Garand Picture of the Day #231

[Mark in Rochester]

Guadalcanal
Battle-stained Amer. infantryman with weapon after a bloody battle for a 1,500-ft. peak euphemistically called the Grassy Knoll.
Location: Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
Date taken: 1943




Grassy Knoll was the nickname given to Mt. Austin, which rises 1,300 ft. above Henderson Field. From it Japanese artillery was pounding the valuable landing strips. As the first offensive for the Army troops, who had relieved the Marines on Guadalcanal. Major General Alexander Patch had decided to take the heights. The battle began on December 18, in the rain, with a heavy artillery bombardment of the Japanese positions. The Americans moved forward in the dark, black jungle.

By next day the battle had turned into a battle of supply. With bulldozers, the engineers were ripping a jeep road over the ridges and through the jungles toward the front, but for the last mile and a half everything had to be carried. For the work the native Solomon Islanders were useful. They lugged ammunition, food, mortar shells and water cans up twisting, narrow defiles.

The battle continued through Christmas, on through New Year’s Day. On January 2 the Americans made their final push, up a 500 ft. jungle wall. The Japanese did not retreat, and 267 of them were killed where they fought.


source:Guadalcanal: Grassy Knoll Battle

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