20th Marine Regiment (United States)
| 20th Marine Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | June 15, 1943 — August 31, 1944 |
| Country |
 United States of America |
| Branch |
 United States Marine Corps |
| Type | Engineer regiment |
| Engagements | |
20th Marine Regiment was an Composite Engineer Regiment of the United States Marine Corps that fought during World War II.[1]
Subordinate units
The regiment was a composite of three different types of battalions[2] and a headquarters and service company:
- Headquarters & Services Company
- 1st Battalion, 20th Marines A, B,& C Companies 4th Engineer Battalion
- 2nd Battalion, 20th Marines D, E, & F Companies 4th Pioneer Battalion
- 3rd Battalion, 20th Marines G, H, & I Companies 121st Naval Construction Battalion[3]
History
20th Marines was formed on June 15, 1943,[4] at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, from cadred units of the 19th Marine Regiment. It originally consisted of three battalions and was assigned to support the 4th Marine Division. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were made up of Marine Engineers and Pioneers while the 3rd Battalion was formed with US Navy Construction Battalion personnel also known as Seabees.[5] During the war the Regiment involved in the battle of Roi Namur, Battle of Saipan and Battle of Tinian. On Siapan, the 4th Marine Division assigned 2/20 and 3/20 (4th Pioneers and 121st CB) as the shore party[6] The regiment was inactivated on August 31, 1944 with the 4th Engineer and 4th Pioneer Battalions reassigned to the Division itself. While the 121st NCB remained at Tinian to work on the airfield, the 4th moved on preparing for Iwo Jima. 133 NCB was posted to the slot vacated by the 121st. With the 20th Regiment gone the 133rd was assigned to the 23rd Marines as their shore party and the 4th Pioneers were assigned to the 25th Marines as theirs. The 4th Engineers were then under divisional control. A note concerning the 121st. That Battalion had Marine Officers assigned to it.[7]
Regiment's Commanders
- Lieutenant Colonel Nelson K. Brown (15 June 1943 - 22 August 1943)
- Colonel Lucian W. Burnham (23 August 1943 - 9 April 1944)
- Lieutenant Colonel Nelson K. Brown (10 April 1944 - 31 August 1944)
Unit awards
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps regiments
- Organization of the United States Marine Corps
- 4th Marine Division
- 16th Marine Regiment(Engineer)
- 17th Marine Regiment(Engineer)
- 18th Marine Regiment(Engineer)
- 19th Marine Regiment(Engineer)
- 23rd Marine Regiment
- Seabees
References
- ↑ U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle Fleet Marine Force Ground Units, Rottman p. 220
- ↑ Battle Orders - US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1943-44, Gordon L Rottman, Osprey Publishing, p. 13
- ↑ US Marine Corps World War II order of battle : ground and air units in the Pacific War, 1939-1945|date=2002, Gordon L. Rottmann, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, p. 218-220
- ↑ U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle Fleet Marine Force Ground Units, Rottman p. 220
- ↑ 121st NCB
- ↑ U.S. Army in World War II, Campaign in the Marianas, Chapter VII, Phiilip A. Crowel, U.S.Army, 1959. p. 125
- ↑ Seabees with the Marines, U.S. Navy Seabee Museum Archives, Port Hueneme, CA 93043
- Bibliography
- Rottman, Gordon L. (2002). U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945.’’. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31906-5.