▁of ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Independent ▁T ank ▁Company ▁launched ▁attacks ▁on ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Marine ▁def enses ▁at ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Mat an ik au . ▁ ▁Nak ag uma ' s ▁t anks ▁attacked ▁in ▁pairs ▁across ▁the ▁sand bar ▁at ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁the ▁Mat an ik au ▁behind ▁a ▁bar rage ▁of ▁art illery . ▁Marine ▁ ▁anti - t ank ▁guns ▁and ▁art illery ▁quickly ▁destroyed ▁all ▁nine ▁t anks . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁four ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁Marine ▁art illery , ▁total ing ▁ 4 0 ▁how itz ers , ▁fired ▁over ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁r ounds ▁into ▁the ▁area ▁between ▁Point ▁Cruz ▁and ▁the ▁Mat an ik au , ▁causing ▁heavy ▁cas ual ties ▁in ▁Nak ag uma ' s ▁inf antry ▁batt al ions ▁as ▁they ▁tried ▁to ▁approach ▁the ▁Marine ▁lines . ▁Nak ag uma ' s ▁attacks ▁ended ▁by ▁ 0 1 : 1 5 ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁October , ▁inf lic ting ▁only ▁light ▁cas ual ties ▁on ▁the ▁Mar ines ▁and ▁gain ing ▁no ▁ground . ▁ ▁Part ly ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁Nak ag uma ' s ▁attacks , ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁October ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Battalion , ▁ 7 th ▁Mar ines ▁under ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁H erman ▁H . ▁Han ne ken ▁deployed ▁to ▁the ▁Mat an ik au . ▁After ▁O ka ' s ▁forces ▁were ▁sight ed ▁approaching ▁the ▁Marine ▁Mat an ik au ▁positions ▁from