Today in World War II History—October 13, 1942

Wreckage of US radio station at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, after Japanese bombardment, 14 October 1942 (US Army Center of Military History)

80 Years Ago—Oct. 13, 1942: First US Army troops land on Guadalcanal, the 164^th Infantry Regiment, joining the US Marines.

On Guadalcanal, Japanese naval shelling makes Henderson Field inoperable.

First flight of the North American Mustang Mk.X with a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, in Hucknall, England; the engine transforms the Mustang into a high-altitude, long-distance fighter.

RAF Mustang Mk. X, 1942 (British government photo)