2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. The battalion, nicknamed the Magnificent Bastards, is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and are a part of the 5th Marine Regiment and 1st Marine Division.
2nd Battalion, 4th Marines was constituted in April 1914 during World War I when it was activated as one of the three battalions of the 4th Marine Regiment.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
LtCol Howard V Lee
Major [then Captain] Howard Vincent Lee (MCSN: 0-69961), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 8 and 9 August 1966, while serving with Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action against enemy forces near Cam Lo, Republic of Vietnam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
MGen James Livingston
Captain James Everett Livingston (MCSN: 0-84449), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 2 May 1968, while serving as Commanding Officer, Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade, in action against enemy forces at Dai Do, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Viet Nam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
Col Jay Vargas
Major Jay R. Vargas (MCSN: 0-83768), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer, Company G, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action against enemy forces at Dai Do, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, from 30 April to 2 May 1968.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
LCpl Jedh Colby Barker
Lance Corporal Jedh Colby Barker (MCSN: 2207369), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 21 September 1967, while serving as a machine gunner with Company F, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action near Con Thien, Republic of Vietnam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
LCpl Joe Calvin Paul
Lance Corporal Joe Calvin Paul (MCSN: 2033358), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 18 August 1965, while serving with Company H, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action against an armed enemy near Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
Sgt Paul Hellstrom Foster
Sergeant Paul Hellstrom Foster (MCSN: 1903536), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 14 October 1967, while serving as an artillery liaison operations chief with the Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action near Con Thien, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam.
On 19 October 1979, Typhoon Tip, the strongest typhoon to hit mainland Japan in 13 years, brougt 115 mph winds and a torrential downpour with it. More than 1,250 Marines of Battalion Landing Team 2/4 from Camp Schwab, Okinawa, and assigned here for training, were housed in quonset huts in upper Camp Fuji. To protect the Marines, and prevent the doors from flying away in the strong winds, the officers and Staff NCO's nailed the doors shut.
The fuel farm, which consisted of two rubber storage bladders secured by a retaining wall, was located up the hill above the quonset huts. The rains from Typhoon Tip eroded the wall and allowed the bladder to break free. Hoses were torn away from the bladder, releasing 5000 gallons of gasoline. Skimming the surface of the water, the gasoline ran across upper Camp Fuji into the quonset huts. Then, around 1430, one of the quonset hut heaters ignited the fuel.
Fire fighting vehicles from the airfield crash crew arrived on the scene within 10 minutes. Additional support arrived from Takigahara Garrison as well as the following City of Gotemba firefighting units: Platoons #2 and #6 from Inno Village, Platoon #3 from Tamaho Village, and the Gotemba-Oyama Fire Station. By 1545, the fire was under reasonable control, but could not be extinguished completely.
Casualties were evacuated to local hospitals in Gotemba, Naval Airfield Atsugi, Naval Operations Base Yokuska, Yokota Air Base, and Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Vehicles and ambulances from Fuji Schools and Takigahara Garrison supported this movement. Headquarters, 3rd Detachment of the USSS White Plains, a combat stores ship, stationed at Naval Airfield Atsugi, provided airlift support for helicopter evacuation operations.
Despite the tremendous response of the local community and the military installations, 51 Marines and 3 Japanese nationals were injured, while fourteen quonset huts were destroyed and several other buildings were damaged. Of the 54 people injured, 13 Marines died.
Marines who died:
Cpl Colim Miller
LCpl Willie Davis, Jr.
LCpl Ernest E. Gutierrez
LCpl Philip E. Dupont
LCpl L. C. Malveaux
LCpl Robert V. Smith, Jr.
LCpl Orlando E. Sandoval
LCpl Stephen R. Turner
PFC Thomas J. Breunig
PFC Tyrone C. Elem
PFC Robert L. Brees
PFC Roger A. Larson
Pvt Gregory L. Hassel
