Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) Libraries HQ Donovan Research Library Armor Research Library Fort Benning, Georgia Report date: 2 September 1943 Title: Experiences on Guadalcanal by Brigadier General Robert L. Spragins Author: 71 st Division, Camp Carson, Colorado Abstract: Historical experiences by Brigadier General Robert L. Spragins, Commanding General of the 71 st Division, in Guadalcanal, September 2, 1943. Includes sketches. Number of pages: 45 p. Notes: From the MCoE HQ Donovan Research Library, Fort Benning, GA. Documents collection. Call #: D793.52 .S6 Classification: Unclassified; Approved for public release
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Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) Libraries HQ Donovan Research Library
Armor Research Library Fort Benning, Georgia
Report date: 2 September 1943 Title: Experiences on Guadalcanal by Brigadier General Robert L.
Spragins Author: 71st Division, Camp Carson, Colorado Abstract: Historical experiences by Brigadier General Robert L. Spragins,
Commanding General of the 71st Division, in Guadalcanal, September 2, 1943. Includes sketches.
Number of pages: 45 p. Notes: From the MCoE HQ Donovan Research Library, Fort Benning, GA. Documents collection. Call #: D793.52 .S6 Classification: Unclassified; Approved for public release
I ~ _. ~ t; •
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COWU.NOU:G GENERAL, ?1ST DIVISION
...... ,.""" ...
tlihen I was on duty in Hawaii a short time &ft.~t· the Japanese attacked
Pearl Harbor, I wa& asleep in t rte 21th D1 viaion CP. About mtcmight , under
r<.y window, I hee.rd a ·r i fle rattle. The sentry ch&ll ted. llith, "Halt., who' e·
decided by tht~ e.xp%'1!1S.sion and tone that tho man who atl~JW8r'eci his ehlll.$nge
waa not a jap, but. an American. He didn*t. anoot. So it • on Guadal.cana.l.,
t .. e!ore we coul d launch an all-out attack against th J&parJeae, we had to make
an estimate of the situation.
We had to conaid.er the conditiotl of our personnel and the condition ot
the Japaneee. two ot our Di viliona on Gu.a4t.l.oanal, ti second :t.n• Division
and the Americ~ Diviaion had aeen co -at . Thtq had be~~n u.poaed. for some
months to tropical di aea, malaria, dyeentery 1 and dengue. 'the Americal
Diviaicn had been in one major attack -.gainst the J-.p lin. . The lst tlarine
tii vision and t .he rical Di vi.ei(Jn bad previously a\ tacked t.hltt. lir1o ana had,
failed t.o ponot.ra.te it . Th A.merical Dirl.eion bad had thE!re.f'ore a number t
easUAJ. . ies )lus t ile tropical dis see. 'i.'b~ Second 'arine Division, whieh had
been in d.ofensive operntion ; had had HUl casQ.8ltieo but not heavy 1 fran
Ju~st before th .. 'lt time in Ne,. Caledonia. lt wao made \.lP of el · e:nts of t he
tion&l nuard Oivisione hieh VBre left over when National Guar4 Diviai.one
ere ch.ange.d fJ:"o.rn square to triangular divisiorua. 1'h r ecorda show t hat , if
a divi.e1on ie in tbe front line a.ppro.x.imately t.ht·eo JOOntha, 80 po$e.nt of i
t het division would catch malaria. or the rtw.:'.ai ning 20 £)0J;toent, lSOlH would '
h..\ve d.ysontery, and sou ~oul~ have dengue . 1 <S-on'' m an tho.t 80 perjoo~ of .. any division at one time \\'63 incap citsted, but thor• w re malaria p tienta
wm. have r covered that h d rd.urned to t h front lines . n1ey were in a ak~ I\
oonciition. Two of the t hr e divisions t hat composed. our forct~;O (AA118r1c&l and
2nd Harine Division) h$.d suf ::·erod from these tropical d.setutee . 'rlie
D 72
canal. We wtMt.ed to launch t he att.a.ok very quickly i n order that the
25th Divia1on !re11 Hawaii, would not come duwn with aickne:sa l.>otof'e the at-
taotc. \ ·., w:an:t.ed at least. one di viaioa which oot.U.d aaaneuver and go throllgh
t l;e jWlgle. 'lbnt diVi.eion was t.he o1.l.J' divieion of th., three, tulpablo of
tx-.mtmdoua pbyaioal effort, o.a.pable of tt.e r.!iQVlliMJlt necessary to put over e.
hard attack. t'~e had to conaider &lao ~hat we would get no further replace-
meat. e.
