The Battle of Guadalcanal-an air, land, and sea battle fought in the Pacific between August 7th and February 9th of 1942, was the first major offensive of WWII that tested American land forces vs. the Japanaese Imperial Army. It was a hard, brutal conflict for the 15,000 US Marines and 20,000 Japanese that were sent there, fought in an unforgiving climate of hot jungle, crocodile-infested rivers, and coral ridges- all teeming with malaria-carrying mosquitos and the stench of death. The men who fought there deserve to be remembered. Catch MIDWAY and  NEVER CALL ME A HERO at our archives at www.1001storiespodcast.com   Credits: O,Donnell, "Into The Rising Sun, In Their Own Words" Miller Jr., John. Guadalcanal: The First Offensive. Washington, D.C.: United States Army Center of Military History, 1995. Christ, James F. Battalion of the Damned: The 1st Marine Paratroopers at Gavutu and Bloody Ridge, 1942. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2007 Smith, George W. The Do-or-Die Men: The 1st Marine Raider Battalion at Guadalcanal. New York: Pocket Books, 2003. Music: Purple Planet Music (4 selections) "Last Stand" "The Chase", "Doomed Romance", "Battle Lines" Acces Purple Planet Music at planet.com">www.purple-planet.com Veterans: Pfc, Herman Shirley USMC, Lt Col. James Wagner USMC. Sgt Richard Greer USMC, Cpl AlbertTorgerson USMC. God Bless all the men who fought in WWII. #navy #WWII #greatestgeneration #proudamerican Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices