page:  = Battle of <unk> 's Ridge = 
   
   The Battle of <unk> 's Ridge , also known as the Battle of the Bloody Ridge , Battle of Raiders Ridge , and Battle of the Ridge , was a land battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Imperial Japanese Army and Allied ( mainly United States Marine Corps ) ground forces . It took place from 12 – 14 September 1942 , on <unk> in the Solomon Islands , and was the second of three separate major Japanese ground offensives during the <unk> Campaign . 
   In the battle , U.S. Marines , under the overall command of U.S. Major General Alexander <unk> , repulsed an attack by the Japanese 35th Infantry Brigade , under the command of Japanese Major General <unk> <unk> . The Marines were defending the <unk> perimeter that guarded Henderson Field on <unk> , which was captured from the Japanese by the Allies in landings on <unk> on 7 August 1942 . <unk> 's unit was sent to <unk> in response to the Allied landings with the mission of <unk> the airfield and driving the Allied forces from the island . 
   <unk> the strength of Allied forces on <unk> – about 12 @,@ 000 – <unk> 's 6 @,@ 000 soldiers conducted several nighttime frontal assaults on the U.S. defenses . The main Japanese assault occurred around <unk> ridge south of Henderson Field , manned by troops from several U.S. Marine Corps units , primarily troops from the 1st <unk> and 1st Parachute Battalions under U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Merritt A. <unk> . Although the Marine defenses were almost overrun , <unk> 's attack was ultimately defeated , with heavy losses for the Japanese . 
   Because of the key participation by <unk> 's unit in defending the ridge , the ridge was commonly referred to as " <unk> 's " ridge in historical accounts of the battle in Western sources . After <unk> 's Ridge , the Japanese continued to send troops to <unk> for further attempts to retake Henderson Field , affecting Japanese offensive operations in other areas of the South Pacific . 
   
