Thank you for the video and the details it includes. My dad was on the first landing on Guadalcanal as a member of the US Marine Corp, 1st Div, Amphibious. He was part of the group protecting Henderson Field. Dad lost so much weight, had dysentery and malaria so bad he was sent back to the US for the rest of his time in the Marines, after a brief respite in Australia. He went on to a 30 year career as a Los Angeles Policeman , being awarded the Medal of Valor for rescuing a family of four from a burning car. He was a loving and devoted father to my two older brothers and me. I got to live with him the last 9 years of his life as his caregiver. He passed away in 2012 at 91 years of age.💔💔💔 A movie could have been made about his amazing life.
I appreciate you sharing this with us , all my grandparents and their sons and daughters were involved in the war. We were all from the west coast of the USA , and I can't get enough of this history !
Dave's Gifu/Hill 27 video mentions a book by Lt. John George titled Shots Fired in Anger A Riflemans View of the Battle for Guadalcanal (I may have gotten a word or two in the title wrong). One of the things that George comments on is the reason that the IJA tactics led to repeated failure against the American Marines and Army troops in battle after battle. There is no single answer to why the battle for Guadalcanal was eventually won by less experienced US land forces however one significant factor was the tactics, particularly the banzai charge. When used against as George says "peasant" armies like the IJA had encountered in China and Southeast Asia the charge had been very effective. Peasants (his word) had not only less training in the use of modern weapons but lacked the unit cohesion that the US forces had, particularly the Marine Corps. A horde of screaming Japanese soldiers coming at you in charge after charge must have been terrifying to say the least. Maintaining position, disciplined fire control and the use of heavy machine guns and semi-auto rifles like the Garand were something the IJA had not come up against before. (By October of '42 Marines were grabbing every Garand that they could from the Army and ditching their bolt action Springfields). The apparent insanity of repeated charges with little concern for preservation of their own lives led to these costly failures for the IJA. Make no mistake, the Imperial Japanese Army was a highly trained and combat hardened force. This was no cake-walk for the Americans and many of those that survived re-lived the experience every night for decades if not their entire lives.
I spoke to a 97 year old vet the other day. He was a 17 year old Marine private that operated a 37mm AT gun with canister at Coffin Corner. He tells some great stories.
This is pretty amazing. When I was reading about these actions, pre-Internet, I never could have imagined sitting peacefully at home watching video of the actual places where these actions occurred.
Jeff I get that feeling when I’m standing alone in the jungle surrounded by the bunker holes. I try not to disturb the area too much around those mass Japanese burial trenches.
These videos are amazing & the research, details are exemplary ! I too get that " feeling" of reverence reference these specific areas of where men fought & died. I can only imagine the vibe of being out there solitary & undisturbed.
This is awesome, that this bloke revisits these places,my Uncles fought in Europe and Nth Afrika,but my old neighbour seen action in the Pacific,we are grateful to Uncle Sam for stopping Tojos IJA or Australia/NZL would have been a different World,we were fighting the Hun,not the IJA,when Singapore fell to little men on pushbikes,we were up shit creek without a paddle !
You have an interesting twang to your voice. Almost a split between a son of the south and Australian. 37mm with canister shot makes for one hell of a shotgun. Antipersonnel personified.
The 1942 photos of the US positions and the area across which the Japanese charged puts me in mind of a similar advance at Gettysburg, commonly known as Pickett's Charge. The canister shot being used here probably had the same effects as those used by Cushing's battery. Total devastation. And Coffin Corner was subjected to the same focused assault as the Confederate one at The Angle, Gettysburg. What happened to the Japanese remains which were exhumed here? Very informative.
They were cremated in a Shinto ceremony. The ashes were then sent to the large war dead shrine in Tokyo. The canister shot was deadly against mass charges.
Thank you for the video and the details it includes. My dad was on the first landing on Guadalcanal as a member of the US Marine Corp, 1st Div, Amphibious. He was part of the group protecting Henderson Field. Dad lost so much weight, had dysentery and malaria so bad he was sent back to the US for the rest of his time in the Marines, after a brief respite in Australia. He went on to a 30 year career as a Los Angeles Policeman , being awarded the Medal of Valor for rescuing a family of four from a burning car. He was a loving and devoted father to my two older brothers and me. I got to live with him the last 9 years of his life as his caregiver. He passed away in 2012 at 91 years of age.💔💔💔 A movie could have been made about his amazing life.
No doubt!
I appreciate you sharing this with us , all my grandparents and their sons and daughters were involved in the war.
