On August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine Division (U.S.) landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. The Marines, commanded by Major General Alexander Vandegrift, met little resistance as they came ashore and headed for their objective--an unfinished airfield, later named Henderson Field. Once the airfield was relatively secure, Marine aviators began operating from there. This small detachment of aviators became known as the Cactus Air Force.
The Japanese responded quickly to the American landing, first by sending a naval task force which attacked an American and Australian screening force off Savo Island, sinking several American ships and an Australian ship, and losing several of their own.
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