ings ▁with ▁the ▁mission ▁of ▁re capt uring ▁the ▁air field ▁and ▁driving ▁the ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁off ▁the ▁island . ▁His ▁soldiers ▁conducted ▁numerous ▁assault s ▁over ▁three ▁days ▁at ▁various ▁locations ▁around ▁the ▁L ung a ▁per imeter , ▁all ▁rep uls ed ▁with ▁heavy ▁Japanese ▁losses . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁Al lied ▁aircraft ▁operating ▁from ▁Hend erson ▁Field ▁successfully ▁def ended ▁American ▁positions ▁on ▁Gu adal can al ▁from ▁attacks ▁by ▁Japanese ▁naval ▁air ▁and ▁sea ▁forces . ▁ ▁The ▁battle ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁serious ▁ground ▁off ensive ▁conducted ▁by ▁Japanese ▁forces ▁on ▁Gu adal can al . ▁They ▁attempted ▁to ▁deliver ▁further ▁rein for c ements , ▁but ▁failed ▁during ▁the ▁Naval ▁Battle ▁of ▁Gu adal can al ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁and ▁Japan ▁conced ed ▁defeat ▁in ▁the ▁struggle ▁for ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁ev acu ated ▁many ▁of ▁its ▁remaining ▁forces ▁by ▁the ▁first ▁week ▁of ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Gu adal can al ▁campaign ▁ ▁On ▁ 7 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁( prim arily ▁U . S .) ▁land ed ▁on ▁Gu adal can al , ▁Tul agi , ▁and ▁Florida ▁Islands ▁in ▁the ▁Sol omon ▁Islands . ▁The ▁land ings ▁on ▁the ▁islands ▁were ▁meant ▁to ▁den y ▁their ▁use ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese ▁as ▁bases ▁for ▁threaten ing ▁the ▁supply ▁routes ▁between ▁the ▁U . S . ▁and ▁Australia , ▁and ▁to ▁secure ▁the ▁islands ▁as ▁starting