By late December 1942 Guadalcanal has become a major battleground in the Asian theatre of war. The Americans had regained control of the sea lanes to the island, built an effective air unit on Henderson Field – the airstrip captured from the enemy – and begun to relieve the Marines on the island with Army personnel.

Cut off from supplies of medicine, rice, and ammunition, the Japanese army was in full retreat, its forces suffering from severe malnutrition and malaria.

“The Army and Marine forces steadily drove the Japanese to the northwestern part of the island, and by late December, the Japanese High Command had already decided the battle was lost’ says historian Donald L. Miller, author of D-Days in the Pacific and a consultant on HBQ’s ministries. “Many of its soldiers on the place they now called ‘starvation island’ were so undernourished and wracked by Jungle diseases that their hair and nails had ceased to grow.”

On February 9,1943, the island was declared secured. It was the first time in the war that the Japanese had been defeated in ground combat, and with this American victory, the direction of the war began to change.

Episode three starts in early 1943. After the four-month ordeal of Guadalcanal, Leekie, Phillips, Basilone and thousands of their comrades land in Melbourne to crowds who view them as the saviors of Australia. The troops set up a makeshift camp in the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and the MPs turn a blind eye to the hordes of men who go AWOL in search of much-needed R&R.

After several rounds at a local pub Basllone and J.P. get into a brawl with a resentful Aussie who mocks their toast to Rodriguez.

While his buddies carouse, Leckie meets the beautiful Stella Karamanlis on a tram and is soon taken in by her family who see in him the son they never had.

Bob and Stella are soon lovers but the war and the never-ending pall of death casts a shadow on their relationship.

The youngest member of a large and dysfunctional clan, Leckie is reminded of what he most yearns for in life – a warm and loving home.

Meanwhile, Col. Puller informs a hungover Basilone that he has been awarded the Medal of Honour, for “extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry,” and lectures that he must continue to merit the honour.

Phillips also courts a lovely young Australian, Gwen, and listens attentively as her grandfather lays out the rather strict ground rules for their courtship.

However Stella ends her romance with Leckie, fearing his potential death in combat would prove devastating to her and, even more importantly, to her mother.

Leckie is heartbroken. He drowns his sorrows in a bottle and has a drunken confrontation with Lt Corrigan, which lands him in the brig.

Meanwhile, Basilone receives his Medal of Honour and is told he will be going back to the States to help in the war bond effort.

With great reluctance, Basilone says goodbye to J.P. and flies home. The rest of the 1st Marine Division ship out, heading back into action.