   = = Background = = 
   
   
   = = = <unk> campaign = = = 
   
   On 7 August 1942 , Allied forces ( primarily U.S. ) landed on <unk> , <unk> , and Florida Islands in the Solomon Islands . The landings on the islands were meant to deny their use by the Japanese as bases for threatening the supply routes between the U.S. and Australia . They were also intended to secure the islands as starting points for a campaign to neutralize the major Japanese base at Rabaul and support the Allied New Guinea campaign . The landings initiated the six @-@ month @-@ long <unk> campaign . 
   Taking the Japanese by surprise , by nightfall on 8 August the Allied landing forces had secured <unk> and nearby small islands , as well as an airfield under construction at <unk> Point ( 9 ° 25 ′ 45 ″ S 160 ° 3 ′ 4 ″ E ) on the north shore of the island of <unk> east of the present day capital of <unk> . <unk> placed his 11 @,@ 000 troops of the 1st Marine Division on <unk> in a loose perimeter around the <unk> Point area . 
   On 12 August , the airfield was named Henderson Field after Major <unk> Henderson , a Marine <unk> who had been killed at the Battle of Midway . The Allied aircraft and pilots that subsequently operated out of Henderson Field were called the " <unk> Air Force " after the Allied code name for <unk> . 
   In response to the Allied landings on <unk> , the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters assigned the Imperial Japanese Army 's 17th Army — a corps @-@ sized command based at Rabaul ( 4 ° 11 ′ 56 ″ S 152 ° 9 ′ 57 ″ E ) and under the command of Lieutenant @-@ General <unk> <unk> — with the task of retaking <unk> from Allied forces . The 17th Army — heavily involved with the Japanese campaign in New Guinea — had only a few units available to send to the southern <unk> area . Of these units , the 35th Infantry Brigade — under Major General <unk> <unk> — was at <unk> , the 4th ( <unk> ) Infantry Regiment was in the Philippines and the 28th ( <unk> ) Infantry Regiment — under the command of Colonel <unk> <unk> — was embarked on transport ships near Guam . The different units began to move toward <unk> immediately ; <unk> 's regiment — the closest — arrived first . The " First <unk> " of <unk> 's unit — consisting of about <unk> soldiers — landed from destroyers at <unk> Point ( 9 ° 24 ′ 38 ″ S 160 ° 20 ′ 56 ″ E ) , about 18 mi ( 29 km ) east of the <unk> perimeter , on August 19 . 
   <unk> the strength of Allied forces on <unk> , <unk> 's First <unk> conducted a nighttime frontal assault on Marine positions at <unk> Creek on the east side of the <unk> perimeter in the early morning hours of August 21 . <unk> 's assault was repulsed with devastating losses for the attackers in what became known as the Battle of the <unk> : all but 128 of the <unk> men of the First <unk> ( including <unk> himself ) were killed in the battle . The survivors returned to <unk> Point , notified 17th Army headquarters of their defeat in the battle and awaited further reinforcements and orders from Rabaul . 
   By 23 August , <unk> 's unit had reached <unk> and was loaded onto slow transport ships for the rest of the trip to <unk> . Because of the damage caused by Allied air attack to a separate troop convoy during the Battle of the Eastern <unk> , the Japanese decided not to deliver <unk> 's troops to <unk> by slow transport ship ; instead , the ships carrying <unk> 's soldiers were sent to Rabaul . From there , the Japanese planned to deliver <unk> 's men to <unk> by destroyers , staging through a Japanese naval base in the <unk> Islands . The Japanese destroyers were usually able to make the round trip down " The <unk> " to <unk> and back in a single night , <unk> their exposure to Allied air attack . However , most of the soldiers ' heavy equipment and supplies , such as heavy artillery , vehicles , and much food and ammunition , could not be taken to <unk> with them . These high @-@ speed destroyer runs to <unk> , which occurred throughout the campaign , were later called the " Tokyo Express " by Allied forces and " Rat Transportation " by the Japanese . The Japanese controlled the seas around the Solomon Islands during the nighttime and were not challenged by the Allies . However , any Japanese ship remaining within the 200 mi ( 320 km ) range of the aircraft at Henderson Field in daylight was in great danger from air attacks . This " curious tactical situation " held for several months . 
   
   = = = <unk> movement = = = 
   
   On 28 August , 600 of <unk> 's troops were loaded onto the destroyers <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , and <unk> , designated Destroyer Division 20 ( <unk> ) . Because of a shortage of fuel , <unk> could not make the entire round trip to <unk> at high speed in one night , but had to start the trip earlier in the day so that they could complete the trip by the next morning at a slower speed which <unk> fuel . At 18 : 05 that day , 11 U.S. dive bombers from <unk> @-@ 232 under the command of Lt. Col. Richard <unk> , flew from Henderson Field and located and attacked <unk> about 70 mi ( 110 km ) north of <unk> , sinking <unk> and heavily damaging <unk> and <unk> . <unk> took <unk> in tow and the three destroyers returned to the <unk> without completing their mission . The attack on <unk> killed 62 of <unk> 's soldiers and 94 crew members . 
   Subsequent " Express " runs were more successful . Between 29 August and 4 September , various Japanese light cruisers , destroyers , and patrol boats were able to land almost 5 @,@ 000 troops at <unk> Point , including all of the 35th Infantry Brigade , one battalion of the <unk> Regiment , and the rest of <unk> 's regiment . General <unk> , who landed at <unk> Point on the 31 August Express run , was placed in command of all the Japanese troops on <unk> . On the night of 4 / 5 September , as three of the Express destroyers — <unk> , <unk> , and <unk> — prepared to shell Henderson Field after landing their troops , they detected and sank two U.S. ships in the vicinity , the small , old destroyer transports ( called " <unk> " by the U.S. Marines ) USS Little and Gregory that were used to <unk> Allied troops around the <unk> / <unk> area . 
   In spite of the successes of the destroyer runs , <unk> insisted that as many soldiers of his brigade as possible be delivered to <unk> by slow barges . Therefore , a convoy carrying 1 @,@ 100 of <unk> 's troops and heavy equipment in 61 barges , mainly from the 2nd Battalion , <unk> Infantry Regiment under the command of Colonel <unk> <unk> , departed the northern coast of Santa Isabel Island on 2 September . On 4 – 5 September , aircraft from Henderson Field attacked the barge convoy , killing about 90 of the soldiers in the barges and destroying much of the unit 's heavy equipment . Most of the remaining 1 @,@ 000 troops were able to land near <unk> ( 9 ° 15 ′ 32 ″ S 159 ° 40 ′ 18 ″ E ) , west of the <unk> perimeter over the next few days . By 7 September , <unk> had 5 @,@ 200 troops at <unk> Point and 1 @,@ 000 west of the <unk> perimeter . <unk> was confident enough that he could defeat the Allied forces facing him that he declined an offer from the 17th Army for delivery of one more infantry battalion to augment his forces . <unk> believed that there were only about 2 @,@ 000 U.S. Marines on <unk> . 
   During this time , <unk> continued to direct efforts to strengthen and improve the defenses of the <unk> perimeter . Between 21 August and 3 September , he relocated three Marine battalions — including the 1st <unk> Battalion , under U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Merritt A. <unk> ( <unk> 's Raiders ) , and the 1st Parachute Battalion — from <unk> and <unk> to <unk> . These units added about 1 @,@ 500 troops to <unk> 's original 11 @,@ 000 men defending Henderson Field . The 1st Parachute battalion , which had suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of <unk> and <unk> @-@ <unk> in August , was placed under <unk> 's command . 
   
   = = Battle = = 
   
   
   = = = Prelude = = = 
   
   <unk> set the date for his attack on the <unk> perimeter for 12 September and began marching his forces west from <unk> towards <unk> Point on 5 September . He <unk> 17th Army and requested that it carry out air strikes on Henderson Field beginning on 9 September , and that naval warships be stationed off <unk> Point on September 12 to " destroy any Americans who attempted to flee from the island . " On 7 September , <unk> issued his attack plan to " <unk> and <unk> the enemy in the vicinity of the <unk> Island airfield . " <unk> 's plan called for his forces to split into three , approach the <unk> perimeter inland , and launch a surprise night attack . <unk> 's force would attack the perimeter from the west while <unk> 's Second <unk> — renamed the <unk> Battalion — would attack from the east . The main attack would be by <unk> 's " Center Body " , numbering 3 @,@ 000 men in three battalions , from the south of the <unk> perimeter . By 7 September , most of <unk> 's troops had started marching from <unk> towards <unk> Point along the coastline . About 250 Japanese troops remained behind to guard the brigade 's supply base at <unk> . 
   Meanwhile , native island scouts — directed by British government official and officer in the British Solomon Islands <unk> Defence Force , Martin <unk> — told the Marines of Japanese troops at <unk> , near the village of <unk> , about 17 mi ( 27 km ) east of <unk> . <unk> launched a raid against the Japanese troops at <unk> . Destroyer transports USS McKean and <unk> and two patrol boats took <unk> of <unk> 's men to <unk> in two trips . <unk> and his first wave of <unk> troops landed at <unk> at 05 : 20 ( local time ) on 8 September . <unk> by aircraft from Henderson Field and gunfire from the destroyer transports , <unk> 's men advanced towards <unk> village but were slowed by Japanese resistance . At 11 : 00 , the rest of <unk> 's men landed . With this reinforcement and more support from the Henderson Field aircraft , <unk> 's force pushed into the village . The Japanese defenders , believing a major landing was underway after observing the concurrent approach of an Allied supply ship convoy heading towards <unk> Point , retreated into the jungle , leaving behind 27 dead . Two Marines were killed . 
   In <unk> , <unk> 's troops discovered the supply base for <unk> 's forces , including large <unk> of food , ammunition and medical supplies , and a <unk> radio . The Marines seized documents , equipment and food supplies , destroyed the rest , and returned to the <unk> perimeter at 17 : 30 . The quantities of supplies and intelligence from the captured documents revealed that at least 3 @,@ 000 Japanese troops were on the island and apparently planning an attack . 
   <unk> and Colonel Gerald Thomas , <unk> 's operations officer , believed that the Japanese attack would come at the <unk> Ridge , a narrow , grassy , 1 @,@ 000 m ( 1 @,@ 100 yd ) long , coral ridge ( 9 ° 26 ′ 39 ″ S 160 ° 2 ′ 50 ″ E ) parallel to the <unk> River just south of Henderson Field . The ridge offered a natural <unk> of approach to the airfield , commanded the surrounding area and was almost undefended . <unk> and Thomas tried to persuade <unk> to move forces to defend the ridge , but <unk> refused , believing that the Japanese were more likely to attack along the coast . Finally , Thomas convinced <unk> that the ridge was a good location for <unk> 's Raiders to " rest " from their actions of the preceding month . On 11 September , the 840 men of <unk> 's unit — including the 1st Raiders and the <unk> — deployed onto and around the ridge and prepared to defend it . 
   <unk> 's Center Body of troops was planning to attack the <unk> perimeter at the ridge , which they called " the <unk> " ( <unk> <unk> ) because of its shape . On 9 September , <unk> 's troops left the coast at <unk> Point . <unk> into four columns , they marched into the jungle towards their <unk> attack points south and southeast of the airfield . <unk> of good maps , at least one faulty <unk> , and thick , almost impenetrable jungle caused the Japanese columns to proceed slowly and <unk> , costing a lot of time . At the same time , <unk> 's troops approached the <unk> perimeter from the west . <unk> had some intelligence on the Marine defenses , extracted from a U.S. Army pilot captured on 30 August . 
   During the day of 12 September , <unk> 's troops struggled through the jungle toward their assembly points for that night 's attacks . <unk> wanted his three Center Body battalions in place by 14 : 00 , but they did not reach their assembly areas until after 22 : 00 . <unk> was also delayed in his advance towards the Marine lines in the west . Only the <unk> battalion reported that they were in place on time . Despite the problems in reaching the planned attack positions , <unk> was still confident in his attack plan because a captured U.S. pilot disclosed that the ridge was the weakest part of the Marine defenses . Japanese bombers attacked the ridge during daytime on 11 – 12 September , causing a few casualties , including two killed . 
   
   = = = First night 's action = = = 
   
   The Americans knew of the approach of the Japanese forces from reports from native scouts and their own patrols , but did not know exactly where or when they would attack . The ridge around which <unk> deployed his men consisted of three distinct <unk> . At the southern tip and surrounded on three sides by thick jungle was Hill 80 ( so named because it rose 80 ft ( 24 m ) above sea level ) . Six hundred yards north was Hill 123 ( 123 ft ( 37 m ) high ) , the dominant feature on the ridge . The <unk> <unk> was unnamed and about 60 ft ( 18 m ) high . <unk> placed the five companies from the <unk> battalion on the west side of the ridge and the three Parachute battalion companies on the east side , holding positions in depth from Hill 80 back to Hill 123 . Two of the five <unk> companies , " B " and " C " , held a line between the ridge , a small , swampy <unk> , and the <unk> River . Machine @-@ gun teams from " E " Company , the heavy weapons company , were scattered throughout the defenses . <unk> placed his command post on Hill 123 . 
   At 21 : 30 on 12 September , the Japanese cruiser <unk> and three destroyers shelled the <unk> perimeter for 20 minutes and illuminated the ridge with a <unk> . Japanese artillery began shelling the Marine lines , but did little damage . At the same time , scattered groups of <unk> 's troops began <unk> with Marines around the ridge . <unk> 's 1st Battalion — led by Major <unk> <unk> — attacked the <unk> 's " C " company between the <unk> and the <unk> River , overrunning at least one platoon and forcing the Marine company to fall back to the ridge . <unk> 's unit became entangled with troops from <unk> 's 3rd Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel <unk> <unk> , who were still struggling to reach their attack positions , and the resulting confusion effectively stopped the Japanese attack on the ridge that night . <unk> , who was having trouble locating where he was in relation to the U.S. Marine lines as well as coordinating his troops ' attacks , later complained , " Due to the <unk> jungle , the brigade was scattered all over and was completely beyond my control . In my whole life I have never felt so disappointed and helpless . " Twelve U.S. Marines were killed ; Japanese casualties are unknown but perhaps somewhat greater . Although both <unk> in the west and the <unk> unit in the east tried to attack the Marine lines that night , they failed to make contact and halted near the Marine lines at dawn . 
   At first light on 13 September , <unk> Air Force aircraft and Marine artillery fired into the area just south of the ridge , forcing any Japanese out in the open to seek cover in the nearby jungle . The Japanese suffered several casualties , including two officers from <unk> 's battalion . At 05 : 50 , <unk> decided to regroup his forces for another attack that night . 
   
