Guadalcanal
The 2nd Battalion's plan of attack: E Company is to continue to attack against Sims Ridge from the north; F Company is to withdraw from the ridge and advance along a covered route between the jungle and the Horse's neck to attack the north end of Hill 53. H Company is to maintain its base of fire on Hill 52 and Exton Ridge. E Company's attack is stopped immediately by heavy machine-gun fire. 60-mm mortar fire is called in to hit the strong point, but several different attempts prove ineffective. Capt Charles W. Davis, the executive, with 4 men crawl soutward down the west slope close to the enemy position. They rush the position after hurling grenades and finish the survivors with rifles and pistols. Witnessing this bold rush, E Company drives uphill to sweep the last Japanese from Sims Ridge.
While F Company is moving along its covered route, 3 field artillery battalions put fire on Hill 53. When the artillery fire stops, both companies (F and E) attack Hill 53. E Company advances south and west along Sims Ridge to seize the high ground on the top of the Horse's head, and F Company emerges from the jungle to attack the head from the north. They capitalize on the shock of the artillery by attacking as soon as it stopped. The 2nd Battalion finds that organized resistance has ceased. By 1030 the 2nd Battalion has captured all but the southwest tip of Hill 53. By noon the rest of the hill is secure and it has reached the division's objective in its zone. Col Herbert V. Mitchell's casualties in 2 days of action: 2 officers and 29 enlisted men have been killed. It is estimated that 170 Japanese have been killed from the 228th and 230th Infantry Regiments, 38th Division.
At the end of the day, the American lines on Guadalcanal extend 4,500 yards inland (south) from Point Cruz across Hill 66 to Hills 57 and 53. The 27th Infantry has taken all its objectives and are waiting on the 35th Infantry to complete its longer advance to the division's objective in its zone to the south.
The 2nd Marine Division is ordered to begin an advance westward from the Hill 66-Point Cruz line. The assault is to be delivered in successive echelons from left to right. The units on the left are to move forward to knock out the enemy weapons at the head of each draw, thus clearing space through which the units on the right can maneuver. The 2nd Marines open the attack at 0500. By 0730 the regiment has moved 800 yards west from Hill 66, at a cost of 6 killed and 61 wounded. At noon the 6th Marines move forward to relieve the 2nd. 10 minutes after the 2nd Marines began, the 8th Marines on their right begins its attack moving from east slopes of Hills 80 and 81 toward the ravine to the west. The Japanese halt the move with machine-gun, mortar and rifle fire.
C Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, is again stopped by Japanese rifle fire. Col James B. Leer asks regimental headquarters to send forward mortars which were then on Mount Austen under regimental control.
F Company, 35th Infantry, meets fire from 3 areas. All battalion mortars fire into the areas and succeed in knocking out one of the pillboxex.
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