through the South Pacific ferry route in January to New Caledonia. There, the 164th joined the 182d Infantry and 132d Infantry Regiments, in addition to artillery, engineer, and other support units, to form a new division called the "Americal," a name derived from the words America and New Caledonia. Until the Americal commander, Maj. Gen. Alexander M. Patch, and other units of the division arrived, the 164th would fight with the marines.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/americans-secure-guadalcanal?cmpid=email-hist-tdih-2023-0208-02082023&om_rid=41ddba5c644e63bc635703fbc16588a7a160bd28e81ef4a9fae524
What many people do not realize is that Guadalcanal was not entirely a Marine and Naval operation; several US Army regiments participated in quite a bit of the fighting, especially the three battalions of the 164th.
On the morning of 7 August 1942, the 1st Marine Division followed heavy naval preparatory fires and landed across the north beaches east of the Tenaru River. In a three-month struggle marked by moderate battlefield but high disease casualties and accompanied by sea battles that first interrupted and finally secured resupply lines, the marines took the airfield and established a beachhead roughly six miles wide and three miles deep.
On 13 October the 164th Infantry, the first Army unit on Guadalcanal, came ashore to reinforce the marines and took a 6,600-yard sector at the east end of the American perimeter. Commanded by Col. Bryant E. Moore, the 164th had come through the South Pacific ferry route in January to New Caledonia. There, the 164th joined the 182d Infantry and 132d Infantry Regiments, in addition to artillery, engineer, and other support units, to form a new division called the "Americal," a name derived from the words America and New Caledonia. Until the Americal commander, Maj. Gen. Alexander M. Patch, and other units of the division arrived, the 164th would fight with the marines.
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/americans-secure-guadalcanal?cmpid=email-hist-tdih-2023-0208-02082023&om_rid=41ddba5c644e63bc635703fbc16588a7a160bd28e81ef4a9fae524
Feb 8, 2023 08:32:09 #
Coos Bay Tom
Loc: coos bay oregon
Smedley_buzk**l wrote:
Today in 1943 Guadalcanal was pronounced secured a... (show quote)
I read your post and link with interest. I had an old friend who was in that campaign. He was on a navy destroyer. The fighting was intense and he spoke of plowing through the sea chasing the Japanese ships and at times running through the bodies of our dead soldiers that were floating in the water .
Feb 8, 2023 11:11:39 #
Coos Bay Tom wrote:
I read your post and link with interest. I had an old friend who was in that campaign. He was on a navy destroyer. The fighting was intense and he spoke of plowing through the sea chasing the Japanese ships and at times running through the bodies of our dead soldiers that were floating in the water .
I had an uncle at Saipan. (4th Marine Division). Another on Utah Beach (4th Infantry Division) and a thlrd at Anzio. (3rd Infantry Division, if I remember right) My own dad was a bit older and had already served, but re-enlisted and was posted stateside.
Feb 8, 2023 11:59:42 #
Coos Bay Tom
Loc: coos bay oregon
Smedley_buzk**l wrote:
I had an uncle at Saipan. (4th Marine Division). Another on Utah Beach (4th Infantry Division) and a thlrd at Anzio. (3rd Infantry Division, if I remember right) My own dad was a bit older and had already served, but re-enlisted and was posted stateside.
Feb 9, 2023 16:33:55 #
Just think what these College snowflakes would be like under those conditions--We would be speaking Japanese?? Might be speaking Chinese if things don't change SOON??? Nam- Vet!!
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