Guadalcanal
B Company and the platoon from D, move west to the objective without fighting. About 1500 they reach the precipice overlooking the southwest fork of the Matanikau. The jungle is so dense it is not until the next day that they determine their exact location. In capturing the Sea Horse, the 1st Battalion reports 144 enemy killed; the 3rd Battalion, 414; prisoners for both total 17. The capture of the Sea Horse and the advance to the Matanikau has covered the XIV Corps' left (south) flank, and has brought the 35th Infantry up to the objective on the left (south) of the 27th Infantry.
The 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry, commanding officer is relieved by Col Robert B. McClure, the regimental commander, and is replaced with Lt-Col Stanley R. Larsen. Reconnoitering the front Larsen concludes that mutually supporting pillboxes ring the easternmost three-fifths of the Gifu line. Individual combat groups of riflemen and machine gunners hold the western areas. The positions can not be bypassed and the enemy has no intention of escaping preferring to hold out until death. Col Akinosuke Oka, the commander of the 124th Infantry, is reported to have left his troops on January 14 along with his staff. Orders have been sent to the Gifu defenders to evacuate and infiltrate through the American lines to the coast. Maj Takeyosho Inagaki's starving troops elect to stay and fight to the end rather that leave their sick and wounded comrades behind.
Col McClure decides to try the double envelopment which he and Gen Collins were originally against. The 2nd Battalion's lines would be extended from Hill 27 to Hill 42, thus encircling the strong point. E Company is to march northward around the American lines from Hill 27 to Hill 42 and by January 17 be ready to attack the Gifu from the rear (northwest) while troops on Hill 27 push north. McClure requests that every available piece of artillery be used. Artillery fire will come from the 105-mm howitzers of the 89th Field Artillery Battalion, 1 105-mm howitzer of the 8th, and the 155-mm howitzers of the 90th and 221st Field Artillery Battalions in addition to the 105-mm howitzers of the 64th Field Artillery Battalion.
Gen Patch issues Field Order No. 1 which orders the XIV Corps to attack west to gain a line extending southwest from a point on the beach to about 2,600 yards west of Point Cruz inland to a point about 3,000 yards west of the Galloping Horse. Since most of the regiments of both the 2nd Marine and Americal Divisions are too badly worn for further offensive action, Patch forms the Composite Army-Marine (CAM) Division from the 6th Marines, the 182nd and 147th Infantry Regiments and the 2nd Marine and Americal artillery units. This division is to continue the coastal drive on the right of the 25th Division on a 3,000-yard front. It is to keep contact on its left with the 25th Division and guard the shore line between the Matanikau River and the objective. The 25th Division is ordered to attack to the southwest to envelop the Japanese south (right) flank and cover the XIV Corps' left (south) flank. Isolated points of resistance are to be contained, bypassed and reduced later. After reaching the objective, the Corps is to be preparted to continue the attack to the northwest.
During the attack the Americal Division (less the 182nd Infantry) and the 2nd and 8th Marines are to man the Lunga perimeter.
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