Patrol Carlson's patrol

map of carlson s patrol, aola lunga perimeter

at first light on 6 november, carlson , command group, 2 of companies, , group of native scouts , carriers commanded major john mather of australian army , sergeant major jacob c. vouza of solomon islands police force set out aola on patrol. group marched along jungle trail northwest reko river, arriving on 7 november. @ reko, carlson learned local christian mission had been raided japanese troops had killed 2 of missionaries before moving west. pushing across river 1 platoon of troops, carlson encountered small group of japanese shot , severely wounded native scout leading marine column. returning fire, marines killed 2 japanese soldiers , drove off 3 or four. carlson s main body arrived , column bivouacked night.

on 8 november, column continued through jungle northwest, striking coast @ kena river, , made camp @ village of tasimboko, 15 mi (24 km) aola bay. next day crossed berande , balasuna rivers , reached village of binu—10 mi (16 km) southwest of tasimboko—in afternoon. @ binu, 3 mi (4.8 km) southeast of koli point, carlson established base camp , prepared block movement of japanese forces koli east , south.

the other 3 raider companies arrived @ aola on 8 november. on 9 november, moved landing craft tasimboko and, on 10 november marched overland—guided native scouts—toward binu. on way, raiders encountered small group of japanese soldiers , killed 3 of them before arriving @ binu in afternoon of same day.

in meantime, hyakutake ordered shōji abandon positions @ koli , rejoin japanese forces @ kokumbona in matanikau area. although american forces had encircled shōji s troops along gavaga creek @ koli, gap existed way of swampy creek in southern side of american lines. taking advantage of route, shōji s men began escape. americans closed gap in lines on 11 november, shōji , between 2,000 , 3,000 of men had escaped jungle south.

on 11 november, carlson sent 4 of battalion s companies— c , d , e , , f —to fan out , patrol area north , west of binu. remaining company, b , stayed behind provide security binu base camp. @ 10:00, company c, had marched directly west toward village of asamana, encountered large body of shōji s troops camped near metapona river , pinned down rifle, machinegun, , mortar fire. carlson responded directing companies d , e come c s aid, attacking japanese forces 2 different directions.

a marine officer briefs raider troops during patrol

as companies d , e moved in c s direction, both encountered large concentrations of shōji s soldiers and, 12:30, involved in intense firefights. @ 15:00, company d commander captain charles mcauliffe—with 9 of men—unexpectedly marched binu base camp. mcauliffe reported carlson after had made contact japanese forces, , 1 of squads had become cut off rest of company. after extricating difficulty, mcauliffe , men him had decided retreat base camp. mcauliffe reported that, far knew, rest of company had been annihilated. short time later, however, rest of d company arrived @ base camp, led gunnery sergeant george schrier, after disengaging firefight. carlson summarily relieved mcauliffe later described total ineptitude leadership in battle , placed captain joe griffith in command of company d.

along company f, had returned base camp, carlson proceeded area company c engaged, arriving @ 16:30. carlson ordered company f attack japanese positions facing company c @ 17:15. in meantime, japanese troops departed area, company f confirmed. leaving company f @ scene, carlson returned binu company c, arriving @ 22:00. company e arrived @ binu same time , reported had caught japanese company crossing river in open , killed many of them before withdrawing. carlson took company b , returned area company f guarding, arriving @ daybreak on 12 november. marines had suffered 10 killed in day s actions , estimated had killed 120 japanese soldiers.

carlson , 2 companies, company b leading, marched west towards village of asamana on metapona river. while crossing river, marines captured 2 japanese soldiers , killed third happened in native boat, attacked , occupied asamana, surprising , killing several japanese soldiers in village. signs in japanese in village indicated being used rallying location shōji s forces. occupying defensive positions around village , river crossing, raiders killed 25 japanese soldiers approached village during remainder of day.

carlson s raiders cross open field during patrol

the next day, when company-sized column of japanese soldiers approached asamana, raiders called in 75 mm (2.95 in) artillery fire 1st battalion, 10th marine regiment, killing many of japanese , causing rest scatter , retreat away village. carlson , marines him returned binu on 14 november rest , reprovision. in same day, patrol raiders company f wiped out 15-man japanese encampment discovered native scouts.

on 15 november, carlson s battalion changed base camp binu asamana. time, however, shōji s units no longer in area, having continued march deep interior of guadalcanal en route matanikau. raider patrols around asamana on next 2 days found , killed few scattered japanese stragglers.

new mission

carlson s battalion ordered move upper tenaru river , patrol around lunga river—south of lunga perimeter—to locate trail japanese had used position men , materiel assaults during battle henderson field. carlson s raiders seek out , destroy several japanese artillery pieces had been delivering harassing fire against henderson field several weeks. raiders set new base camp 2 mi (3.2 km) southeast of lunga perimeter on 20 november , rested , replenished until 24 november.

on 25 november, carlson s company arrived espiritu santo , joined raiders. on 27 november, battalion relocated 4 mi (6.4 km) further tenaru river , established 2 auxiliary patrol bases 2 mi (3.2 km) upstream , downstream, respectively.

japanese gun captured raiders

on 28 november, companies b , d patrolled across lunga river , bivouacked in mount austen area, southwest of lunga perimeter. same day, companies , f patrolled further south between lunga , tenaru. on 30 november, raiders found japanese 75 mm mountain gun , 37 mm (1.46 in) anti-tank gun emplaced on ridge 4 mi (6.4 km) south of lunga perimeter. 1 squad of 6 marines company f patrolled near guns discovered, entered hidden japanese camp , found among 100 japanese soldiers resting under shelters weapons stacked around trees in center of camp. in resulting melee, raider squad killed 75 of japanese. rest escaped.

the raiders rested on 1 december , received provisions airdrop. on 2 december, carlson fanned out patrols around lunga river. company b discovered 10 japanese camped river , killed of them. none of other companies encountered japanese, 1 discovered 75 mm mountain gun. late in day, carlson received orders terminate patrol , take troops lunga perimeter next day.

on 3 december, carlson sent companies c, d, , e east towards tenaru river while companies a, b, , f headed west towards mount austen. companies c, d, , e reached lower tenaru , entered friendly lines @ lunga point without incident. companies a, b, , f, however, encountered japanese patrol near summit of mount austen. in close-quarters fight in jungle, 25 japanese killed , 4 marines wounded, 1 of whom died later.

the next day, companies a, b, , f set out intention of entering lunga perimeter near matanikau river. along way, marine column ambushed japanese machinegun team killed 4 raiders. 7 japanese killed in skirmish. patrol encountered no further opposition , entered friendly lines @ lunga point mid-afternoon.