_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._]
[Illustration:
LANDING ON GUADALCANAL
and Capture of the Airfield
7-8 AUGUST 1942
]
[Illustration:
Photo courtesy of Col James A. Donovan, Jr.
_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._]
[Illustration: _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-C-11034
]
The Japanese on Tulagi were special naval landing force sailors and
they had no intention of giving up what they held without a vicious,
no-surrender battle. Edson’s men landed first, following by Rosecrans’
battalion, hitting Tulagi’s south coast and moving inland towards
the ridge which ran lengthwise through the island. The battalions
encountered pockets of resistance in the undergrowth of the islands
thick vegetation and maneuvered to outflank and overrun the opposition.
The advance of the Marines was steady but casualties were frequent. By
nightfall, Edson had reached the former British residency overlooking
Tulagi’s harbor and dug in for the night across a hill that overlooked
the Japanese final position, a ravine on the islands southern tip. The
2d Battalion, 5th Marines, had driven through to the northern shore,
cleaning its sector of enemy; Rosecrans moved into position to back
up the raiders. By the end of its first day ashore, 2d Battalion had
lost 56 men killed and wounded; 1st Raider Battalion casualties were 99
Marines.
[Illustration: