Pacific Wrecks
Pacific Wrecks    
  Missing In Action (MIA) Prisoners Of War (POW) Unexploded Ordnance (UXO)  
Chronology Locations Aircraft Ships Submit Info How You Can Help Donate
 
    Red Beach (Beach Red) Guadalcanal | Guadalcanal Province Solomon Islands
Click For Enlargement
USMC 1942

Click For EnlargementClick For Enlargement
Justin Taylan 2003

Click For Enlargement
Peter Flahavin 1996
Location
Red Beach (Beach Red) was the American code name for a stretch of beach on the north coast of Guadalcanal. Also known as "Red Beach". Borders Iron Bottom Sound to the north, Lunga Point to the west and Koli Point to the east. Prewar and during the Pacific War part of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate (BSIP). Today part of Guadalcanal Province in the Solomon Islands.

Wartime History
On August 7, 1942 this beach was the site of the initial U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) landing on Guadalcanal. There was no opposition on the beach and no American casualties were sustained during the initial landing. During the initial bombardment, the Japanese had withdrawn from the immediate area.

Jack Clark beach master August 7-8, 1942 recalls:
"Our reports had shown that there were a couple of thousand Japs on Guadalcanal and only about 200 on Gavutu. The reports were correct, except that they mistook the force on the Canal, they were mostly a labor force, and few fighting personnel."

Today
The Guadalcanal Beach Resort (GBR) was built near this location. Following the ethnic tensions on Guadalcanal, Australian Defense Force (ADF) Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands (RAMSI) made an amphibious landing at Red Beach in July 2003 to initiate peacekeeping operations on Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands. RAMSI established their headquarters at the Guadalcanal Beach Resort until the end of their mission in June 2017 and will depart GBR during September 2017.

Japanese Type 88 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun (No. 1)
Gun barrel intact, abandoned in the sand at the waterline of Red Beach

Japanese Type 88 75mm Anti-Aircraft Gun (No. 2)
Base only, abandoned in the sand at the waterline of Red Beach

Red Beach Memorial
White pillar marking the landing spot of the 1st and 5th Marines needs a cleaning. The plaque (piece of typed paper between two perspex pieces) is half smashed and water damaged since 1998.

References
Guide to the Guadalcanal Battlefields pages 165-175

Contribute Information
Do you have photos or additional information to add?

Last Updated
October 4, 2023

 

Photos
Photo Archive
  Discussion Forum Daily Updates Reviews Museums Interviews & Oral Histories  
 
Pacific Wrecks Inc. All rights reserved.
Donate Now Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram