Matanikau Offensive

The Matanikau Offensive took place from 1–4 November 1942. It was one of the last of a series of engagements between U.S. and Japanese forces. Allied forces had landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida Islands in the Solomon Islands on 7 August 1942. The landings were meant to deny their use by the Japanese as bases for threatening the supply routes.

About Matanikau Offensive in brief

Summary Matanikau OffensiveThe Matanikau Offensive took place from 1–4 November 1942. It was one of the last of a series of engagements between U.S. and Japanese forces. Allied forces had landed on Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida Islands in the Solomon Islands on 7 August 1942. The landings were meant to deny their use by the Japanese as bases for threatening the supply routes between the U. S. and Australia. Because of the threat by CAF aircraft based at Henderson Field, the Japanese were unable to use large, slow transport ships to deliver troops and supplies to the island. After inflicting heavy casualties on the Japanese defenders, U. s. forces halted the offensive and temporarily withdrew because of a perceived threat from Japanese forces elsewhere in the Guadal canal area. The Allied aircraft that subsequently operated out of the airfield became known as the “Cactus Air Force” after the Allied codename for Guadal Canal. The first Japanese attempt to recapture Henderson Field failed when a 917-man force under the command of Major Kiyotake Kawaguchi was defeated in the Battle of Tenaru. On 18 September the Japanese regrouped and concentrated on shoring up their defenses and strengthening their defenses at Lunga Point. After their defeat at Edson’s Ridge, the surviving Japanese troops and the surviving Allied troops retreated. The Japanese regroupsed and strengthened their defenses on the west side of the Matankau River. The battle ended on 4 November 1942, with the Japanese forces regrouping and regaining control of the island from the Allied forces.

After the battle, the Allies withdrew from the island, leaving the Japanese with control of only the islands of Tulagi and the Florida Islands. The Allies then moved on to take control of New Guinea in the Pacific and the capture of the Japanese base at Rabaul in the South Pacific. The Battle of the Bulge took place on 6 November 1942 and ended on 7 November. The action was followed by the Battle for Henderson Field which ended on 8 November. In the aftermath of the battle Allied forces took control of Henderson Field and Henderson Field was renamed Henderson Field by the Allies. The airfield was later named Henderson Field in honor of the Allied commander who had commanded it during the battle. It is now known as Henderson Field Airport, which is located at the base of the Henderson Field peninsula on the north coast of GuadalCanal. It has been named after Henderson Field commander Merritt A. Edson, who was killed in action in November 1944. The island was taken over by the United States Marine Corps and later by Allied forces in the Second World War as part of the Pacific War. The U. S. Marines established a perimeter defense around Lunga point, which was later called Henderson Field. The area was defended by the Imperial Japanese Army’s 4th Infantry Regiment under Nomasu Nakaguma along with various other support troops, under the overall command of Harukichi Hyakutake.