There •u no hurey in getting t t;e Jape ott Gud.alcana.l.. 'l'heretore1 "
•ould take 0\ll" t.tae anc:l figure ou.t. a wq of getting the ott with fq caeualtiea.
It wae deairable to i~et. t be Jape ott G\tadalcanal bae&uaa the Nav:y 1 Which was
in auprecM COII¥'Mnd1 deci.a.\ th&t they wantod. them otf before they could go farther
nor thwest. The ialand us al.eo wanted a.s an ammunition and SUpiJlY base~
The Japaneae, on t .he ()th l' hand, had had t ho Mme sickne.asee we had. we
thou.gl~t their aickneee rate to be U ~ . ..,.. a a in ou.r two d1 viaiona. We le&.rned
later, however, that th y tuui more trouble with waria, d;vs~.Ult.U"y and d~--u·
than we. 1h.,. al.o h&<l b.-i....c.ert. We dido~ t have beri-beri which i• caua~
by 1lllpi'C>per diet, i.mpro,P417 tood. J&panele "Pl&cemento had been cOIIl.io.g in
regularly. Ther brcn.~ght them in by submartn., doatro:r•l'• and sampano at nicbt. .
How&v«ft', they ap.rea4 thtir ro.placementa throughout. all their unite,. ao they had
theae replacement. a which 1181'e tr.e trom t.l"'pic.al ctiaeuea •ca.ttered threugh-
out the wh.ol• cOIIIIUn.<l. 'l'here were no Japaneee unita o.apeble o! t he moveraant
On the Jape.MM aicte, t. ore were thrM major wdte, t he Seeon<f Division,
the 30\h DivieioD and a ae~at.e brigade. 'lhe brig&d.e ori.g1nally numbered
about 10,000. lloweftl"1 halt of that tortM bad attacked ov let. arine D1v1aion
wbell .it f'il"at lancled 1n !uguet and. .uttered heaVJ ca.•ual.U.ea. They had at.-
tncked veyt extrave.gpt.ly &e fe.r as lQaa of life wae concz.orned. The Japaneae
had been cengaged in a nti.Dbel' ef attacke and in de!enaeve oporatioD*. Their
canaltle• had been ~eat-er than ours.
In the trout "hict~ we r &ced, t tl e lat .~Ml.rine &1v1.aion ltaa provi.ouel¥ at..--ancl
t.aokeel approxiat.ately halt ot the Jape that WV'8 lacing u.a" h&i,. gaine<l SOIIIle
ground. The lit Marine Divieion and Americal Division b d attacked th• •am•
line and ..,. toree th-.t we attacked, drove tho out.pcst. 1n, but did not break
~~ th• Jqs tho 8t;b MariltH1 t t.e 2nd al"iflf:UIJ &ne ba\t.alionl ol th•
1$aD4 · 1Dt.nW7 and \be ~ lnf&ntl"¥, wbloh ha« O.eG apoeed. too mtlaria, clya
.n\., • -.u-fqrr --..tU.. The btt.t,t.al1on ol t ho l#lnd Wan~ •rut th•
.UJaul Wantrr (pan. ot thf-rical Oivieion/ ha.4 bun in otte~a1v• opw•Ucml
u4 1-' ..rt.- • UIIO•· ol oaaual.t.i••• 'l'ht JapaDe:ae, on the o'her lwld., had
t.he Ult\b ••1 WMU7 and the 2.28th J ap tntant.ry, in through hv• {See Sket #') ,
b.1•t.OJ7 ot t.he J.,... .. , ••r• VfWJ torldda.bl.e rq~nh•• !hq bad. been in the
• · . J.a Malqa, Bura, Jan, and. t.h• Pbillppin.es1 as mUl a..a oth.• pl.Mu.
