Day 3 – Afternoon

After the American Memorial and the Coast Watchers Memorial ceremonies we returned to our hotel for a late lunch. We joined several of our fellow travelers in searching for the monument to Signalman First Class Douglas Munro the only member of The United States Coast Guard ever to receive the Medal of Honor. Douglas Munro was in charge of a group of twenty four Higgins boats. He was able to rescue 500 marines trapped at Point Cruz but lost his life during the rescue.

Finding any of the monuments on Guadalcanal is extremely difficult: directional signage is nonexistent. Our group was told something like the following:

When you leave the hotel turn left at the main road, walk a few blocks and turn left again. Walk about a block and take another quick left, turn right at the yacht club (yes there is a Guadalcanal Yacht Club and both of the kayaks there were impressive), walk another 30 meters and it will be on your left or right: not sure which.

So with that we were off. We made the first left with no problem and headed down the street. After that, things got a little fuzzy. Where is our next left turn? Turn, halt, go back, turn left again. Same results. After a few blocks, we began attracting helpers. “Are you lost.” We sure are. What are you looking for? A monument to Douglas Munro. Who? A US Coast Guard Medal of Honor recipient. “The coast watchers monument is that way.” Things were not going well until a woman came up to us with perfect directions. We went back one street, turned right then left 30 meters to the yacht club, through the yacht club, out the back door and there, under the picnic table was the monument with explanation placards under the roof over the picnic table.

After lunch we drove to Edison’s Ridge and gazed over the battlefield. Eight hundred fifty Japanese and 104 marines lost their lives during this battle. Our group placed a wreath at the monument to honor those who lost their lives here. A number of children followed our busses up to the ridge in hopes of selling us bullets and/or coke bottles. (Believe it or not, coke bottles were the most numerous item recovered from the battlefields.).

From Bloody Ridge we drove past Henderson Field and Fighter 1 heading to Mount Austen. Here numerous battles took place to drive the Japanese off of the high ground from where their artillery could reach Henderson Field and other marine positions. Almost the entire battlefield was visible from this location. We found several possible fox holes from the battles and parts of Japanese helmets.

A Japanese monument to their lost soldiers was located on the top of Mount Austin. There is a small museum at Mount Austen where items found on the battlefield are displayed. Items such as mess kits, ammunition, small arms, hand grenades, helmets, coke bottles, and my personal favorite, land mines.