'Pestilence' was the US initial plan for the 'Task One' allocated to Vice Admiral Richard L. Ghormley’s South Pacific Area command in mid-1942, namely operations to expel the Japanese from the south-eastern end of the Solomon islands group and thus paving the way to the planning and execution of the 'Watchtower' and 'Ringbolt' landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi (16 July 1942).