Guadalcanal War Tour

General Ichiki Memorial

The memorial is not far from the beach in a really pretty spot. The memorial is in fairly good condition (2008). There is a small plaque that says "Kitano" and a date - 28 Sep 1992 which I am guesing is when it was dedicated. I don't read Japanese but the english text on the memorial says:

"ICHIKI PARTY" was organised in Ashikawa, Japan, during World War II. They landed in August 1942, and most of them died during
the fierce battle. We praise every soldier of ICHIKI and all brave men
who died here, for their nation. It is our sincere wish that the world
will remain peaceful, forever without anymore wars.

General Ichiki Major General Kiyonao Ichiki

With the start of the Pacific War in 1941, Ichiki was promoted to colonel and was placed in command of the IJA 28th Infantry Regiment, consisting of 2,000 troops, which was the force assigned to assault and occupy Midway island. The defeat of Japanese naval forces at the Battle of Midway in June 1942 forced a cancellation to the operation.

In August 1942 Ichiki and his regiment were transferred to the IJA 17th Army in the southern front and were based at Truk in the Caroline Islands. After Allied forces landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, as part of the Allied Guadalcanal campaign, Ichiki was assigned to take a portion of his regiment (i.e. 2nd battalion of the 28th infantry regiment with artillery and engineers, nicknamed the “Ichiki Detachment”) to recapture Henderson Field airfield and drive the Allied forces off of the island.

On 18 August, six Japanese destroyers carried Ichiki and his 916 troops from Truk and landed them at Taivu Point on Guadalcanal. Ichiki had been ordered to wait on the beachhead for the remainder of his regiment, but finding the beach deserted and the island apparently lightly defended, Ichiki grossly underestimated the strength of the American forces, left a rear guard of 125 men, and advanced to make a night time frontal assault against the American positions. Unknown to Ichiki, the American Marines were aware of his landing and were entrenched into defensive positions. In the Battle of the Tenaru of 21 August 1942, Ichiki was defeated with extremely heavy losses.

Accounts differ as to how Ichiki died. At least one account claims that Ichiki was killed in action during the heat of battle; others state that he committed ritual suicide due to the humiliation of his defeat in the battle. Despite the failure of his attack, Ichiki was promoted posthumously to Major General.