Ilu River Crossing

Located beyond the perimeter of what was once Henderson Field, the river Ilu flows into the sea at Alligator Creek, site of the Battle of the Tenaru.

Marine Corps mapmakers confused the names "Ilu" and "Tenaru" so technically the Battle of the Tenaru should have been called "The Battle of Ilu."

This stretch of the river Ilu shows where the 1st battalion, during the Battle of Tenaru, crossed the river to then envelope the lines of the Ichiki Regiment, which was attacking west along the shore.

In particular this was the stretch of the river where C Company, 1st Marines, led by Captain Nikolai Stevenson crossed over. It’s about a mile or so north of the beaches where the battle was raging.

To get there, follow the trail that leads into the jungle near the road bridge that spans the river.

For further reading:

—William Bartsch’s Victory Fever on Guadalcanal.
—Nikolai Stevenson’s Four Months on the Front Lines (American Heritage)

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Source

• Text: Matthew Stevenson
• Photos: Matthew Stevenson