| Original Caption: “Guadalcanal has two seasons, the rainy, between November and May, and the wet. The only difference is that during the wet season there are no floods. Or as the natives put it when the rainy season comes; “white men leave the island, and the natives die.” American Marines, soldiers, and sailors couldn’t leave the island and when the rainy season reached its peak recently they were amazed at the vast quantities of water that poured continuously from the clouds. As much as eight inches of rain fell in twenty-four hours and rivers rose as high as seven feet above normal in two hours. Practically everything was under water and most forms of transportation was [sic] by boat.” “‘Keep Deep in Guadalcanal’ – Four Marines wade up the Main Street of their camp area on Guadalcanal, while a fifth (first tent on left), bails out his foxhole. There were times it was easier to row than walk and this was one of them.” Heavy tropical downpours at Guadalcanal all but flood out a Marine camp near Henderson Field, and the field as well. Marines’ damp clothing and bedding contributed to the heavy incidence of tormenting skin infections and fungal disorders. 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain could fall in 24 hours, raising the Lunga River by 7 feet (2 meters) above its normal level. This was another price that Guadalcanal was exacting from both sides. Disease felled men in numbers that equalled the battle casualties. In addition to gastroenteritis, which greatly weakened those who suffered its crippling stomach cramps, there were all kinds of tropical fungus infections, collectively known as “jungle rot,” which produced uncomfortable rashes on men’s feet, armpits, elbows, and crotches, a product of seldom being dry. If it didn’t rain, sweat provided the moisture. On top of this came hundreds of cases of malaria. Atabrine tablets provided some relief, besides turning the skin yellow, but they were not effective enough to stop the spread of the mosquito-borne infection. Malaria attacks were so pervasive that nothing sort of complete prostration, becoming a litter case, could earn a respite in the hospital. naturally enough, all these diseases affected most strongly the men who had been on the island the longest, particularly those who experienced the early days of short rations. United States Marine Corps General Alexander A. Vandegrift (March 13, 1887 – May 8, 1973) had already argued with his superiors that when his men eventually got relieved they should not be sent to another tropical island hospital, but rather to a place where there was a real change of atmosphere and climate. He asked that Auckland or Wellington, New Zealand, be considered. There was to be no relief for the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal for 4 months. Photo by United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant James A. “Jimmie” Mundell (October 16, 1921 – July 14, 1997). A newspaperman and photographer, Mundell enlisted in the United States Marines the day after Pearl Harbor. He earned the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart as a Marine combat photographer. He joined Fort Worth’s WBAP-TV in 1948. As a news cameraman for all 3 networks, he traveled around the United States during the Civil Rights era. He also shot film during Central American revolutions. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1683.jpg |
| Image Size | 3.04 MB |
| Image Dimensions | 5787 x 4728 |
| Photographer | James A. Mundell |
| Photographer Title | United States Marine Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | April 30, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Gudalcanal |
| Country | Solomons |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | 127-GR-88-74085 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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