Passage: Just after midnight on August 21, Ichiki's main body of troops arrived at the east bank of Alligator Creek and were completely surprised to encounter the Marine positions, not having expected to find U.S. forces located that distance from the airfield. Marines listening posts nearby heard "clanking" sounds, human voices, and other noises before withdrawing to the west bank of the creek. At 01:30 Ichiki's force opened fire with machine guns and mortars on the Marine positions on the west bank of the creek, and a first wave of about 100 Imperial soldiers charged across the sandbar towards the Marines.
Galbeedka