Allied troops landed with overwhelming local numbers against the initial Japanese garrison, then concentrated on the usable ground around the airfield. The captured Lunga Point airfield became Henderson Field and the base for the Cactus Air Force. The operation required changing the Nimitz-MacArthur command boundary so one commander controlled the approach to the objective. The amphibious lodgement was shaped around one facility with disproportionate operational value.
Chapter · 7:57-13:22
Henderson Field becomes the Allied centre of gravity
The Allied landing, command arrangements, and conversion of Lunga Point into Henderson Field explain why holding the airfield took priority.