guadalcanal Archives

Featured in guadalcanal

Nov 14, 2022

This might be the most important moment in Marine Corps aviation

In the 109 years of Marine Corps aviation, there have been significant accomplishments, happenings and many global conflicts. However, there’s one moment that’s considered the defining moment in Marine Corps…

BYJessica Evans

Nov 14, 2022

BYTim Kirkpatrick

Nov 6, 2022

This Medal of Honor recipient shot down enemy aircraft on his first time out

After graduating at the top of his flight school class, James Swett decided to join the Navy — until a Marine colonel talked him into flying for the Corps instead. Once he received his Marine officer commission, Swett shipped out to se…

BYTim Kirkpatrick

Nov 6, 2022

BYTeam Mighty

Oct 5, 2022

A US Navy destroyer once won a surface engagement with potatoes

In 1943, the USS O’Bannon was on patrol near the Solomon Islands when it came in contact with a Japanese submarine. This encounter would end with one of the greatest…

BYTeam Mighty

Oct 5, 2022

BYTeam Mighty

Sep 14, 2022

This Marine stayed at his machine gun after taking a grenade to the face

On December 9, 1941, Al Schmid was in Philadelphia working as an apprentice steel burner. He was listening to the radio on Monday, December 8 when he learned about the…

BYTeam Mighty

Sep 14, 2022

BYRuddy Cano

Aug 26, 2022

This is why Washing Machine Charlie is the most annoying enemy aircraft ever

Harassing the enemy in order to keep them off balance is one of the corner stones of psychological warfare. When the tables are turned and we become the recipient of…

BYRuddy Cano

Aug 26, 2022

BYTeam Mighty

Aug 7, 2022

Today in military history: US forces invade Guadalcanal

On Aug. 7, 1942, U.S. forces invaded Guadalcanal in the first U.S. offensive of World War II. The Japanese occupied Guadalcanal, as well as other locations in the strategically important…

BYTeam Mighty

Aug 7, 2022

BYTeam Mighty

May 16, 2023

How a Marine single-handedly fought off an entire Japanese regiment at Guadalcanal

Mitchell Paige was so pissed off that he killed them all and then led a bayonet charge to break down their entire line. Read more on WATM.

BYTeam Mighty

May 16, 2023

BYJames Elphick

Apr 26, 2023

50 WWII ships sank during the battle for Guadalcanal

In August 1942, the Allies and Japanese would meet in the pivotal battle for Guadalcanal. With the Americans precariously holding Henderson Field, the Japanese despe…

BYJames Elphick

Apr 26, 2023

BYBlake Stilwell

Apr 21, 2023

This policeman survived bayonet wounds and torture to save the Marines at Guadalcanal

Jacob Vouza was already a hero when the Marines landed at Guadalcanal. When a pilot from the USS Wasp was shot down over his island, Vouza led that aviator to safety. That’s where he first met the Marines. Vouza spent his life as part…

BYBlake Stilwell

Apr 21, 2023

BYMiguel Ortiz

Apr 18, 2022

Historic WWII destroyer and museum ship USS The Sullivans in danger of sinking

On November 13, 1942, the light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52) was sunk by a Japanese submarine during the Battle of Guadalcanal. 687 men were killed including the five Sullivan brothers:…

BYMiguel Ortiz

Apr 18, 2022

BYLogan Nye

Feb 2, 2023

7 things you didn’t know about Guadalcanal

During the seven months of the Guadalcanal campaign, 60,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers killed about 20,000 of the 31,000 Japanese troops on the island. The main objective of the fighting was a tiny airstrip that the Japanese were building at…

BYLogan Nye

Feb 2, 2023

BYLogan Nye

Dec 28, 2021

6 times the Army destroyed Japanese troops in the Pacific

The general narrative of World War II credits the Marines and Navy for the victory in the Pacific and the Army and U.S. Army Air Corps for victory in Europe. In reality, there are actually a few Marine veterans of fighting in Europe and a massive nu…

BYLogan Nye

Dec 28, 2021

BYHarold C. Hutchison

Sep 12, 2019

Why the US used an island-hopping campaign in World War II

In World War II’s Pacific Theater, the United States had a big problem: the operating area was humongous. In one sense, it’s no surprise — the Pacific is the world’s largest ocean and they needed to get across that ocean in order to defeat Japa…

BYHarold C. Hutchison

Sep 12, 2019

BYCoast Guard Compass

Jan 28, 2019

How this Coast Guardsman earned a Silver Star at Guadalcanal

Douglas Carlton Denman was born in Tallapoosa, Georgia, in February 1922. At the age of 18, he decided to join the Coast Guard and travelled to Atlanta’s recruiting office where a Coast Guard chief boatswain filled out his paperwork. Early on, he m…

BYCoast Guard Compass

Jan 28, 2019