M1 FLAMETHROWERS SEE FIRST COMBAT SUCCESS
Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands • January 15, 1943 On this date in 1943 M1 portable flamethrowers were used successfully in combat for the first time relatively late in the 6‑month Battle of Guadalcanal (August 7, 1942, to February 9, 1943). In one attack by U.S. Marines several 2‑man flamethrowing teams crawled close enough to 3 Japanese bunkers to burn…