Carlson's patrol

Carlson's Patrol
Part of the Pacific Theater of World War II

Native Solomon Islanders guide US 2nd Marine Raiders in pursuit of Japanese forces on Guadalcanal in November 1942
Date6 November – 4 December 1942
Location
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
 United States
 Australia
British Solomon Islands
 Imperial Japan
Commanders and leaders
Strength

700[1]

2,500[2]
Casualties and losses
United States 16 killed
17 wounded
225 sick
United Kingdom 2 wounded[3]
488 killed[4]

9°26′6.33″S 159°57′4.46″E / 9.4350917°S 159.9512389°E / -9.4350917; 159.9512389

Carlson's patrol, also known as The Long Patrol or Carlson's long patrol, was an operation by the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion under the command of Evans Carlson during the Guadalcanal campaign against the Imperial Japanese Army from 6 November to 4 December 1942. In the operation, the 2nd Raiders attacked forces under the command of Toshinari Shōji, which were escaping from an attempted encirclement in the Koli Point area on Guadalcanal and attempting to rejoin other Japanese army units on the opposite side of the U.S. Lunga perimeter.

In a series of small unit engagements over 29 days, the 2nd Raiders killed almost 500 Japanese soldiers while suffering 16 killed, although many were afflicted by disease. The Raiders also captured a Japanese field gun that was harassing Henderson Field, the Allied airfield at Lunga Point on Guadalcanal.

  1. ^ Peatross, Bless 'em All, pp. 168–169.
  2. ^ Hammel, Guadalcanal, pp. 143–144, Hough, Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal, pp. 349–350, Shaw, First Offensive, p. 42, Griffith, Battle for Guadalcanal, pp. 219 and 223, Miller, Guadalcanal, pp. 198–200, Frank, Guadalcanal, pp. 422–423, Zimmerman, Guadalcanal Campaign, pp. 138–141; and Jersey, Hell's Islands, pp. 298–299, 305.
  3. ^ Frank, Guadalcanal, p. 424; Smith, Carlson's Raid, p. 194; Peatross, Bless 'em All, pp. 168–169, 174, 246; Hoffman, Long Patrol.
  4. ^ Peatross, Bless 'em All, p. 168; Smith, Carlson's Raid, p. 203; Hoffman, Long Patrol.