We see that javascript is disabled or not supported by your browser - javascript is needed for important actions on the site. Read more

What's New - Home - Login

Member $avings: $82,019,234.95 | Books Available: 661,354 | Members Online: 226

Swap Used Books - Buy New Books at Great Prices!

How To Swap Books Sign Up Search submenu

PBS Market (New Books)

Gift Buying Guide

Book Browser Advanced Search Books Posted Today Member Book Reviews Award Winning Books NYT Best Sellers Amazon Best Sellers Most Traveled Copies Club Wish List

Discussion Forums Book Lists

Club Lists My Book Lists My Watched Lists Create a List

Donations

School Donation Program In Memory of... Military Donation Program Friends of PBS

Box-O-Books Maps The Eclectic Pen Fun Stuff

20 Questions Sudoku Bookmark Creator

Top 100

Requests Posts Swappers Referrers Reviewers

Pulse of PBS Spread The Word

Invite Friends Bookmarks Facebook Page Facebook App More Ways...

Photo Gallery Recipes Club Tag Cloud Member Testimonials

Help Center submenu

How To Swap Books Browse Help Docs Ask the Librarian PBS Member Icons Live Help

Kiosk

PBS Market (New Books) Go Shopping Buy Credits Buy PBS Money Upgrade Membership Gift Certificates Transfer Credits

Need Help?

Search - Battle at the Overland Trail, One Night of Combat on Guadalcanal

Battle at the Overland Trail One Night of Combat on Guadalcanal
Author: Jason Abady

The first three major land engagements on Guadalcanal, Battle of the Tenaru River (August 21), Bloody Ridge and Overland Trail (September 12-16) and Matanikau River (October 1942) all involved the very same objective of trail or road access to Henderson Airstrip. If the Japanese had control of this airfield and thus the island, they could cut of... more »f supplies between America and its allies in the area, thereby preventing other islands from coming under U.S. control. On September 2, 1942, the 3rd Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. William 'Spike' McKelvy, took up a position that snaked through the jungle for 3,400 yards on the eastern sector of the island. At the extreme right flank of the Battalion's position, K Company guarded the Overland Trail, which led directly back to Henderson Airfield only one mile away. Not more than several hundred yards from the airfield's perimeter was the headquarters of Gen. Archer Vandergrift and his staff. If Japanese forces could seize the Overland Trail, the Guadalcanal campaign would certainly take a perilous turn. It is indeed a plausible argument that the entire course of World War II in the Pacific was focused on one critical strategy: the island, the airfield and all trail access that led to it. On the night of September 13, 1942, the men of K Company fought a suicidal battle against 550 Japanese crack troops of the Kuma Battalion, led by Maj. Eiji Mizuno. Second Lt. Bill Sager and his rifle platoon of forty men courageously defended K Company's position at the extreme right of the 3rd Battalion line, where one of their flanks was dangerously exposed. Third Platoon, commanded by Second Lt. Herman Abady, also saw heavy action during the battle won by K Company that night. The following day over 300 dead Japanese were sprawled at 3rd Battalion's line and over 100 were in front of K Company's area. Although Lt. Abady later rarely spoke of his experience on Guadalcanal, he did mention on occasion that it was a privilege to have commanded a platoon that fought so valiantly in battle. He received no recognition for his actions until historian William Bartsch's article, 'Crucial Battle Ignored' was published in 1997, which contributed to his being posthumously awarded the Silver Star in 2001, some sixty years after the battle. Quickly thrown into combat, both sides endured six months of extremely bitter fighting in what would come to be the longest campaign for a single piece of territory in U.S. military history. Battle at the Overland Trail documents this one night of critical combat on what would come to be known as the Island of Death. It includes many letters, diary excerpts and photos never before released to the public.

ISBN-13: 9781936553266
ISBN-10: 1936553260
Publication Date: 5/20/2012
Pages: 251
Edition: 1st
Rating:

0 stars, based on 0 rating

Publisher: Warwick House Publishers
Book Type: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 1
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

Back to the Top ↑

Search - Battle at the Overland Trail, One Night of Combat on Guadalcanal

Loading...