Battle of Guadalcanal order of battle

Guadalcanal Order of Battle is a list of the significant land units that fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal between August 7th, 1942 and February 9th, 1943.

Japanese

On August 10th, 1942, the Japanese 17th Army under Lieutenant General Harukichi Hyakutake assumed command of the Japanese efforts to retake Guadalcanal. The General arrived on the island to take direct command on October 10th.

*Imperial Japanese 2nd Infantry Division¹
**4th Infantry Regiment
**16th Infantry Regiment
**29th Infantry Regiment
**2nd Artillery Regiment
**2nd Engineer Battalion

*Imperial Japanese 38th Infantry Division²
**228th Infantry Regiment
**229th Infantry Regiment
**230th Infantry Regiment
**38th Mountain Gun Regiment
**38th Engineer Battalion

*35th Brigade³
**124th Infantry Regiment
**Kitao Battalion/"Ichiki" Detachment
**4th Artillery Regiment
**10th Mountain Gun Battalion
**20th Mountain Gun Battalion

*28th Infantry Regiment⁴
*11th Construction Unit⁵
*13th Construction Unit⁵

"Notes:"
#The "Sendai" division arrived between September 5th and October 4th under the command of Lieutenant General Masao Maruyama.
#The depleted 38th division arrived November 5th-15th under the command of Lieutenant General Tadayoshi Sano.
#The 35th Brigade arrived August 29th-September 5, under the command of Major General Kiyotaki Kawaguchi. It included a late-arriving battalion of the 28th Infantry Regiment.
#The "Ichiki" detachment arrived August 18th-24th.
#These units arrived on Guadalcanal July 6 to begin construction of an airstrip.

United States

The US landing force on Guadalcanal was under the command of Marine Major General Alexander Archer Vandegrift. On December 8th he was replaced by Army Major General Alexander McCarrell Patch, who took command of the U.S. XIV Army Corps on January 2nd.

Marines

*1st Marine Division¹
**1st Marine Regiment
**5th Marine Regiment
**7th Marine Regiment
**11th Marine Regiment
**1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion
**1st Aviation Engineer Battalion
**1st Parachute Battalion²
**1st Pioneer Battalion
**1st Raider Battalion
**1st Special Weapons Battalion
**1st Tank Battalion

*2nd Marine Division³
**2nd Marine Regiment
**6th Marine Regiment
**8th Marine Regiment
**10th Marine Regiment
**2nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion
**3rd Defense Battalion
**9th Defense Battalion
**2nd Raider Battalion
**2nd Special Weapons Battalion
**2nd Tank Battalion

"Notes:"
#The 1st Marine Division was commanded by Major General Alexander Archer Vandegrift. The majority of the division arrived on Guadalcanal August 7th. 2nd Battalion 5th Marines and elements of the 1st Pioneer Battalion arrived later in August. 7th Marines and 1st battalion/11th Marines arrived September 18th. The division began withdrawal from the island December 12th.
#Arrived September 8th; departed September 18th.
#The 2nd Marines were attached to the 1st Marine Division for the initial landing on August 7th, although the 1st and 3rd battalions were initially employed on Tulagi and Gavutu-Tanambogo islands. The entire regiment was on Guadalcanal by November. On November 4 the 8th Marines landed, and the remainder of the division followed in December. The division came under the command of Brigadier General Alphonse De Carre.

Army

*25th Infantry Division¹
**27th Infantry Regiment
**35th Infantry Regiment
**161st Infantry Regiment
**8th Field Artillery Battalion
**64th Field Artillery Battaltion
**89th Field Artillery Battalion
**90th Field Artillery Battalion
**65th Engineer Combat Battalion

*Americal Division²
**132nd Infantry Regiment
**164th Infantry Regiment
**182nd Infantry Regiment
**221st Field Artillery Battalion
**245th Field Artillery Battalion
**246th Field Artillery Battalion
**247th Field Artillery Battalion
**57th Engineer Combat Battalion

*147th Independent Infantry Regiment³

*97th Field Artillery Battalion
*214th Coast Artillery Regiment
*244th Coast Artillery Regiment

"Notes:"
#The 25th division arrived by January 4th, 1943, under the command of Major General Joseph Lawton Collins.
#The 164th arrived October 13th; the 182nd on November 12th, and the division HQ and 132nd on December 8th. The division was under the command of Major General Alexander McCarrell Patch.
#Arrived November 4th.