Guadalcanal
Lt-Col George E. Bush delays his attack against Hill 53 until after 0900 in hopes that water will reach his thirsty troops. They have only what was in their canteens from the previous day. No fresh water source has been found on the Galloping Horse. The plan of attack calls for 2 companies to attack abreast after the artillery bombardment. On the left I Company is to deploy on the ridge along the top of the gorge and attack southwest over the first ridge (Exton Ridge) west of Hill 52, to the next ridge (Sims Ridge) 200 yds away, while it secures its rear and left flank with 1 platoon. K Company, following, is to pass through I on Sims Ridge to take Hill 53 which lies 850 yds beyond Hill 52. On the right, L Company is to advance northwest from Hill 52 to that part of Hill 57 which lies in the 3rd Battalion zone, make contact with the 1st Battalion, drive south to clear the woods between Hills 57 and 53, and make contact with K and I Companies. 1 machine gun platoon from M Company is to accompany each assault company. The 81-mm mortars are to remain on Hill 54. 11 men from Headquarters and M Companies are assigned to carry water to the advancing troops.
Both assault companies start off the right (north) end of Hill 52 after the artillery fire. They are halted by fire from Japanese mortars, machine guns and rifles. I Company requests mortars and artillery put fire on the enemy, but do not move forward nor maneuver to the enemy flanks. Squeezed in the narrow gap, the company is hit hard by mortar fire. L Company's attack also fails. 1 platoon and the attached machine gun platoon cut through the ravine north of Hill 52 to secure the right flank. They turn west and advance to Hill 57, then turn left to climb the southeastern slopes. Heavy machine-gun fire from the flanks and rear halts them. They dig in to await the main body which does not arrive. When dusk falls, the 2 platoons, out of communication with the battalion, return to Hill 52. The main body of L Company has not advanced, but deploys behind I Company to hunt down scattered enemy riflemen.
By midafternoon Col Bush is sure the 3rd Battalion can not reach the objective that day. Since the position reached by I Company is untenable, I and L Companies both return to Hill 52 for the night.
Lt-Col William J. Mullen's 3rd Battalion resumes the attack against the Sea Horse at dawn. K Company leads the attack north along the ridge toward Hill 43, while L Company covers the left flank and I follows in reserve. K Company makes slow progress against enemy machine gunners who fire to delay the attack and then fall back to new positions. The gains are only about 100 yards an hour. Later in the afternoon, however, the advance picks up speed. The 3rd Battalion emerges from the jungle, drives the enemy off Hill 43 and by 1831 has advanced to Hill 44.
Lt-Col James B. Leer's 1st Battalion comes forward to assist the 3rd Battalion when it had been slowed down. When K Company cleared Hill 43, it becomes evident the 3rd Battalion will reach its objective. Col Robert B. McClure then orders the 1st Battalion to relieve I and L Companies on the south and southwest wooded parts of Hill 43. The relieved companies join the rest of the 3rd Battalion on the Sea Horse. By nightfall the 35th Infantry has completed the encirclement of the Gifu on the east and west by seizing the Sea Horse and is about halfway toward its objective, or about 1,500 yds west of the Sea Horse.
Having advanced about 7,000 yards the 1st and 3rd Battalions have outdistanced its supply line which is native carriers making the way back and forth on foot. Now they are too far from supply bases for this task to be accomplished in one day. B-17s begin dropping supplies for the forward troops. Food rations survive the drops all right but ammo and water do not fair as well.
A perimeter defense is organized. L Company holds Hill 44, I Company the narrow neck between Hills 44 and 43, and K Company, Hill 43.
The 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry, patrols again meet fire from the Gifu. The 3rd Battalion, 182nd Infantry, completes its southward move to close the gap between the right flank of the 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry, and the 27th and 161st Regiments on the Galloping Horse. By the end of the day, the 3rd Battalion, 182nd Infantry, holding more than 1,500 yards of front, is blocking the valleys northwest of the Gifu, the portion of the Matanikau just east of Hill 50, and the southwest Matanikau fork. The Gifu is ringed on all sides but the pillbox line still remains unbroken. The Japanese position is serious; they are without food or reinforcements, but they will fight to the death.
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