Today in World War II History—August 7, 1942

US First Division Marines storm ashore across Guadalcanal’s beaches, 7 August 1942, from attack transport USS Barnett and attack cargo ship USS Fomalhaut (US National Archives: 80-CF-112-5-3)
80 Years Ago—Aug. 7, 1942: US Marines land on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in the first US offensive of the war.
Lt. Gen. William Gott, new commander of the British Eighth Army, is killed when his plane is shot down in Egypt.
US Western Defense Command announces completion of the detention of 119,000 Japanese-Americans.

Japanese facilities on fire, Tanambogo Island, east of Tulagi, Solomon Islands, 7 Aug 1942 (US National Archives: 80-G-19223)