We were all from the west coast of the USA , and I can't get enough of this history !
Thank you for your family service
Thank you very much for putting these on site history lessons together...LOVE them. Thanks again
like the 37mm canister and the explanation of the emergency air strip
Dave's Gifu/Hill 27 video mentions a book by Lt. John George titled Shots Fired in Anger A Riflemans View of the Battle for Guadalcanal (I may have gotten a word or two in the title wrong). One of the things that George comments on is the reason that the IJA tactics led to repeated failure against the American Marines and Army troops in battle after battle. There is no single answer to why the battle for Guadalcanal was eventually won by less experienced US land forces however one significant factor was the tactics, particularly the banzai charge. When used against as George says "peasant" armies like the IJA had encountered in China and Southeast Asia the charge had been very effective. Peasants (his word) had not only less training in the use of modern weapons but lacked the unit cohesion that the US forces had, particularly the Marine Corps. A horde of screaming Japanese soldiers coming at you in charge after charge must have been terrifying to say the least. Maintaining position, disciplined fire control and the use of heavy machine guns and semi-auto rifles like the Garand were something the IJA had not come up against before. (By October of '42 Marines were grabbing every Garand that they could from the Army and ditching their bolt action Springfields). The apparent insanity of repeated charges with little concern for preservation of their own lives led to these costly failures for the IJA. Make no mistake, the Imperial Japanese Army was a highly trained and combat hardened force. This was no cake-walk for the Americans and many of those that survived re-lived the experience every night for decades if not their entire lives.
I spoke to a 97 year old vet the other day. He was a 17 year old Marine private that operated a 37mm AT gun with canister at Coffin Corner. He tells some great stories.
Yes, and PTSD would not be officially recognized for a very long time to come.
Extremely interesting and well done. Thanks for doing these--they are important sites and need to be observed.
Thank you for your hard work documenting this important part of history.
Hey man, really love the content. Thanks for keeping the memory of these guys alive!
This is pretty amazing. When I was reading about these actions, pre-Internet, I never could have imagined sitting peacefully at home watching video of the actual places where these actions occurred.
That’s what I intended them for. Glad you enjoyed it.
I've studied this battle alot. Thanks for showing us! I really appreciate it! Thanks so much!
Just discovered your channel. Love the videos. I am a history buff myself, especially ww2 and these videos great. Keep them coming.
Thx for making us travel from the safety of our homes!❤️
Amazing..... love your channel, great work
Thank you for your good work! Great narrative! Your accent reminds me of a mix between Australian and South Georgia, USA! Respectfully!😎
Ken Porter almost. Australian and northeast Alabama!
Tom Smith your pretty good. Grew up in NE Alabama
When you got to the old 2000 yard field, I got the feeling I get when I'm at a cemetery! It was pretty strong
Jeff I get that feeling when I’m standing alone in the jungle surrounded by the bunker holes. I try not to disturb the area too much around those mass Japanese burial trenches.
These videos are amazing & the research, details are exemplary ! I too get that " feeling" of reverence reference these specific areas of where men fought & died. I can only imagine the vibe of being out there solitary & undisturbed.
Enjoy the content! Constructive criticism, perhaps a microphone to drown out the background foliage. .
This is awesome, that this bloke revisits these places,my Uncles fought in Europe and Nth Afrika,but my old neighbour seen action in the Pacific,we are grateful to Uncle Sam for stopping Tojos IJA or Australia/NZL would have been a different World,we were fighting the Hun,not the IJA,when Singapore fell to little men on pushbikes,we were up shit creek without a paddle !
Sounds like lots of flies in the area when you were filming
And mosquitoes
Thanks
You have an interesting twang to your voice. Almost a split between a son of the south and Australian. 37mm with canister shot makes for one hell of a shotgun. Antipersonnel personified.
Great videos! Please write a book!
I’m currently writing away.
The 1942 photos of the US positions and the area across which the Japanese charged puts me in mind of a similar advance at Gettysburg, commonly known as Pickett's Charge. The canister shot being used here probably had the same effects as those used by Cushing's battery. Total devastation. And Coffin Corner was subjected to the same focused assault as the Confederate one at The Angle, Gettysburg. What happened to the Japanese remains which were exhumed here? Very informative.
They were cremated in a Shinto ceremony. The ashes were then sent to the large war dead shrine in Tokyo. The canister shot was deadly against mass charges.
10:00 I would like to see video and photos from the 19,90's excavations.
extremely interesting
That's grass!!! It's like corn!
Chesty puller American hero