About this episode
2nd Matanikau - Guadalcanal and Pullers rescue of the 1/7th Marines. The 2nd Battle of the Matanikau Part II - This is the eighth episode of our Guadalcanal series with historian and author Dave Holland. This episode discusses: What was the plan for 27 September, and why was it inherently risky? How did a breakdown in command-and-control affect the Marines' river-crossing plan at the Matanikau River? How did the Japanese react so fast, and what trap did they set behind Chesty Puller? Why did the Raiders get stopped short of the One Log Bridge—and what happened to Ken Bailey? What role did comms failure play once the fight started to go wrong? How did the amphibious "end run" force end up trapped west of Point Cruz? What made the situation worse once they were cut off—equipment and radios? How did the "HELP" undershirt signal actually work, and what did the pilot do? How was the rescue executed—who coordinated it, and what enabled withdrawal under fire? What were the lessons learnt and why are they important today? Who was Samuel B. Griffith?
