Marines in World War II
Historical Monograph

The Guadalcanal Campaign

by Major John L. Zimmerman, USMCR Historical Section, Division of Public Information
Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps
1949

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Contents

Forword

Preface

Special Prefatory Note

Chapter I. Prelude to the Offensive (pages: 1-25)

Chapter II. Landings on Tulagi and Gavutu-Tanambogo (pages: 26-40)

Chapter III. Guadalcanal--The First Three Days (pages: 41-54)

Chapter IV. Establishment of the Perimeter and Battle of the Tenaru (pages: 55-72)

Chapter V. The Battle of the Ridge (pages: 72-91)

Chapter VI. Development of the Perimeter and Actions to the West (pages: 92-105)

Chapter VII. Expansion to the West and the October Attack on the Airfield (pages: 106-116)

Chapter VIII. Critical November (pages: 128-155)

Chapter IX. Final Period--9 December 1942 to 9 February 1943 (pages: 156-164)

Chapter X. Conclusions (pages: 165-167)


Appendices

A. Casualties

B. Bibliography

C. Native Help

D. Medical Experience

E. Station List


Illustrations

  1. Men Who Took Tulagi
  2. The Japanese Commenced An Airstrip
  3. Gen. A. A. Vandegrift
  4. Guadalcanal Presents A Varied Terrain
  5. South Pacific Jungle
  6. Crude Maps
  7. Enroute to the Objective
  8. Advance Along Tulagi
  9. Final Assaults on Tulagi
  10. Japanese Seaplane Anchorage, Gavutu-Tanambogo
  11. Surprise Was Impossible
  12. Gavutu and the Causeway
  13. Loyal Natives
  14. The Transport, George F. Elliot
  15. Victim of Savo Island
  16. The Existence of the Fleet Marine Force
  17. Beach Defenses
  18. First Plane to Land
  19. Using Captured Japanese Guns
  20. 90mm Anti-Aircraft Guns
  21. Loser at Tenaru
  22. Sgt. Maj. Vousa
  23. The Japanese Suffered Total Casualties
  24. Carrier Torpedo Planes
  25. Five Army P-400s Arrived
  26. Marine Fighter Planes
  27. Maj. John L. Smith
  28. Marine Fighters
  29. Kawaguchi Brigade Headquarters
  30. Maj. Gen. Roy S. Geiger
  31. Luckier at Home Than at Edson's Ridge
  32. Where the Tide Turned
  33. Wire Protected the 1st Marines' Positions
  34. Col. Merritt A. Edson
  35. Maj. Kenneth D. Bailey
  36. Patrolling Intensified
  37. Advanced Air Base Operations
  38. Heavy Pressure on the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines
  39. The Japanese Had The Advantage
  40. In a Tight Spot
  41. Action on the Matanikau
  42. Horseshot Defense Along the Matanikau
  43. Lt. Col. Harold W. Bauer
  44. Malaria Began to Make Itself Felt
  45. Air Evacuation
  46. Capt J. J. Foss
  47. The Operation Bogged Down
  48. With Bow Over Dry Land
  49. Native Help Payed Off
  50. "Pistol Pete"?
  51. Japanese Medium Tanks
  52. Scientific Extermination
  53. Sgt. John Basilone
  54. Unremitting Japanese Air Attacks
  55. Anti-Aircraft Gunners
  56. Sgt. Mitchell Paige
  57. Lt. Gen. Hyakutake
  58. Vandegrift's Opponent
  59. The Commandant Inspects
  60. Additional Units Arrive
  61. Operations Above Point Cruz
  62. The Engineers Succeeded
  63. Heavy Casualties Were Suffered
  64. Gunfire Support by Day, Torpedoes by Night
  65. Carlson's Raiders on the March
  66. Plummeting Down
  67. Maj. R. E. Galer
  68. On The Way Out
  69. Maj. Gen. Patch, USA
  70. The Army Arrives
  71. Matanikau Positions in December
  72. Inside the Stockade
  73. Guadalcanal was the Turning Point

Maps

  1. Guadalcanal and Florida Islands
  2. Approach of Task Forces 61 & 62 to Guadalcanal
  3. Guadalcanl-Tulagi Objective Area
  4. Initial Dispositions-Guadalcanal, 7 August 1942
  5. The Perimeter
  6. Battle of the Tenaru, 21 August 1942
  7. Edson's Ridge-First Phase
  8. Battle of Edson's Ridge
  9. Edson's Ridge-Final Phase
  10. Perimiter Following Battle of Edson's Ridge
  11. Operation Along the Matanikau, 23 to 27 September
  12. October Attacks Along the Perimeter
  13. Conoley's Action, 24-26 October 1942
  14. Carlson's Patrol: 4 November-4 December 1942

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Last updated: March 12, 1998

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