Ichiki Attacks

Japanese HO dispatched the lchiki Detachment from Truk to displace what was mistakenly thought of as a minor US presence on Guadalcanal. During what is known as the Battle of Tenaru River, by 0030, Colonel lchiki had maneuvered his force …

1942-08-21

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Japanese HO dispatched the lchiki Detachment from Truk to displace what was mistakenly thought of as a minor US presence on Guadalcanal. During what is known as the Battle of Tenaru River, by 0030, Colonel lchiki had maneuvered his force into position and ordered some covering fire across the river. Since minor patrols with small enemy parties were a nightly occurrence, the fire did not raise significant alarm among the defenders. At 0200 lchiki ordered 2nd company of the Japanese ll/28th Regiment to charge across the sandbar of the Ilu River ( known as Alligator Creek to the US Marines). The goal was to push past the defensive perimeter and on to Henderson Field. Facing them were the US Marines of G Company of the II/1st Regiment and two platoons of the 1st Special Weapons Battalion. The shrieking attackers came across the river without cease, but the defenders held their nerve and their ground.

Ilu River, Guadalcanal

The Battle of the Tenaru, sometimes called the Battle of the Ilu River or the Battle of Alligator Creek, was a land battle between the Imperial Japanese Army and Allied ground forces that took place on August 21, 1942 on the island of Guadalcanal during the Pacific campaign of World War II. The battle was the first major Japanese land offensive during the Guadalcanal campaign.

Wikipedia: Battle of the Tenaru

Japanese

U.S.