'tiM 22at.b. .,.,._ •• IatanW, bel.on,;s to t.he .)Of.b Japaneae Division, at 414 the
UO\b ~ 1 P'\17 C1cl »:9th Japan ... In.fant.ry. One ot the lat.ter •r• 1A
~t ,.a~ fhe ~- • had not.. p1ek6d th1 unit up. The 16th J.,._,, 1·111•...,. a.n4 t.U 4\k .,..,_ • Wa.o.trl bel.on&ed t.u t he 2n4 Ja,pg_. DJ.vie:loa, at
c.U.ti tM l71h laptae• 1.nfant~ • The 124th Japen.a• Re~nt belong,.. t.o the
~.-...· tte ~·A a...tct.ea t.he f i'On\ Ua•, •• hAd 1n r ewve in all~od
cl6f...S.ve pQiU., \he 6th~-- (~e Ske~cl 12). In the ar protected
by the~ cl.r.,.., we haf1 th$ 164\ lt latan\17 and t.~e 25th DJ:d•icm leo
the J~ WIIIV7• Tile 182ml lnt'UJ.t.ry1 ltaao o • ~t.ttl1on and. th• 3Stb lnt~ntry
~ -\ l I ! i :l 1·. I ·Q .. ~ ~- .. , ...... '! '.. . ,. . '· ·. , .. , .. · '. i i i 1 . ! ! I l_ '· i_.. I j f I t . l l ;a 1 f I ,; . i . ~ .... q .. I. I ·. rfil! !i••!:-iJ'it . t.!iarl:~ .:-.~ - •~;f!t· r " :z f · . i f i I f I f I I c f p . f 1 !i ' ;. - : ! ~ r J ; a {: .. i ! :: r 'f 1 ! ... .-.i ' =. ' . ' .. r; f ... :_ ~ ... S f_ ~ ) I ' f_ f_. __ · • _· · ' " ... a .-_ ! f r· rr . f · ~ laf.C . ,I••f Ca ... f t:Yt-,.,..1-~ t~•lltiJ.~ 1.4J ' = ' i r p. ·!, 1 . i ... .. ~ ! I ~ ~ = ·f . • ! l . ~ ~ :- E r =- r ' ".··. f = ..... . 1:: c l! a . J ,. • ·} • ;- . ! ll I I 5 : r l . t f :: ~. l i !_ I. 1ft: ff..,•=-} ff v) I' r; •(i. ' [ 8 .. • c ........ r.f
I . :~ !.. ~ : . ~ J_ .. I i. . I J ! '._·. i . · · i f I a. f ... i t i. ; i ~ i · 2 . 1. ' e; ... " ~ = =. -~ .. • ,. .. t .... 211 :: • s: a , = r 2 ~ ~ ~ r . . ~t·lr~~~ ~,'4_1 :~1 t· ~ ... 1--' a f ~ · f. c+ I i • .r ~~ ,. .. , .. ..-J&'irl'=-a-4 e ! I i ... n J,:; s D .. 9 P' . e .....