   = = = Second night 's action on the ridge = = = 
   
   <unk> the Japanese to attack again that night , <unk> directed his troops to improve their defenses on and around the ridge . After a failed attempt by two companies to retake the ground on the Marine right flank lost to <unk> the night before , <unk> <unk> his forces . He pulled his front back about 400 yd ( 370 m ) to a line that stretched 1 @,@ 800 yd ( 1 @,@ 600 m ) , starting at the <unk> River and crossing the ridge about 150 yd ( 140 m ) south of Hill 123 . Around and behind Hill 123 he placed five companies . Any Japanese attackers <unk> Hill 80 would have to advance over 400 yd ( 370 m ) of open terrain to close with the Marine positions at Hill 123 . With only a few hours to prepare , the Marines were only able to construct rudimentary and shallow fortifications . They were low on ammunition , with one or two grenades for each Marine . <unk> ordered a reserve force consisting of the 2nd Battalion , 5th Marine Regiment ( 2 / 5 ) to move into a position just to the rear of <unk> 's troops . In addition , a battery of four <unk> howitzers from the 11th Marine Regiment moved to a location from where it could provide direct fire onto the ridge , and a forward artillery observer was placed with <unk> 's front line units . 
   Late in the afternoon , <unk> stepped onto a grenade box and addressed his exhausted troops , saying , 
   You men have done a great job , and I have just one more thing to ask of you . <unk> out just one more night . I know we 've been without sleep a long time . But we expect another attack from them tonight and they may come through here . I have every reason to believe that we will have reliefs here for all of us in the morning . 
   <unk> 's speech " raised the spirits " of the Raiders and helped them prepare mentally for the night ahead . 
   As the sun set on 13 September , <unk> faced <unk> 's 830 Marines with 3 @,@ 000 troops of his brigade , plus an assortment of light artillery . The night was pitch black , with no moon . At 21 : 00 , seven Japanese destroyers briefly bombarded the ridge . <unk> 's attack began just after nightfall , with <unk> 's battalion assaulting <unk> Company B on the Marine right flank , just to the west of the ridge . The force of the assault caused Company B to fall back to Hill 123 . Under Marine artillery fire , <unk> reassembled his men and continued his attack . Without <unk> to try to " roll @-@ up " the other nearby Marine units , whose flanks were now unprotected , <unk> 's unit <unk> forward through the swampy lowlands between the ridge and the <unk> River , heading for the airfield . <unk> 's men came upon a pile of Marine supplies and rations . Not having eaten adequately for a couple of days , they paused to " <unk> themselves " on the " C " and " K " rations . <unk> ordered his men to continue the attack . At about 03 : 00 , he led them against the Marine units around the northern portion of the ridge , just short of the airfield , as well as Hill 123 . In the heavy fighting that followed , <unk> and around 100 of his men were killed , ending that attack . 
   Meanwhile , <unk> 's 2nd Battalion , under Major <unk> Tamura , assembled for their planned assault against Hill 80 from the jungle south of the ridge . Marine observers spotted Tamura 's preparations and called in artillery fire . At about 22 : 00 , a barrage from twelve 105 mm ( 4 @.@ 1 in ) guns hit Tamura 's position . In response , two companies of Tamura 's troops — numbering about 320 men — charged up Hill 80 with fixed bayonets behind their own barrage of mortar fire and grenades . Tamura 's attack hit Company B of the Marine Parachute battalion and also <unk> Company B , pushing the <unk> off the east side of the ridge into a draw below the <unk> . To protect the exposed <unk> Company B , <unk> immediately ordered them to pull back onto Hill 123 . 
   At the same time , a Japanese company from <unk> 's battalion infiltrated through a gap between the east side of the ridge and Parachute Company C. <unk> that their positions were now <unk> , Parachute Companies B and C climbed onto the ridge and retreated to a position behind Hill 123 . In the darkness and confusion of the battle , the retreat quickly became confused and disorganized . A few Marines began <unk> that the Japanese were attacking with poison gas , <unk> other Marines who no longer possessed their gas masks . After arriving behind Hill 123 , some of the Marines continued on towards the airfield , repeating the word " withdraw " to anyone within <unk> . Other Marines began to follow them . Just at the moment that it appeared that the Marines on the hill were about to break and head for the rear in a <unk> , <unk> , Major Kenneth D. Bailey from <unk> 's staff , and other Marine officers appeared and , with " vivid " language , <unk> the Marines back into defensive positions around Hill 123 . 
