2nd Battalion 7th Marines

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment

2/7 insignia
Active January 1, 1940 - February 26, 1947
August 17, 1950 - present
Country United States
Allegiance United States of America
Branch United States Marine Corps
Type Infantry
Part of 7th Marine Regiment
1st Marine Division
Garrison/HQ Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms
Nickname War Dogs or Victor 2/7
Motto "Ready for all, yielding to none"
Engagements World War II
*Battle of Guadalcanal
*Operation Cartwheel
*Battle of Peleliu
*Battle of Okinawa
Korean War
*Battle of Inchon
*Battle of Chosin Reservoir
Vietnam War
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Current
commander		 LtCol Richard D. Hall

The 2nd Battalion 7th Marine Regiment (2/7) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and consist of approximately 800 Marines. The battalion falls under the command of the 7th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division.

Contents

[edit] Subordinate units

  • H & S Company
  • Echo Company
  • Fox Company
  • Golf Company
  • Weapons Company

[edit] History

[edit] World War II

[edit] Guadalcanal

The battalion was activated on January 1, 1940 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On September 18, 1942, 2/7 landed on Guadalcanal. They fought the Battle of Guadalcanal for four months until they were relieved by elements of the United States Army's Americal Division. The battalion was then sent to Australia along with the rest of the 1st Marine Division for rest and refit.

[edit] Operation Cartwheel

2/7 landed on Cape Gloucester, New Britain on December 26, 1943 securing an airfield the first day. That night, Japanese Marines counter attacked and 2/7 took the brunt of the assault and the fighting continued throughout the night. By the time the sun began to rise, the entire Japanese force had been wiped out. On January 14, the 2/7 along with the rest of the regiment assaulted and took the last Japanese stronghold on the island, Hill 660. Two days later, the counter-attack came but the Marines held the hilltop often resorting to hand-to-hand fighting.

The battalion continued to run patrols around the island to protect against guerrilla attacks from hold-out Japanese soldiers. In March of 1943, New Britain were declared secure and in April the 1st Marine Division was relived by the US Army 40th Infantry Division. 2/7, and the rest of the 1st Marine Division again returned to Australia.

[edit] Battle of Peleliu

On September 15, 1944, 2/7 landed along with the rest of the 1st Marine Division. They were met by intense artillery and mortar fire from Japanese positions that had not been touched by the pre-invasion bombardment. On September 20, the 7th Marines broke out of their beachhead and linked up with the 1st Marines. The battalion fought on the island for another eight weeks before it was secured.

[edit] Battle of Okinawa

On April 1, 1945, was part of the 80,000 Marine that landed on Okinawa. The 1st Marine Division landed on the southern portion of Okinawa against light resistance. Their beachhead was quickly secured and supplied began flowing in. Resistance began to become stronger as the Marines pushed north. The 1st Marine Division was ordered into Reserve to protect the right flank of the invasion forces. The battalion fought the Japanese along the coast and was stopped suddenly at the Shuri Castle. For 30 days, along with the rest of the Division and the Army 77th Infantry Division, battled the Japanese stronghold.

After Okinawa, the 2/7 was part of the occupation in China where they were to disarm the Japanese forces there. In addition they were called upon to keep the peace during the bloody civil war between the Chinese Nationalists and Communist forces. In 1947, the 2/7th returned to California and were deactivated later that year.

[edit] Korean War

It was during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir that Captain William Barber won the Medal of Honor for his actions as commander of Fox 2/7. F/2/7 held a position known as "Fox Hill" against vastly superior numbers of Chinese infantry, holding the Toktong Pass open and keeping the 5th Marine Regiment and the 7th Marine Regiment from getting cut off at Yudam-ni. His company's actions to keep the pass open allowed these two regiments to withdrawal from Yudam-ni and consolidate with the rest of the 1st Marine Division at Hagaru-ri. The mission to relieve F/2/7 on top of Fox Hill also led to LtCol Raymond Davis, then commanding officer of 1st Battalion 7th Marines, receiving the Medal of Honor.[1]

[edit] Vietnam War

2/7 was deployed to Vietnam from July 1965 until October 1970.

[edit] The Gulf War and the 1990s

[edit] Global War on Terror

The battalion deployed in February of 2004 in support of OIF 2, they were among the first Marines redeployed to the country after the initial invasion. The battalion deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for the second time from July 2005 to January 2006. They operated in the Al Anbar province and suffered 13 Marines killed in action. The battalion was deployed a third time to Al Anbar January to August 2007. Back in Al Anbar province, 2/7 suffered 8 Marines killed in action. 2/7 is currently deployed to Afghanistan. [1].

[edit] Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. During its existence 2/7 was presented with the following awards:

[edit] Notable former personnel

[edit] See also

United States Marine Corps Portal

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Russ Breakout, pp. 176-183, 219-225, 257, 293-293.

[edit] References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.
Bibliography
  • Brady, James (2005). The Scariest Place in the World - A Marine Returns to North Korea. New York City: Thomas Dunne Books. ISBN 0-31233-243-2. 
  • Russ, Martin (1999). Breakout - The Chosin Reservoir Campaign, Korea 1950. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14029-259-4. 
Web
v • d • e
United States Marine Corps
Portal:United States Marine Corps
Leadership
Major Commands
Structure
Personnel & Training
Uniforms & Equipment
History & Traditions
v • d • e
1st Marine Division (United States)
1st Marines
5th Marines
7th Marines
11th Marines
Other Battalions