• '". £ • ". e:_ .... ~- ~ . • • • .. f ,_. . .. .. '. ~ ~~ 1 e ~~;.I· a. e ~- =. ! r ., . t: ,., . .... " ~ - = : ~ ,,.. .· . 1 . . •.· • . .... ;. ... a..£ .. ,. • -· · · ,: ... · = . . , _ ;. . f . . :1a ~ .... . r = ss ~ ... _ .f ~- ,. r f It l _ .. 1 • 1 .. l ~ I I ~ '· ._ . e : a. ~ . ;" E .... ~ . :, a 1 _, r: , . t . .. i .. t!~"",. ... tt ~~1 -F-. r c+ t:- .. ,._ t~ { r o i ... ( r.:"'- r t r ~ - s- . £ =:- a. .... r , _ .... .. • ' • .. ... . ~ s ·• ·~ tif • . . . . . . . It lao 0 ·. . . .. . . • o • • .,... D _ Jt fT . 0 '- ... .. .... . . . • ... .... 0 • .r
.-.. . .. ~.· .. r • ;- ~. . i .. f ~ r_. E t·· !. 1,_ !' 1_. 1 .•· J· 1 •·. c+ f : It ~ I r_ . ·. ~ f ~ .r i • f ·• r I ... i a ·. • I! f ' . . . . S t l ... • ~ t:f_ lfifl · =f~_ tff_ • ~ • f '-i_•· '• i .. ::.g = .. ;,. '- ! ;; .. • I;' . • 2 ·r .il ' I. j 1 e. r . ~ I ·"' I ~ I r E r • g r ~ . i.'!l!t~;ffr;~t:ts J :r!= 1 ' 11 ~!iGl!:i! .. l a=aif. l· f!::,;_. ,,r .. _ 1~_ .... ~_- ,t:&_ l_ llf ... 1-- 1~~ 1. :i_. '_i 1• r;=-l · ... 4CI• t:- 1::2 s. ... 1.; 8 ll 8 1 . ~. •. ,_- I . '·.. .· , t_· E £ I I t: I I • I ~ '· .. t I .. t;. .... t r :1. r t _·· • ; . '!. ~ ,; . a ~ • ~ I . a i ... . . ... l f .J t a- =- = . .... a. ~ ~ .. • .. :a ilf;~l-!r:~,~~ I la,it_' -l .. fct'_ ~rif!tlC~~. ___ .. !:
1-l i1 "'' · 1 _ · !> · f ff t:: '
,/
\
- · ..... iap Intou,-. fy 22fth Jap IDI.
a •buule. t.N ..._lap 4tb lnf•11t17 Cllaobqecl the or4en ~ut •• tOOil •• thq
bt&l'd tlthtlJa& lNlok of thea. 'lhe7 ~~ NDtdna cicwn tb raTine to thAI north.
•e n.rt.4 ~ Tl'• 1»~ tbe bigh arotmd t.o ahoot riaht .ton that ditoh. AI
thq were cUaldq 0\1\ or t.helr cletenH O&'ftl and ••n running clown the ditoh,
•• piltld t.he 41\oh hll of 4eacl Ja)MUJe••· AI thoae 1n the prec1p1toue ploh
pQ.tHA ou:b ol the ploJ!l 1Dto the cUkb, we got. th• too. !he onea w cU.dJJ't pt
Iicht ill t.he dl '-h et.arwd \o ao clOI'Jl the OOJT.Uor and. we pt thea iu oou14el'•
aW. _._... S.. 1•t :\ ot tile 41tctll alMI tot baek to ~ nar. 'EU7 all
W to MRft tbe pl.Gb ud 41to~ t.oaua• th.q CO\lldu't pt. tCMMI or waw. r--- ..
low, • ts.,..d Oil ;wtblna •tralcbt ••t, don the co:rrtdor w1~ tlw 2Dd
-.riM llrul•, una, P''- 1V the aoat dUtf...Ut UDe. w. tbeqht. u. aohl ....W lie a Uttle Iuter aow. It n1, n had CUH•ed rl.pt. We thoqllt. tale 2M
· · la iJ.riaiiD wCM!d p fuw ~ the 21th DbiaioD wld.cla ... 1ll bnW
,..,.J.oal OOD41 t.ioD. b.e 2ftb DirialO'Il had to 1-raYel t.hroap ctlttlal t terrain
tor a 4lateAM et ala 111lea. The lad lariae Dlri1ion ba4"~ 6,000 Jlll'd• \o
tftftl cmr relatl,..q eaar terraia. (See &keteb. #14) •
.. b84 1 pnot.a tlla (2114 lar1M »1Tiaton) to CCJYer their laft tluk
IU•Hlftll' lljr te.kiDI un1 \a in baok of the tront end ehootbg to \he aou.tlnre.t
t. IIU:a nn that. tiN l•ft flank waa OOYere.d aptnat u attaok 1v' ~ lapue"
l!'fa ~ aoa\h, Aa ~7 puehecl forward 1 thq bad. to p tnto a boa ahape. Oar
plu b'Yolwd uYil\c the 27- Wc\17 att&ok to the weat, eou~ t \he 2Dd
22llb Jap Waa'by 1nto the pocket and theJ nn la a poeS.iton to J•p ott to
tM •••t to OYer tM tkak f!tf t.he ~?th IatanV, dCI put out tbe lap Q't1lleJ7.
