After more than a day of continuous fighting against a determined Japanese assault, the Marines of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion prepared for yet another night of attacks. Roughly 830 Marines were bracing to face a force of more than 2,500 enemy troops when Colonel Merritt A. Edson climbed onto a supply crate and addressed his men:
“You men have done a great job, and I have just one more thing to ask of you. Hold out just one more night,” he told them. “I know we’ve been without sleep a long time. But we expect another attack from them tonight, and they may come through here. I have every reason to believe that we will have reliefs here for all of us in the morning.”
The Marines answered that call, enduring the assault and holding their position against the attackers. The fighting was so intense and closely associated with Edson’s leadership that the position would later become known as “Edson’s Ridge,” a name tied to the desperate defense that took place there.
Merritt Edson’s entry into the US military
Merritt “Red Mike” Edson built a long and distinguished military career that ultimately took him from enlisted service in the Vermont National Guard to the rank of major general in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was born in Vermont in 1897 and enlisted in the First Infantry Regiment of the state’s National Guard in 1916.
After temporarily stepping away from military service, he resumed his education at the University of Vermont. In October 1917, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was subsequently deployed to France with the 11th Marine Regiment during the First World War, although he did not engage in combat while stationed overseas.
1st Marine Raider Battalion
After World War I, Merritt Edson held a variety of assignments and gradually developed a strong interest in aviation. By 1922, he had earned his pilot’s wings and was stationed at the Marine Naval Air Station in Guam, conducting reconnaissance over nearby islands—some of which would later bear his name. Medical issues, however, forced him to give up flying and return to ground duties.
Edson first saw combat during a deployment to Nicaragua in 1928–29, where he led a Marine detachment in active operations and earned the Navy Cross for outstanding leadership under fire. Throughout the 1930s, he steadily rose through the ranks, gaining extensive experience and eventually reaching the rank of colonel as global tensions moved closer to World War II.
In 1942, Edson took command of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and oversaw its transformation into the newly formed 1st Marine Raider Battalion. His bold and decisive leadership in the early stages of World War II—especially during the Battle of Guadalcanal—solidified his reputation as one of the Marine Corps’ most respected and legendary officers.
Merritt Edson prepare’s his men for a fierce encounter
In August 1942, American forces landed on Guadalcanal and quickly seized a partially completed Japanese airstrip. Once finished and rechristened Henderson Field, it became a strategic hub for controlling the surrounding seas and skies—a prize the Japanese were eager to retake.
For months, the island was locked in brutal, close-quarters fighting. Central to the battle was Colonel Merritt Edson’s 1st Marine Raider Battalion. On the night of September 12, expecting a brief respite near the airfield, the Raiders were instead confronted by a sudden, massive Japanese assault.
Edson directed a tactical withdrawal to a ridge about 400 yards south of Henderson Field. There, he reorganized his troops, strengthened their defenses, and readied them for a desperate stand. Amid the confusion and exhaustion, his steady leadership kept the unit cohesive. That narrow stretch of high ground—later immortalized as “Edson’s Ridge”—witnessed one of the most heroic engagements of the Guadalcanal campaign, where the Raiders’ courage and tenacity played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome.
Battle of Edson’s Ridge
As anticipated, approximately 2,500 Japanese soldiers emerged from the jungle and launched a full-scale assault against the 830 Marines. The Japanese forces initially succeeded in overrunning some Marine positions, leaving their flanks perilously exposed. One officer later recounted, “The Japanese attack was almost constant, like a rain that subsides for a moment and then pours the harder… When one wave was mowed down – and I mean mowed down – another followed it into death.”
As parts of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion started to retreat, they encountered Merritt Edson, who always knew exactly what to say to motivate them to fortify their defenses around Hill 123. It’s said his men would follow him anywhere, with their only challenge being to keep pace with him.
Throughout the night of September 13, Edson could be found just 20 yards behind the front firing line, rallying his Marines and orchestrating their defense. Even when other Marines stayed low to the ground for safety, the courageous colonel exposed himself to intense fire, risking his own life to safeguard the battalion.
The morning after the intense engagement
As dawn broke the following morning, Merritt Edson’s Marines remained in control of Hill 123, having successfully repelled the Japanese assault. While the world may know this location as “Bloody Ridge,” those who fought there will forever remember it as Edson’s Ridge, a testament to their commander’s unwavering determination to defend it at all costs.
In recognition of his valor and leadership amid constant enemy fire, Edson was awarded the Medal of Honor, having earned the admiration and respect of every man who witnessed his actions. Throughout the remainder of the Second World War, he continued to serve with distinction, eventually rising to the rank of brigadier general and receiving his first star. Retiring from the Marine Corps in 1947 as a major general, Edson continued to serve his nation in various civilian capacities.
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In recognition of his exemplary service and bravery, not only did Merritt Edson receive personal awards for gallantry, but the USS Edson (DD-946), a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer, was commissioned in his honor. Furthermore, a section of Camp Pendleton, where Marine recruits hone their marksmanship skills, was dedicated in his name.