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FIRST OFFENSIVE: The Marine Campaign for Guadalcanal
by Henry I. Shaw, Jr.
The Landing and August Battles (continued)
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First Division Marines storm ashore across Guadalcanal's
beaches on D-Day, 7 August 1942, from the attack transport
Barnett (AP-11) and attack cargo ship Fomalhaut (AK-22).
The invaders were surprised at the lack of enemy opposition.
National Archives
Photo 80-CF-112-5-3
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Landing on Guadalcanal and Capture of the Airfield: 7-8
August 1942 (click on image for an enlargement in a new
window)
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When
the 5th Marines entered the jungle from the beachhead, and had to cross
the steep banks of the Ilu River, 1st Marine Division engineers hastily
constructed a bridge supported by amphibian tractors. Though heavily
used, the bridge held up. Photo courtesy of Col James A. Donovan,
Jr.
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Photographed immediately after a prelanding strike by
USS Enterprise aircraft flown by Navy pilots, Tanambogo and
Gavutu Islands lie smoking and in ruins in the morning sun. Gavutu is at
the left across the causeway from Tanambogo. National Archives Photo
80-G-11034
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After the battle, almost all palm trees on Gavutu were
shorn of their foliage. Despite naval gunfire and close air support
hitting the enemy emplacements, Japanese opposition from caves proved to
be serious obstacles for attacking Marines. Department of Defense (USMC) Photo
52231
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