#OTD in 1942, U.S. Marines with the 1st Marine Division launched the first major amphibious landing of World War II in the Pacific, known as Operation Watchtower, on the island of Guadalcanal. Guadalcanal was a strategic location, securing Allied supply lines between the U.S. and Australia. To threaten these supply lines, Imperial Japan began building an airfield, which was seized and completed by the Marines and later named Henderson Field. The campaign lasted six months with fierce battles such as the stand at Edson’s Ridge where outnumbered Marines repelled Imperial Japanese assaults and Sgt. John Basilone’s legendary defense during the Battle for Henderson Field, where he earned the Medal of Honor. The naval battle of Guadalcanal marked a turning point in the Pacific War, crippling Imperial Japanese forces’ offensive capability and forcing them onto the defensive. By February 9, 1943, the Imperial Japanese withdrew, ending the campaign and paving the way for U.S. control of the Solomon Islands. ✍️ (U.S. Marine Corps Graphic by Lance Cpl. Ellen Guo)