Griffith, Samuel Blair, BGen

THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
Washington
4 February, 1942
Cited in the Name of
The President of the United States
THE FIRST MARINE DIVISION REINFORCED
Under command of
Major General Alexander A. Vandegrift, U.S.M.C.


CITATION:
"The officers and enlisted men of the FIRST MARINE DIVISION, REINFORCED, on August 7 to 9. 1942, demonstrated outstanding gallantry and determination in successfully executing forced landing assaults against a number of strongly defended Japanese positions on TULAGI, GAVUTU, TANAMBOGO, FLORIDA and GUADALCANAL, British Solomon Islands, completely routing all the enemy forces and seizing a most valuable base and airfield within the enemy zone of operations in the South Pacific Ocean. From the above period until 09 December, 1942, this Reinforced Division not only held their important strategic positions despite determined and repeated Japanese naval, air and land attacks, but by a series of offensive operations against strong enemy resistance drove the Japanese from the proximity of the airfield and inflicted great losses on them by land and air attacks. The courage and determination displayed in these operations were of an inspiring order."

FRANK KNOX
Secretary of the Navy

UNIT CITATION
BATTLE OF EDSON'S RIDGE
(1-2 p36)


HEADQUARTERS, FIRST MARINE DIVISION
FLEET MARINE FORCE
C/O POSTMASTER, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF.
19 September, 1942.
DIVISION BULLETIN NUMBER 40a-42


Commendation of Raider Battalion, Parachute Battalion, and Eleventh Marines for action against the enemy of 13-14 September. 1942.

1. The Commanding General desires to commend the outstanding efforts of the Raider Battalion. the Parachute Battalion, and tne Eleventh Marines during the enemy attack on the First Division positions on Guadalcanal Island on the night of September 13-14, 1942.

2. On that night the Raider Battalion with the First Parachute Battalion attached, having been assiged the mission of occupying and defending a key position a1ong a ridge located about one thousand (1000) yards south of the Guadalcanal air field, had scarcely moved into the position when the enemy launched an attack on it and broke through the front lines. The situation of forward units havIng become untenable, a skillful withdrawal to the reserve position was effected.

3. During the period from 1930 on the 13th to 0000 on the 14th the enemy launched a series of ferocious assaults on the reserve position. each culminating in fierce hand to hand combat in vhich both attacker and defender employed bayonets, rifles, pistol., grenades and knives. The Parachute Battalion, hastily reorganized into two companies after its withdrawal from the main line of resistance, counter-attacked the enemy advancing on the left of the reserve position to extend that position to the left and to straighten the line then being held by the Battalion Reserve. This counter-attack was carried out successfully in that the enemy was forced to vithdraw into the edge of the woods fronting the reserve position, this flanking movement which had threatened the whole position having been halted. During this courageous attack the Parachute Troops suffered casualties estimated at 40%.

4. Throughout the night the Eleventh Marines supported the Raiders and Parachutists by nine hours of almost constant artillery fire of the greatest accuracy and effectiveness, and greatly assisted them in standing off the attacks of the enemy. The morning of the 14th found the enemy, retreating and the reinforced Raider Battalion in complete control of the field of battle.

5. Almost without exception the officers and men engaged in this action proved themselves to be among, the best fighting
troops that any service could hope to have, and in extending to tnem the salutation of the officers and men of the Division the
Commanding General vishes to state that he considers i t a privilege and an honor to have had troops of this caliber attached to his command.

A. A. VANDEGRIFT.