   As the Marines formed into a <unk> @-@ shaped line around Hill 123 , Tamura 's battalion began a series of frontal assaults on the hill , charging up the saddle from Hill 80 and up from below the east side of the ridge . Under the light of parachute flares dropped by at least one Japanese <unk> , the Marines repulsed the first two attacks by Tamura 's men . Tamura 's troops <unk> a 75 mm ( 2 @.@ 95 in ) " regimental " gun to the top of Hill 80 in an effort to fire it directly at the Marines . This gun , which " could have turned the tide in favor of the Japanese , " however , was disabled by a faulty firing pin . At midnight , during a short lull in the fighting , <unk> ordered Parachute Companies B and C to advance from behind Hill 123 to strengthen his left flank . With fixed bayonets , the <unk> swept forward , killing Japanese soldiers who had overrun the Marine lines and were apparently preparing to roll up the Marine lines from the flank , and took position on the east side of the hill . Marines from other units , as well as members of <unk> 's command staff , including Major Bailey , took ammunition and grenades under fire to the Marines around Hill 123 , who were running critically low . Said Marine participant Captain William J. <unk> , " The Japanese attack was almost constant , like a rain that <unk> for a moment and then <unk> the harder ... When one wave was <unk> down - and I mean <unk> down - another followed it into death . " 
   The Japanese hit <unk> 's left flank just after the <unk> took position but were again stopped by Marine rifle , machine @-@ gun , mortar , and grenade fire . Marine 105 mm and 75 mm artillery was also taking a heavy toll on the attacking Japanese . A captured Japanese soldier later said that his unit was " annihilated " by the Marine artillery fire , which only 10 % of his company survived . 
   By 04 : 00 , after <unk> several more assaults , some of which resulted in hand @-@ to @-@ hand fighting , and severe sniper fire from all sides , <unk> 's men were joined by troops from the 2nd Battalion , 5th Marine Regiment , who helped repulse two more Japanese attacks before dawn . Throughout the night , as <unk> 's men came close to overrunning the Marine defenses , <unk> remained standing about 20 yd ( 18 m ) behind the Marine firing line on Hill 123 , <unk> his troops and directing their defensive efforts . Said Marine Captain <unk> Smith , who was in position to observe <unk> for most of the night , " I can say that if there is such a thing as one man holding a battalion together , <unk> did it that night . He stood just behind the front lines – stood , when most of us <unk> the ground . " 
   During the heavy fighting , portions of three Japanese companies , including two from Tamura 's and one from <unk> 's battalions , <unk> the Marine defenses on the ridge , while suffering heavy losses from Marine gunfire , and reached the edge of " Fighter One " , a secondary runway of Henderson Field . A counterattack by the Marine engineers stopped one Japanese company 's advances and forced it to retreat . The other two companies waited at the edge of the jungle for reinforcements to arrive before attacking into the open area around the airfield . When no reinforcements joined them , both companies went back to their original positions south of the ridge after <unk> . Most of the rest of <unk> 's battalion did not participate in the battle because they lost contact with their commander during the night . 
   As the sun rose on 14 September , pockets of Japanese soldiers remained scattered along both sides of the ridge . But with Tamura 's battalion shattered after losing <unk> of its officers and men , and with heavy casualties to his other attacking units as well , <unk> 's assault on the ridge had effectively ended . About 100 Japanese soldiers still remained in the open on the south slope of Hill 80 , perhaps preparing for one more charge on Hill 123 . At first light , three U.S. Army aircraft from the 67th Fighter Squadron at Henderson Field , acting on a request personally delivered by Bailey , <unk> the Japanese near Hill 80 and killed most of them , with the few survivors retreating back into the jungle . 
   
