▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Lieutenant - General ▁Har uk ichi ▁Hy ak ut ake — with ▁the ▁task ▁of ▁ret aking ▁Gu adal can al ▁from ▁Al lied ▁forces . ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁August , ▁various ▁units ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁Army ▁began ▁to ▁arrive ▁on ▁Gu adal can al ▁with ▁the ▁goal ▁of ▁driving ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁from ▁the ▁island . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁the ▁threat ▁from ▁C AF ▁aircraft ▁based ▁at ▁Hend erson ▁Field , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁use ▁large , ▁slow ▁transport ▁ships ▁to ▁deliver ▁troops ▁and ▁supplies ▁to ▁the ▁island . ▁Instead , ▁the ▁Japanese ▁used ▁war ships ▁based ▁at ▁R aba ul ▁and ▁the ▁Short land ▁Islands ▁to ▁carry ▁their ▁forces ▁to ▁Gu adal can al . ▁The ▁Japanese ▁war ships , ▁mainly ▁light ▁cru is ers ▁or ▁destroy ers ▁from ▁the ▁E ighth ▁Fle et ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁Gun ichi ▁Mik awa , ▁were ▁usually ▁able ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁round ▁trip ▁down ▁" The ▁S lot " ▁to ▁Gu adal can al ▁and ▁back ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁night , ▁thereby ▁minim izing ▁their ▁expos ure ▁to ▁C AF ▁air ▁attack . ▁Del iver ing ▁the ▁troops ▁in ▁this ▁manner , ▁however , ▁prevent ed ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁soldiers ' ▁heavy ▁equipment ▁and ▁supplies , ▁such ▁as ▁heavy ▁art illery , ▁vehicles , ▁and ▁much ▁food ▁and ▁am mun ition , ▁from ▁being ▁carried ▁to ▁Gu adal can al ▁with ▁them . ▁These ▁high ▁speed ▁war ship ▁runs ▁to