Rutland in Rutland County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)
Major General Merritt A. Edson
United States Marine Corps
Medal of Honor
Colonel Merritt A. Edson
for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the First Marine Raider Battalion, with the First Parachute Battalion attached, during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands on the night of September 13-14, 1942. After the airfield on Guadalcanal had been seized from the enemy on August 8, Colonel Edson, with a force of eight hundred men, was assigned to the occupation and defense of a ridge dominating the jungle on either side of the airport. Facing a formidable Japanese attack which, augmented by infiltration, had crashed through our front lines, he by skillful handling of his troops, successfully withdrew his forward units to a reserve line with minimum casualties. When the enemy, in a subsequent series of violent assaults, engaged our force in desperate hand-to-hand combat with bayonets, rifles, pistols, grenades and knives, Colonel Edson, although continuously exposed to hostile fire throughout the night, personally directed the defense of the reserve position against a fanatical foe of greatly superior numbers. By his astute leadership and gallant devotion to duty, he enabled his men, despite severe losses, to cling tenaciously to their position on the vital ridge, thereby retaining command, not only of the Guadalcanal airfield, but also the First Division’s entire offensive installations in the surrounding area.
Presented by
The Boston Chapter of
The 1st Marine Division Association
September 13, 1992
Erected 1992 by The Boston Chapter of the 1st Marine Division Association.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World II. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 13, 1942.
Location. 43° 36.398′ N, 72° 58.328′ W. Marker is in Rutland, Vermont, in Rutland County. Marker is on S Main Street (U.S. 4), on the right when traveling south. Marker is located in Main Street Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rutland VT 05701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Korea War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Rutland G.A.R. Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Rutland World War I Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Green Mountain Boys (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1 - First in the Nation (about 500 feet away); A Soldier Carved in Stone (about 500 feet away); A Brief History of a Long War (about 500 feet away); Rutland County Vietnam Veterans Memorial (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rutland.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 17, 2017, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 240 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 17, 2017, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.