text:  US Marines conducted an amphibious landing at Cape <unk> , on the western coast of the island , north of Empress Augusta Bay , in November 1943 . After an initial counter @-@ attack , the US Marines had been replaced by a garrison of US Army troops who began consolidating their position around <unk> , establishing a strong perimeter . In March 1944 , the Japanese launched a heavy counter @-@ attack , which was turned back with heavy casualties . After this , the situation on <unk> became largely static , as the Japanese focused primarily on subsistence , and the US forces chose to adopt a mainly defensive posture focused on maintaining the perimeter around <unk> . 
  