a., ftl' 17\b Wntr, an4 o\D" 16ht Intant17 had diapond ot the 2mh lapu:teae
IatuV,. The 27\b 11\tantJT •nt tornri witb ita •"'-k aftlll dMcl rtcht Ia
~ u. 11ae. (See suwh llJ). ne 14, .. ..., t. ~ trht Japo•• •·
-~ the la})l p\ ._,. 1D ti'Oilt ot the 2Dd JtarlAe D11iaioD. •• wute4 ~bead
t.b• ott wl\h the lfth Wa'\17. Th•nto:re, •• M4 to ge\ ahnd ot tha &ad pt
a UJw (a.. lbt.U #1') tutaa baok aaat. n.' liD• bt4 to poteet 1te nu tM
.... aa th4t )5th IDfau:'17 ba.cl to clo., $o we aent the 27th IDtan'l'J to hea4 the
J.,_ae o~t. Aa we ltOftd forward, the 6th hrln .. aDd the l82lw.t Intan\17 lo•'\
CODko\ 1a the Junale•· le, therefore, hAd to take the reHr'ft ot the 2Dd lar1ne
Dl't'Uloa, the 147tb. Iatctl-7, to till ttt. gap ~tween the 6t.h aat-inet alld the
I _,
• ... o. f 1 i •• 1 l IE f 1 ff 1 • I !I .. -t: •t•t.,i.;lr~" -.. ia rt 1 .. Jll'ii-i:•f• .....
I II It;~, I."'"•J i r.r 1i t .. • • :I.At:r.,J ltft: 0 f.i!.fll ~~~~~fl1· lt~=Ifct&:irt~t!tllt1 itf~· ~~~ r " i 5 • · i :: t i. r ! I 1 ( 3 I r · f f! ... 'l I 5 ' ~ • :t E
~ r l ! I l f ' I :r ' I ! ~ t f ~ f : f !;= -J : i '- 1 I ) l ;: -i i 1 j f l • • s-1 I ;e ... tt• • z ~·=- ~o• 111 et:f · ' a =- t - It s f ' ' • .. • = t ~ • ~ ' : " ,. a r f a ~ ~ " • tt !tf 8 !lill;':J 1 llfJ'friaf!I·J 1 f.ll 1~1' !fii~II!ifi~,•fiJ ~~g!li1ir::!rt" i~~~ • . I. I ,.. .... ~ • . r =- ..... ... .. . 1 . I l i • r I t:: .. .... " I f i I ~ ; ~ i 1 i I. i l i !. II ~ ll .. i ! ;!. i ~ :- ; i I 4 ~ ! i ~i!·srllf~ffSti~ ~fi:irf~~i~~~; - ii!i s.:lff· f;c .- ,la ',..' fill i!l!!il t"!i'~ s. ... i E
' r = • ~ ~ i f 1 s , a: I I • ~ :: ~e ! ~ ~ ~. ~ r ~ 5 i 1 f ~ ii f ~ -• i!~:~,[- !tlt'!'&f~ )~.t~!ftf!:::l'' 'i~l ., it f i ' 1 f .. i .. . . ~ t rl - ~ .f 2 3 J f • C' .. ~ = , • r . • ' : : .. ... a ' t ! ~; i " ! ' ~ ' . :- . It f 1 :. ! ' f ;ii~;~~;iti~l! 11 & Jril·!t .. ~i~ifli:. ~iit = =~ .... 2 , .... .... ,. I & !'J• '•IIi "!.t• f f ~~· .. f[f!ll~fi{;illJ! i'f~~1 .. ftii~fil! f~i!
