▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁December . ▁At ▁Esp ir itu ▁Santo , ▁the ▁unit ▁continued ▁to ▁be ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁ling ering ▁tropical ▁dise ases ▁many ▁had ▁contract ed ▁during ▁the ▁Gu adal can al ▁pat rol . ▁In ▁the ▁second ▁week ▁of ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁ 2 nd   R a iders ▁were ▁declared ▁un fit ▁for ▁combat ▁duty , ▁although ▁this ▁finding ▁was ▁never ▁announced ▁in ▁an ▁official ▁document . ▁The ▁ 2 nd ▁Marine ▁Ra iders ▁did ▁not ▁particip ate ▁as ▁a ▁unit ▁in ▁a ▁combat ▁operation ▁until ▁the ▁B oug ain ville ▁campaign ▁beginning ▁on ▁ 1 ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁In ▁spite ▁of ▁the ▁high ▁fall out ▁from ▁disease , ▁Carl son ' s ▁troops ▁generally ▁felt ▁that ▁they ▁had ▁performed ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁unit ▁during ▁the ▁pat rol ▁and ▁had ▁accomplished ▁their ▁mission . ▁Cle land ▁E . ▁Early — a ▁lieutenant ▁in ▁Carl son ' s ▁Company ▁E — des cribed ▁the ▁long ▁Gu adal can al ▁pat rol ▁and ▁the ▁effect ▁on ▁his ▁unit : ▁" End uring ▁the ▁living ▁conditions ▁was ▁worse ▁than ▁the ▁combat . ▁My ▁pl ato on ▁went ▁in ▁with ▁ 3 0   men , ▁one ▁corps man ▁and ▁one ▁officer . ▁When ▁we ▁came ▁out ▁we ▁had ▁one ▁officer , ▁one ▁corps man , ▁and ▁ 1 8   en list ed , ▁all ▁of ▁whom ▁had ▁mal aria , ▁w orm s , ▁di arr he a , ▁j ung