[Illustration: _During the Japanese counterattack on the night of 21-22
July, this Japanese light tank was destroyed at the Company B, 4th
Marines, roadblock. Note the rubble of the ground thrown up by U.S.
artillery, aerial, and ships’ gunfire bombardments._]
During the day’s relentless and increasingly heavy firefights, the 2d
and 3d Battalions of the 3d Marines had blasted and burned their way
through a barrier of enemy cave defenses and linked up with Cushman’s
outfit on the left. About 1900, Company G of the 9th Marines pulled
back some 100 yards to a position just forward of the road, giving
it better observation and field of fire. Company F had reached and
occupied a rocky prominence some 150 yards ahead of Companies G and
E, in the center of the salient. It pulled back a little for better
defense, and held. Thus the scene was set for the pitched battle of
Fonte Ridge, fought at hand-grenade range and in which casualties
on both sides were largely caused by small arms fire at point-blank
distances. It was in this action that leadership, doggedness, and
organizational skill under fire merited the award of the Medal of Honor
to the Commanding Officer of Company F, Captain Louis H. Wilson, Jr.,
who became the 26th Commandant of the Marine Corps in 1976, following
in the footsteps of his former battalion commander.
[Illustration: 3D MARINE DIVISION PROGRESS