North Dakota officer initiated Army s first offensive military action during World War II Did You Know That columnist Curt Eriksmoen shares the story of Lt. Col. Robert Hall, who was born in Fargo, farmed in Stutsman County and helped lead the action at Guadalcanal in 1942. Written By: Curt Eriksmoen | ×
Soldiers rest on the field on Guadalcanal in 1942. Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons / Special to The Forum
On Dec. 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, forcing the U.S. to enter World War II.
From that date until Oct. 13, 1942, Japan had the U.S. Army on its heels, because the Army was fighting a defensive war. It was on that later date that the 164th Infantry Regiment landed on Guadalcanal to take the fight to the Japanese. The 164th was a unit of soldiers from the North Dakota National Guard, under the command of Lt. Col. Robert Hall.