148 - The Battle of Henderson Field - Guadalcanal 1942

This episode is the 14th episode in our Guadalcanal series.  We look at the Battle of Henderson Field, which is the decisive terrain for the campaign.  Had the airfield been lost, it is likely that the US would not have been able to hold Guadalcanal.

We discuss:

How do you defend critical terrain against a numerically superior force?
How should defensive positions exploit terrain to maximize effectiveness?
How do you integrate combined arms in the defense?
How does poor communication affect tactical coordination? 
How do you integrate unfamiliar units into ongoing operations?

The 164th got their introduction into combat at Henderson Field.  They were a North Dakota National Guard unit and had only been on Guadalcanal for 10 days.  They were bought up to bolster the heavily outnumbered defences.  Rather than have the unit deploy into the line and take over a part of the line, Puller had small groups lead into their positions next to Marines.  Piecemeal deployment, the last thing you want to happen to your Regiment, but it employed the green troops to fight next to seasoned Marines.  At the end of the fight, Chesty Puller said, "These farm boys can fight!"

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Great Professional Military Education for your Unit.  This episode covers static defence, combined arms, terrain and leadership.