""' .... • I i "' ~ f ... ~ £- .. ..i ~ f t.> f , l . '! ~ a II &r e I. • r ~ • •
l'M4 to the 2?\Js Wut17 ud to Clfter \he tlu.k · l the · 27th Inru-,.. •• •P"A4 oat Clllr cletnM tueu aOIItlwbat., )JQ.t •• d14Jl•t _,.., ..,. t•rM of.,..,. . ,
the laJid .. p\ a lot aore tnpeata thaD •• clo tn. oe anllle17. h tol4
Ule 27\b lataatq b. n ,pq ,. their"' at. to hue V. ar\f.ll•l'J ..... •hooUq
ill.t. Ua•• tllat. w "" aorq, lNt tMJ"'4 Sut baft t.o duck thelr ....._. le
W \o •lloot ·the Iapan•"· In orter to 1•t th ... lapl .- aao• ld.\ OU' owa '\a'oopa
wltb lu-..\ blta, w haAS to M_Jut ~· antll•rr 1n t.b• PaoUto On . &D4 ..-P
1D • ~ Japu.•n UDti.l n ao\ t.Ma. (See lketoll#l6). ApiD tiM ar\1U.~ 414
ft'J7 tine wort. le aot that buah. a.uq all deacl bu\ • pt tal•. •• aq
haft rotta a tn of ow •81:' wouncted h-Olt ov owa arUli.,. t .. cli4 tM 1 '-• 1 tn caaulU.a bw.t DO cl.. • We sot ac.e JI10I'tUo tin tJ111A the Jape t AGt.
••• there -.. \br'ee t.,pH of artll.l.el7 a4Jua-..u I haw aiftD ,_, _,. 11
the towth ODeec n.n the llies are Qloae together, 7W.'"f• got to lhoot Ollt t.-
70Dd J'O'Qr l.he ·and crreep back on it. 'l'Mt is, \J7 •taoat4a& 1A the rear t t
-11-
\ I \
ot tM Japu.eae line ud
.lac to ahoot. b tH .Udle aa4 then aprud .-. ftte boallal'Oent of the lap 228th
llataaV, waa aoa...._t lJD'UU&l, t.eaue" he4 to ahoot in t'ront. ot our 16la\
to 'pnt.ot, ·~elalq our abtieUa, tor it \he Japan••·• took tb.., · W01I14
••• a.t.r eupreaq aD4 •• 110uld haw loa\ 110et of ~t whielh our ~or-. ba4 wou
to 4ate. h aleo had to be nad7- aeet. MT bloo.ia& Iapan••• ni t~eNDte
~- al&ht be OJl their wq. •• pu.lled the 2'th D1Ylalon -~ to ... , ar:rr laP..•• rdattl't••••t. and pal thb la t!le Corpe Rtten. to cleteDCl beaeaa. abt1elcla,
et.e., l•&"flDa elatnta t .o bolc1 the Jap 124th bt~ ~ lhtt 2D4 lariae D1YU1•
the a\\a • • • 1101*1 the Japan••• re1blv - wwld ooae ill• bat
Uta''· •.,s.raa whl,..t the Japt " orclere t.M· 2Di lube l>i•l•ioa up tU een1dor
ta Pll'ftl.t. ftae7 W lite told \o aciYance with a .lMitt.al.ioo 1• tile lad ora a
~tiftlJ' 1~ hoat. 'fbq weN to haw ia fr'lont, of \b1e battalion an act
_..._ pud, lM1Ue1 a aeri•• ot flank pard• \o proteo~ their left tlukjt
ftat would req1lin a pod •• tl&U auard• •••17 thou•Pct 7e.rd• OJ' neq ·fOO