Activated 1 August 1922 at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as the 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment and assigned to the 2nd Brigade.
Participated in the occupation of the Dominican Republic, Deactivated 20 July 1924
1941 - 1947
Reactivated 1 March 1941 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines and assigned to the 1st Marine Division, fleet Marine Force
Deployed during April 1941 to Parris Island, SC
Deactivated 14 June 1941
Reactivated 11 February 1942 at New River, NC, and assigned to the 1st Marines Division, Fleet Marine Force
Deployed during July 1942 to Wellington, New Zealand
Participated in the following World War II campaigns
* Guadalcanal
* Finschhafen
* New Britain
* Peleliu
* Okinawa
Redeployed during September 1945 to Tiensin, China
Participated in the occupation of North China, September 1945-October 1947
1950 - 1964
Reactivated 4 August 1950 at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina, and assigned to the 1st Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force
Deployed during August 1950 to Kobe, Japan
Participated in the Korean War, September 1950-July 1953, Operating from
* Inchon-Seoul
* Chosin Reservoir
* East Central
* Western Front
Participated in the defense of the Korean demilitarized zone July 1953 - April 1955
Relocated to Camp Pendleton, CA in April 1955
Participated in the Battalion transplacement system between the 1st Marine Division and the 3rd Marine Division during June 1959 - July 1960
Participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, October-December 1962
1965 - 1974
Deployed during November 1965 to the Republic of Vietnam, and assigned to the 3rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force
Participated in the War in Vietnam, November 1965-May 1971, Operating from
* Hue/Phu Bai
* Da Nang
* Quang Tri
* Thua Thien
* Quang Nam
Detached during April 1971 from the 1st Marine Division, and reassigned to the 3rd Marine Amphibious Brigade, Fleet Marine Force
Relocated during June 1971 to Camp Pendleton, CA, and reassigned to the 1st Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force
1975 - 1994
Participated during April - May 1975 in Operation New Arrival, the relocation of refugees from Indochina
Participated in numerous training exercises during the 1970's and 1980's
Participated in the Battalion rotation between the 3rd Marine Division on Okinawa and Divisions stationed in the United States during the 1980's
Deactivated 24 January 1989
Reactivated 9 September 1994 at Camp Pendleton, CA, and assigned to the 1st Marine Division
2003 - 2006
Participated from January to June 2003 in Operation Enduring Freedom I with the 15th MEU.
Participated from February to October 2004 in Operation Iraqi Freedom II wi 1st Marine Division.
Participated from October 2005 to December 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-06 with 2nd Marine Division and the 13th MEU.
Notable Persons
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
PFC DeWayne Thomas Williams
Private First Class Dewayne Thomas Williams (MCSN: 2420506), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 18 September 1968, while serving as a rifleman with the First Platoon, Company H, Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action against communist insurgent forces in Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
LCpl Emillio A De La Garza, Jr.
Lance Corporal Emilio Albert De La Garza, Jr., United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 11 April 1970, while serving as a machine gunner with Company E, Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, near DaNang, Republic of Vietnam
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
PFC Gary Wayne Martini
Private First Class Gary Wayne Martini (MCSN: 2217825), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company F, Second Battalion, First Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action against enemy forces near Binh Son, Republic of Vietnam.
Description
This campaign was 8 March to 24 December 1965. During this campaign the U.S. objective was to hold off the enemy while gaining time needed to build base camps and logistical facilities. The U.S. also attempted to consolidate its ground operations more efficiently. For this purpose, it organized the U.S. Army Vietnam (USARV). U.S. support in the I Corps tactical zone, composed of five northernmost provinces, was to be primarily a Marine Corps responsibility; the U.S. Army was to operate mainly in the II and III Corps tactical zones which comprised the Central highlands, adjacent coastal regions, and the area around Saigon; and ARVN troops were to retain primary responsibility for the Delta region of the IV Corps.
On 19 October 1965. three VC regiments totaling 6,000 men attacked a Civil Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) - U.S. Special Forces at Plei Me, near the entrance to the Ia Drang Valley, in what purported to be the start of a thrust to cut the country in half.
With the assistance of massive air strikes, elements of the newly arrived 1st Cavalry Division thwarted the enemy in a battle that lasted nearly a month and included several engagements. The Ia Drang Valley action was the costliest in terms of casualties to date. The successful defense of the region improved security in and around the Central Highlands and raised the morale of the soldiers involved.
