ABSTRACT
Contention for an island airstrip will probably yield air, ground and sea engagements, “triphibious warfare” (Figure 12.1) On 12 August the honor of being the first American plane to land on Guadalcanal was given to a PBY flown by an aide to McCain. Henderson Field was declared operational for dry-weather use, and soon the escort carrier Long Island was positioned to transfer an advance echelon of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW). Squadrons from Marine Aircraft Group Twenty-Three (MAG-23), including some experienced pilots borrowed from Marine Fighting Squadron
Figure 12.1 Henderson Field photographed by aircraft from Saratoga, August 1942.
