mini fact: The 1st Marine Division counted 8,580 cases of malaria on Guadalcanal.
“
They defended the airfi eld
and attacked Japanese ships
bringing reinforcements.
”
After its initial landing, the 1st
Marine Division was on its own until 31
aircraft from Marine Aircraft Group 23
arrived Aug. 20, 1942. Two days later, the
Army’s 67th Fighter Squadron arrived
with P-400s, a fi ne ground-support
aircraft the Marines quickly put to use.
On Aug. 24, the Navy’s aviation arm fi rst
(top) Tired and dirty Marines bathe in the crocodile-infest- was represented when dive-bombers
ed Matanikau River, guarded by a fellow Marine manning from the USS Enterprise (CV-6) arrived.
a .30-caliber medium machine gun. (above) The bridge no From then on, there was an irregular
longer exists and the landscape has become overgrown, fl ow of all types of planes, collectively
but the river still resembles the way it looked in 1942. known as the “Cactus Air Force.” They
defended the airfi eld and attacked Japa-
nese ships bringing reinforcements.
PHOTOS: ABOVE, MAJ. DALE ROBINSON, USMC-RET.; J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 7 M I L I T A R Y O F F I C E R 5 1
TOP, U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Apr_guadalcanal.indd 51 3/11/09 4:14:07 PM
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