   = = = <unk> and <unk> attacks = = = 
   
   As the battle on the ridge took place , <unk> 's <unk> and <unk> units also attacked the Marine defenses on the east and west sides of the <unk> perimeter . The <unk> battalion — led by Major Takeshi <unk> — attacked the southeastern sector of the <unk> perimeter , defended by Marines of the 3rd Battalion , 1st Marine Regiment ( 3 / 1 ) . <unk> 's attack started around midnight , with one company attacking through Marine artillery fire and engaging in hand @-@ to @-@ hand combat with the Marine defenders before being thrown back . <unk> was killed in the attack . After <unk> , the Marines , believing that the rest of <unk> 's battalion was still in the area , sent forward six light tanks without infantry support to sweep the area in front of the Marine lines ; four Japanese 37 mm ( 1 @.@ 46 in ) anti @-@ tank guns destroyed or disabled three of them . After abandoning their burning tanks , several of the disabled tanks ' <unk> were <unk> and killed by the Japanese . One tank <unk> down an embankment into the <unk> River , drowning its crew . 
   At 23 : 00 on 14 September , the remnants of the <unk> battalion conducted another attack on the same portion of the Marine lines , but were repulsed . A final " weak " attack by the <unk> unit on the evening of 15 September was also defeated . 
   <unk> 's unit of about 650 men attacked the Marines at several locations on the west side of the <unk> perimeter . At about 04 : 00 on 14 September , two Japanese companies attacked positions held by the 3rd Battalion , 5th Marine Regiment ( 3 / 5 ) near the coast and were thrown back with heavy losses . Another Japanese company captured a small ridge somewhat inland but was then pinned down by Marine artillery fire throughout the day and took heavy losses before withdrawing on the evening of 14 September . The rest of <unk> 's unit failed to find the Marine lines and did not participate in the attack . 
   
