Hey, everyone, Ray here from the history of World War II podcast, episode 627.

With me today is my very special guest, Dave R. Holland, author of Guadalda Canal's longest fight, the pivotal

battles at the Matananku Front. Dave, how are you doing today? Yeah, not too bad, Ray, and thanks again

for allowing me the opportunity and the peer on your show. So it's a nice frosty Canbera morning

here at 0,500 a.m. So I'm ready to go. Yeah, when I got your email going, I like to do these things early in the morning. I'm like, okay, I respect you even more. But as a former Marine, this, you know, 5 a.m. is probably nothing new to you. So we'll get into that as well. Did I say it right, Matanacow? I just want to make sure I. Yes. The first time, yes. So Matanacatat. Okay. Oh, see, I need all the help I can get. Okay, let's see here. So we're going to talk a little bit about your book, but as far as I know, you have a second book coming out, I think this year, Guadalcanal's

forgotten fight, the U.S. Army's crucial role. So I imagine, because whenever you think of

Guadena, now you think of the Marines, but the Army is going to come in and play their own pivotal

role as well. Oh, yes. So my first book is obviously out now, is released last October. And then I had

enough material. And I said, well, this is kind of half the story told, even though my first book

concentrated on the battles around Matanacal Front, where in Port Cruz, Matanacal River.

Right. And the Army's in my first book for those who have read my first book. I mean, I include the U.S. Army, especially the 164th Infantry and the 182nd Infantry. And they fought hard around the Matanacow and Point Cruz, which has forgotten in itself. So I had enough material there, and I was already in the role., I guess, habit of writing, so I might as well just go straight into it.

And I did.

I look at it, it's not a sequel to my first book, but more of a companion.

So what I'm hoping is between those two volumes, you have the most detailed and accurate account, land account,

of the Guadacanal Land campaign, because we know it's three-dimensional.

I mean, you have sea and air and, and it's a lot to write there, which you have.

Ben, it's been like 100, about my count, what, like 130 Guadacanal books.

Right. And I have about 404 on my shelf behind what, like 130 Guadacanau books. Right.

And I have about 104 on my shelf behind me, but yeah.

I'm glad you said that because I have literally just started the Guadalcanal campaign.

I've only done two episodes.

I've just gotten the Marines, you know, they've landed on the various islands.

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