The Tenaru, or How NOT to Attack a Marine Battalion!
Japanese Operations
During the early days of Guadalcanal, the Japanese were debating both the intent and the strength of the American Assault. The first tentative censensus was that it was little more than a reconnaissance in force. However, it was decided that no time would be wasted in arrangeing moves to expel the Americans.
As reports from Guadalcanal made their way to Area Army Headquarters at Rabaul, the situation become more and more clear; reports from air recon of 30 transports promted 8th Fleet to estimate that one division was involved. The 17th Army took the view that no more than one regiment was involved and that the large number of transports were present due "to the amenities" that the Americans required.
By August 10th, the IJN confirmed the presence of a Marine division on Guadalcanal. Accordingly, the IJA made plans for the brigade commanded by Major General Kawaguchi (35th Infantry Brigade) be transported to the island. A detachment (reinforced battalion), from the 4th Infantry Regiment (the Aoba Detachement) as well as another reinforced battalion from the 28th Infantry Regiment (the Ichiki Detachment) would reinforce the counter-attack. The Kawaguchi Brigade was currently in the Palaus, waiting for transport, the Aoba Detachment was in the Philippines and the Ichiki Detachement was at Guam, with its transport in place. Ichiki would be able to arrive on the scene first.
On August 12th, an aerial recon flight reported that the main body of the US forces had been withdrawn. With this bit of news, the Japanese accelerated the movement of the Ichiki Detachment.
Colonel Ichiki received orders to make a quick attack to recapture the uncompleted airfireld, for this purpose, a spearhead of 900 men would be landed at Taivu Point (22 miles east of Lunga Point), as a diversion,some 250 men of the Special Naval Landing Force would be placed at Kokumbona, on the western side of the American perimeter.
The Ichiki detachement would travel light (the troops would carry 250 rounds of ammunition and seven days of rations) reflecting the supreme self-confidence of their commander.
The Ischiki Detachment consisted of
Headquarters = 164 men
Headquarters, 2nd Bn, 28th Infantry = 23 men
1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Companies (each of 105 men) = 420
Machine Gun Company (8 HMGs) = 110 men
one Platoon, Battalion Gun Unit (2 70mm guns) = 50
1st Company, 7th Engineer Construction Regiment = 150
total = 917 men
The detachment was landed at Taivu Point at 0100 hours on August 19 and they marched 9 miles to Tetere, where they remained to rest at 0630 hours.
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The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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