   = = Aftermath = = 
   
   At 13 : 05 on 14 September , <unk> led the survivors of his shattered brigade away from the ridge and deeper into the jungle , where they rested and tended to their wounded all the next day . <unk> 's units were then ordered to withdraw west to the <unk> River valley to join with <unk> 's unit , a 6 mi ( 9 @.@ 7 km ) march over difficult terrain . <unk> 's troops began the march on the morning of 16 September . Almost every soldier able to walk had to help carry the wounded . As the march progressed , the exhausted and hungry soldiers , who had eaten their last rations on the morning before their withdrawal , began to <unk> their heavy equipment and then their rifles . By the time most of them reached <unk> 's positions at <unk> five days later , only half still carried their weapons . The <unk> battalion 's survivors , attempting to follow <unk> 's Center Body forces , became lost , wandered for three weeks in the jungle , and almost <unk> to death before finally reaching <unk> 's camp . 
   In total , <unk> 's forces lost about 830 killed in the attack , including 350 in Tamura 's battalion , 200 in <unk> 's battalion , 120 in <unk> 's force , 100 in the <unk> battalion , and 60 in <unk> 's battalion . An unknown number of wounded also died during the withdrawal march to the <unk> . On and around the ridge , the Marines counted 500 Japanese dead , including 200 on the slopes of Hill 123 . The Marines suffered 80 killed between 12 and 14 September . 
   On 17 September , <unk> sent two companies from the 1st Battalion , 1st Marine Regiment ( 1 / 1 ) to pursue the retreating Japanese . The Marines were ambushed by two Japanese companies acting as rear @-@ guards for the withdrawal , and one Marine platoon was pinned down as the rest of the Marines retreated . The Marine company commander requested permission to attempt to rescue his platoon but was denied by <unk> . By nightfall , the Japanese overran and nearly annihilated the platoon , killing 24 Marines with only a few wounded members of the platoon surviving . On 20 September , a patrol from <unk> 's Raiders encountered stragglers from <unk> 's retreating column and called in artillery fire that killed 19 of them . 
   As the Japanese regrouped west of the <unk> , the U.S. forces concentrated on shoring up and strengthening their <unk> defenses . On 14 September , <unk> moved another battalion , the 3rd Battalion , 2nd Marine Regiment ( 3 / 2 ) , from <unk> to <unk> . On 18 September , an Allied naval convoy delivered 4 @,@ 157 men from the 3rd Provisional Marine Brigade ( the U.S. 7th Marine Regiment augmented by additional support units ) to <unk> . These reinforcements allowed <unk> — beginning on 19 September — to establish an unbroken line of defense around the <unk> perimeter . <unk> 's forces ' next significant clashes with the Japanese occurred along the <unk> River from 23 – 27 September and 6 – 9 October . 
   
   = = <unk> = = 
   
   On 15 September , General <unk> at Rabaul learned of <unk> 's defeat , the Imperial Japanese Army 's first defeat involving a unit of this size in the war . The general <unk> the news to the Imperial General Headquarters in Japan . In an emergency session , the top Japanese army and navy command staffs concluded that , " <unk> might develop into the decisive battle of the war . " The results of the battle began to have a telling strategic impact on Japanese operations in other areas of the Pacific . <unk> realized that , in order to send sufficient troops and materiel to defeat the Allied forces on <unk> , he could no longer support the major Japanese offensive on the <unk> Track in New Guinea . <unk> — with the <unk> of the General Headquarters — ordered his troops on New Guinea , who were within 30 mi ( 48 km ) of their objective of Port Moresby — to withdraw until the <unk> matter was resolved . The Japanese were never able to restart their drive towards Port Moresby ; the defeat at <unk> 's Ridge contributed not only to Japan 's defeat in the <unk> campaign , but also to Japan 's ultimate defeat throughout the South Pacific . 
   After delivering more forces during the next month the Japanese mounted a major ground offensive on <unk> , led by <unk> , in late October 1942 at the Battle for Henderson Field , but it resulted in an even more decisive defeat for the Japanese . <unk> later stated that <unk> 's assault on the ridge in September was the only time during the entire campaign he had doubts about the outcome and that had it succeeded , " we would have been in a pretty bad condition . " Historian Richard B. Frank adds , " The Japanese never came closer to victory on the island itself than in September 1942 , on a ridge <unk> up from the jungle just south of the critical airfield , best known ever after as Bloody Ridge . " 
   
   