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Originally Posted by Strongbow Quote: |
Originally Posted by 03USMC The issue was indoubt for the 1st Marine Division for along time on Guadalcanal. They lacked sufficient supplies, sufficient naval support, sufficient air power. What Air Craft they did have were held together by cannabilizing wrecked aircraft, and fuel had to landed by floating 50 gallon drums from lighters to the beach then manhandled by Marines to Henderson field.
For awhile they subsisted on captured rations. Better than 85% of the "combat ready" Marines were afflicted with Malaria or other tropical illness'.
The Japanese landed reinforcements several times due to lack of Naval support.
No Guadalcanal wasn't more even. | O3, Thanks for the above but I don't agree with your last sentence.
Guadalcanal was never as one sided as Iwo Jima.
The following is from my link that you hopefully have read. The near parity of the forces involved, both on land and at sea meant that combat was especially intense and characterized by extreme desperation. Disease also played a significant role in the ground campaign, as both the Japanese and American forces were weakened by malaria in the insect-infested jungles. Both sides had difficulty maintaining their supplies to the island, and in some cases Japanese army units suffered from starvation. |
Naval Parity wasn't achieved until late in the Campaign. Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, and Midway had caused loss's to the Pacific fleet. The initial Task Force left the area with a great deal of the 1st Mar Div's supplies in their holds. Because the were unable to face a Japanese Task Force enroute from Rabual.
The Marines on Guadalcanal underwent nearly nightly Naval Bombardment from the Slot courtsey of the Toyko Express and Air Raids from the IJN base at Rabual. That hardly speaks of parity. It wasn't until The MTB Squadrons were implaced at Tulagi and Destroyers and Cruisers (American and Australian) were sent to the area to harass Japanese shipping.
The Japanese managed to land reinforcements because of lack of Allied Naval presence . It was only flawed tactics and tactical decisions that kept these forces from becoming more of a threat than they were,
The Air Elements on Guadalcanal were largely saved on many occisioans by timely warnings from the Austrailian Coast Watcher Establishment that saved the Cactus Air Force from being caught on the Ground by air raids.
While on paper Guadalcanal may look even. It wasn't . At this phase the US was still learning to Island Hop. They were learning to supply deployed forces.Turner's fleet Train had not been born. The Issue of Guadalcanal was indoubt until The 25th ID landed in late October.
Iwo Jima however was different, the 5th, 4th, and 3rd Mar Div's notice there are three. Were not in danger of being thrown back into the sea. Notice that Kuribayashi allowed the intial waves to land instead of engaging at the surf zone. The tactic was to stall the resupply and make the Marines pay thru attrition. The Island would fall.
The Fleet Train was also on station for resupply, Fire support Ships and Jeep Carriers had been introduced. The War in the Pacific had evolved.