The Marine Corps comic “Victory at Gavutu” illustrated the strength and calmness expected of Marines in the face of danger.[^] The comic opens with foreshadowing narration: “Expecting to find the main body of the Japanese troops at Guadalcanal, a mere fistful of U.S. Marines was assigned to the landings at Gavutu and Tanambogo in the Solomon Islands group. Instead, the small force of Marines ran into the fiercest resistance from overwhelming numbers of veteran jungle fighters…”[^] The Marines were shocked to find the island heavily populated, and loaded with Japanese snipers and pillboxes. Despite being outnumbered and under constant shelling, the Marines keep their composure and claw their way onto the Gavutu, dynamiting caves and gaining traction on the island.[^] The Marines then attempt another landing on Tanambogo when a freak accident causes the leading boat to spin around and head in the opposite direction.[^] Despite this additional frustrating setback, the Marines again stay focused and take the island, killing over 800 Japanese men while only losing twenty-seven Marines.[^]
Although the story arc in “Victory at Gavutu” is similar to many of the arcs examined in the Aggressiveness and Adventurousness section - American troops are greatly outnumbered and overcome the odds - this story stressed the calmness and intelligence of the troops, rather that solely focusing on tenacity. “Victory at Gavutu” does have a few examples if this kind of heroism, but the thrust of the story is not the fearlessness or overwhelming power of the Marines, so much as their ability to strategically dismantle the Japanese defense and take the island. These kinds of comics set a precedent for the kind of stoicism expected of Marines.