Long before modern special operations existed, Merritt “Red Mike” Edson was already developing a new way to fight. In the jungles of Nicaragua, he learned to abandon traditional tactics in favor of small, mobile units capable of hunting guerrillas on their own terms—ideas that would eventually help shape the Marine Raiders.
When World War II erupted, Edson transformed his 1st Raider Battalion into an elite force trained for amphibious raids, brutal endurance marches, and fighting in complete darkness. That training would be tested on Guadalcanal, where Edson correctly predicted that thousands of Japanese troops would attack an overlooked ridge guarding the vital Henderson Field.
On September 12, 1942, roughly 800 Raiders faced nearly 3,000 Japanese soldiers, enduring two nights of relentless assaults as their ammunition dwindled and parts of the American line nearly collapsed. Edson refused to give ground, rallying his exhausted Marines around Hill 123 until the Japanese attack finally broke, leaving approximately 500 enemy troops dead and Henderson Field secure.
His leadership earned him the Medal of Honor, and he later helped plan the invasion of Tarawa before being sent ashore during the battle itself to take command when the assault began faltering. Yet despite becoming one of the Marine Corps’ most celebrated combat leaders, Edson never received the division command he desperately wanted.
After the war, he risked his entire career by publicly opposing efforts that threatened the Marine Corps’ existence as an independent service, even testifying before Congress while still on active duty. This is the remarkable story of Merritt Edson, the Marine who pioneered unconventional warfare, held Guadalcanal against overwhelming odds, and ultimately fought to save the institution he had spent his life serving.
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Source: Dark Docs
