1st Battalion 24th Marines

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1st Battalion 24th Marines

1/24 Insignia
Active July 5, 1922
Country United States
Branch USMC
Type Infantry regiment
Role Locate, close with and destroy the enemy with fire and maneuver
Size 1000
Part of 24th Marine Regiment
4th Marine Division
Garrison/HQ Detroit, Michigan
Motto "Terror from the North"
Battles/wars Battle of Kwajalein
Battle of Tinian
Battle of Saipan
Battle of Iwo Jima
Desert Storm
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom

1st Battalion 24th Marines (1/24) is a reserve infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps located throughout Michigan and Ohio consisting of approximately 1000 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the 24th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.

Contents

[edit] Current Units

Name Location!
Headquarters and Services Company Detroit, Michigan
Alpha Company Grand Rapids, Michigan
Bravo Company Saginaw, Michigan
Charlie Company Lansing, Michigan
Weapons Company Perrysburg, Ohio

[edit] Mission

Provide trained combat and combat support personnel and units to augment and reinforce the active component in time of war, national emergency, and at other times as national security requires; and have the capability to reconstitute the Division, if required.

[edit] History

On July 5, 1922 the Marines first came to Detroit when a volunteer Marine Corps Reserve company was activated with a strength of 70 men. In 1926 the company designated as the 306th Company of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Reserve before being redesignated in 1929 as Company "B" of the 8th Reserve Battalion, headquartered in Toledo, Ohio.

In October of 1938, Detroit became the home of a second company of Marines, Company "D" of the 8th Reserve Battalion. Shortly thereafter, in November of 1940, the 8th Reserve Battalion was mobilized as an individual active duty battalion before being integrated into the First Marine Brigade in January of 1941. As part of the First Marine Brigade, the battalion fought valiantly in World War II in the South Pacific.

In August of 1946, the battalion was formed into the 17th Infantry Battalion. Four short years later, the reservists of the 1st Battalion were mobilized and reported to Camp Pendleton, California, where many joined the units of the 1st Marine Division in Korea in the fall and winter of 1950.

In July of 1962, the Marines became Headquarters & Service Company of the 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment when the 4th Marine Division was reactivated. 1/24 was mobilized in support of Operation Desert Shield in December of 1990.

In support of Operation Enduring Freedom during 2003, 1/24 saw the mobilization of companies A, B, and C reinforced with Weapons company and some of H&S company split between each of the other companies. Company A went to Camp le Monier, Djibouti, Horn of Africa. Company B went to support security operations in Kuwait. Company C went to support security operations in Southern Iraq.

Until 2005, the battalion was based at Brodhead Armory which is an historic building that has served in various capacities over the years. It has served as a submarine base for the United States Navy, a union hall for the Teamsters in the Jimmy Hoffa era, and a professional boxing arena for Joe Louis and other famous boxers.

The battalion headquarters and its subordinate Headquarters and Service Company relocated to Selfridge Air National Guard (SANGB) Base in 2005. SANGB is a joint base which accommodates all branches of the armed forces and is located roughly 35 miles north of Detroit.

[edit] Global War on Terror

In April 2006, the battalion began training in Michigan and Camp Pendleton, California to prepare for deployment to the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. The battalion arrived in Fallujah in late September 2006 to serve for seven months with Regimental Combat Team 5 [1] .

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