2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment is a reserve infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps , currently headquartered in Garden City, New York, with its subordinate units located throughout the Mid-Atlantic States. The battalion falls under the command of the 25th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.
The battalion was first activated on 01 May, 1943 at the new Marine Corps Base of Camp Lejeune, New River, North Carolina. In August and September, 1943, they were relocated to Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California to complete their training. In January 1944, they were deployed to the Marshall Islands in the Central Pacific and participated in the first of their WWII combat actions on several islets of Kwajalein Atoll in support of the 4th Marine Division's primary mission of securing the largest connecting islets of Roi and Namur at the north end of Kwajalein Atoll.
There soon followed actions on Saipan (15 Jun-09 Jul, 1944) and Tinian (24 Jul-09 Aug, 1944) in the Northern Marianas Islands, for which the 4th Marine Division received the Navy Presidential Unit Citation. In February 1945, the battalion landed with other units of the 4th Marine Division on the island of Iwo Jima in the Bonin 'Volcano' Islands of Japan. The resulting battle was the bloodiest for the United States Marine Corps in WWII and resulted in a second Navy Presidential Unit Citation for the 4th Marine Division.
In October 1945, the 25th Marine Regiment and the entire 4th Marine Division were relocated to Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, California and were subsequently de-activated on 31 October, 1945.
On 01 July, 1962, 2/25 was re-activated and assigned to the 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve. The battalion has since participated, in whole or in part in the First Gulf War (1990-1991) and the Global War on Terror (2001-Present) as well as making some deployments to African nations like Senegal and Mozambique. In addition, 2/25 has been deployed to such diverse locations as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Lithuania, Romania and Norway to participate in training activities.
Details behind Award: The President of the United States takes pleasure In presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the FOURTH MARINE DIVISION (REINFORCED) For service as set forth in the following CITATION: "For outstanding performance in combat during the seizure of the Japanese-held Islands of Saipan and Tinian in the Marianas from June 15 to August 1, 1944. Valiantly storming the mighty fortifications of Saipan on June 15, the Fourth Division, Reinforced, blasted the stubborn defenses of the enemy in an undeviating advance over the perilously rugged terrain. Unflinching despite heavy casualties, this gallant group pursued the Japanese relentlessly across the entire length of the Island, pressing on against bitter opposition for twenty-five days to crush all resistance in their zone of action. With but a brief rest period in which to reorganize and re-equip, the Division hurled its full fighting power against the dangerously narrow beaches of Tinian on July 24 and rapidly expanded the beachheads for the continued landing of troops, supplies and artillery. Unchecked by either natural obstacles or hostile fire, these indomitable men spearheaded a merciless attack which swept Japanese forces before it and ravaged all opposition within eight days to add Tinian to our record of conquests in these strategically vital Islands."
For the President, James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy
Last Updated: Jul 11, 2017
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