| Original Caption: “Marines march through tropical jungles on Guadalcanal, getting into position for their attack on Japanese entrenched on the Matanikou River.” The Matanikau River was the scene of 4 important battles in the Guadalcanal Campaign, fought by elements of the United States Marine Corps and the Imperial Japanese Army from August 19 to November 9, 1942. Here the United States Marines march into positions along the Matanikau. This is possibly Company A, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, attached to the 1st Marine Division at the time. Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class Alfred Schuler (October 26, 1918 – November 10, 1942) United States Navy Reserve, may be the 2nd man in the back row. After spending several days in reserve positions supporting units of the 164th Infantry Regiment, 2 battalions of the 2nd Marines were ordered to recommence offensive operations against Japanese troops west of Guadalcanal’s Point Cruz. The terrain was rough and hilly – familiar to combat veterans, but physically taxing. “The day was the hottest I can remember on the ‘Canal,” wrote Sergeant William Rogal (June 21, 1922 – July 16, 2012) of Company A, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines. The 1st Battalion’s task was to protect the left flank of the advance; to do this, they needed to control the high ground of a hill about 1000 yards inland from the coast. Their attack kicked off at 0630 Hours and proceeded quietly – albeit slowly – until about 1100 Hours. Rogal later wrote in his “Mud Marine” memoirs, “In due time the word came to move out and we advanced into a heavily wooded valley. The descent into the gorge was uneventful, as was most of the climb up the opposite slope. However, when we reached the crest of the hill and started to move into the tall grass, all hell broke loose…The Japs then went to work with mortars, dropping round after round on us. I don’ t think they wasted a single round either long or short…” “Meanwhile, A Company was taking a beating. Marine Private First Class Richard F. Gill (October 11, 1922 – November 10, 1942), Private First Class William E. Schreiner (May 15, 1918 – November 10, 1942), Private James P. Majercak (July 8, 1915 – November 10, 1942), and Amos H. Gray (March 2, 1920 – November 10, 1942) lay dead. At least ten others were wounded, some very badly…The Battalion Muster Roll reveals two Corpsmen were killed that day, Alfred Schuler and Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class James F. Gage (September 21, 1923 – November 10, 1942), but I have no reollection as to which, if either, was with us. My squad was decimated, with three BAR men down…We had our asses whipped and withdrew back to the line we kicked off from.” “They sure had our number,” admitted Jim Sorensen (November 18, 1918 – March 23, 1983) whose squad was near the ambush point. “We yelled for a corpsman – no corpsman could get up to the ridge to us through that fire, but the men cursed and yelled for a corpsman nevertheless.” It is likely that Pharmacist’s Mates Gage and Schuler were killed attempting to answer similar calls for help. Schuler’s and the other Marines’ remains were not recovered. In his memoir, Rogal notes “Even retreating wasn’t easy for we didn’t have enough stretchers for the wounded nor enough able-bodied men to get them and our weapons back to the safety of our lines. There was no help for it – we had to leave our dead.” Schuler is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery. | |
| Image Filename | wwii2114.jpg |
| Image Size | 649.89 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2477 x 1925 |
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| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | October 14, 1942 |
| Location | |
| City | |
| State or Province | Guadalcanal |
| Country | Solomons |
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| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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