| Original caption: “Tired But Victorious – Guadalcanal: Dog-tired, sweaty, and wet from the almost incessant rain, Marines march on the fire-blackened remains of the Matanikou village, on the Matanikou River, after well entrenched Japanese troops were blasted out by bombings, shell and mortar fire, and hand-to-hand combat that followed.” At dusk on October 23, 2 battalions of Imperial Japanese Army Colonel Nomasu Nakaguma’s (July 18, 1893 – November 7, 1942) 4th Infantry Regiment and the 9 tanks of the 1st Independent Tank Company launched attacks on the United States Marine defenses at the mouth of the Matanikau. Nakaguma’s tanks attacked in pairs across the sandbar at the mouth of the Matanikau behind a barrage of artillery. Marine 37 millimeter (1.46 inch) anti-tank guns and artillery quickly destroyed all 9 tanks. At the same time, 4 battalions of Marine artillery, totaling 40 howitzers, fired over 6,000 rounds into the area between Point Cruz and the Matanikau, causing heavy casualties in Nakaguma’s infantry battalions as they tried to approach the Marine lines. Nakaguma’s attacks ended by 0115 Hours on October 24, inflicting only light casualties on the Marines and gaining no ground. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1721.jpg |
| Image Size | 297.36 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1280 x 961 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Marine Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 23, 1942 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Guadalcanal |
| Country | Solomons |
| Archive | |
| Record Number | |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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