2nd Battalion, 5th Marines
(Redirected from
2nd Battalion 5th Marines
)| 2nd Battalion 5th Marines | |
|---|---|
1st Marine Division | |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton |
| Motto(s) | "Retreat, Hell" |
| Engagements | World War I
|
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt.Col Clinton K. Hall |
| Notable commanders | Lewis W. Walt Ernie Cheatham |
2d Battalion 5th Marines (2/5 or "Two Five") is an
War on Terror
.
2/5 is the most highly decorated battalion in the Marine Corps, and their motto, "Retreat, Hell!", comes from the French trenches of World War I, when a Marine officer named Lloyd W. Williams was advised by a French officer to retreat and replied, "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!"
Subordinate units
- Headquarters and Services Company
- Echo Company
- Fox Company
- Golf Company
- Weapons Company
History
Early history
2d Battalion 5th Marines was formed on July 1, 1914, and immediately sailed to the Caribbean to quell political turmoil in the
Meuse-Argonne campaign and were twice awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. To this day, members of the battalion wear the French Fourragère representing this award. Following the armistice of 1918, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines was assigned to occupation duties in Germany until their return to Quantico, Virginia
, in August 1919.
Interwar years
Beginning in 1920, the battalion began guarding
US Mail trains throughout the United States. In 1927, the battalion was sent to Nicaragua
to fight bandits and to supervise the 1928 Nicaraguan national elections.
World War II
In 1941, the battalion joined the newly formed
. Following the Japanese surrender, the battalion was assigned to occupation duty in Northern China until 1947, at which time they returned to the United States.Korean War
Immediately following the 1950
Pusan Perimeter as a part of the famous "Fire Brigade". The battalion also participated in the landing at Inchon, the liberation of Seoul, the Chosin Reservoir Campaign, and the defense of the East, Central, and Western Fronts before the war was over. From July 1953 to February 1955, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines assisted in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone
, after which they again returned to Camp Pendleton.
Vietnam War
In April 1966, the battalion deployed to the
Quế Sơn, Phu Bai, Đông Hà and Phú Lộc. Immediately after their return to Camp Pendleton in 1971, the battalion joined Operation New Arrivals, the relocation of Southeast Asian refugees to the United States.[2]
1980s and 1990s
For the next fifteen years, the battalion deployed regularly as part of the Marine Corps'
Operation Sea Angel
.
In 1994, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines deployed as the
Okinawa for service as the Battalion Landing Team for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The battalion also participated in several operations in East Timor
.
War on Terror
On February 2, 2003, 2/5 left
Royal Netherlands Marine Corps
(who were soon augmented by Japanese forces acting in a strictly non-combat role), 2/5 returned to Camp Pendelton in August.
In September 2004 2/5 returned to Iraq where it was stationed in Ramadi, a hotbed of insurgent activity 30 miles (48 km) west of Fallujah and 60 miles (97 km) west of Baghdad. During this deployment 2/5 lost 15 Marines killed in action, 10 from Weapons Company. Elements from 2/5 began returning to Camp Pendleton on Easter, 2005.
From December 2005 to July 2006, 2/5 was deployed to Okinawa as part of the
.In March 2007, 2/5 was deployed to Iraq for the third time, stationed again in Ramadi. While deployed to Ramadi, Golf Company was unexpectedly tasked with operations in the city of Karmah.
In April 2008, 2/5 deployed as a Battalion Landing Team as part of the 15th
Marine Expeditionary Unit
. BLT 2/5 made stops in Singapore, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, and Australia.
In September 2009, 2/5 deployed as a Battalion Landing Team (BLT) as part of the 31st
Japanese Self Defense Force
(JSDF) and Co. G, BLT 2/5 conducted Exercise Forest Light 2010 at Sekiyama, Japan. The two nations conducted live fire ranges including mortars, Combat Marksmanship Program (CMP), machinegun ranges and helicopter-borne operations. 2/5 returned to Camp Pendleton in April 2010.
In January 2011, 2/5 was again designated as a Battalion Landing Team (BLT) as part of the 31st MEU. 2/5 relieved BLT 1/7. 2/5 conducted bilateral training with the Thai Marines, and Cambodian Self Defense Forces. Following a brief port visit in Malaysia a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck northern Japan in vicinity of the city of Sendai. 2/5 was immediately recalled and directed to support
Camp Pendleton
in June 2011.
In February 2012, 2/5 deployed for the first time to
Regimental Combat Team 6 (RCT-6) and served as the ground combat element of Regional Command Southwest. The Marines serving with the battalion worked in partnership with the Afghan National Security Forces, helping the Afghan army and police provide security services to the Afghan people and smothering insurgent activity. The battalion was assigned to cover Now Zad and Musa Qala districts in northern Helmand province, and all cities and villages that lied in between. During the deployment, the battalion executed a 17-day operation in a village that was a Taliban stronghold between Now Zad and Musa Qala, dubbed Operation Branding Iron. Tragically during the deployment, the battalion lost four Marines to combat action: Sgt. Wade Wilson, who was awarded the Silver Star, Cpl. Anthony Servin, Cpl. Alex Martinez, and Lance Cpl. Joshua Witsman. The battalion returned to Camp Pendleton in September 2012.[3]
National Geographic Channel Documentary
During Operation Branding Iron, camera crews from the
National Geographic Channel were imbedded with 2/5, documenting the battalion's actions during that operation, which they conducted while other USMC units were in the process of withdrawing from the theater of operations. The film, entitled Battleground Afghanistan, is a 5 episode documentary that chronicled the role of Golf company, 2nd battalion, 5th Marines. The five episodes chronicle the company's actions preparing for and conducting Operation Branding Iron, the subsequent events, daily life in camp, their preparations to go home at the end of their deployment, and finally their return to the US. The documentary includes one-on-one on camera interviews with Golf company's commander, Capt. Ben Middendorf, as well as numerous other Marines in Golf company. (Capt. Middendorf was awarded that year's, 2012, prestigious LtCol William G. Leftwich, Jr. Trophy for Outstanding Leadership for his actions while deployed with Golf Co., 2d Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. This award if given to the “best captain” in the Marine Corps to have participated in infantry combat.[4][5] ) During their 17-day operation shown in the documentary, and during their last short mission right at the end of the documentary before they prepare to head home, Golf company did not lose a single Marine. As of 2014, the entire documentary is available for streaming on Netflix.[6][7]
Medal of Honor recipients
World War II
- Corpsmen, were awarded the Medal of Honor as a result of their heroic actions while assigned to 2/5.
Korean War
- Private First Class Robert E. Simanek, while serving with Company F, 2/5, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his act of valor on August 17, 1952, in which he threw himself on a grenade to save the lives of fellow Marines. PFC Simanek survived and received the Medal of Honor from President Dwight D. Eisenhower.[8]
- Duane E. Dewey
Vietnam War
- Captain James A. Graham, a member of Company F, 2/5, was killed in action in Vietnam during Operation Union II. For his heroic actions on June 2, 1967, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.[9]
- On July 4, 1967, PFC Melvin E. Newlin single-handedly broke up and disorganized an entire enemy assault force. In the course of his actions, he was mortally wounded. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.[10]
- Staff Sergeant Allan J. Kellogg, platoon sergeant for Company G, 2/5, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on March 11, 1970, in Quang Nam province, Republic of Vietnam.[11]
Notable former members
- Ernie Cheatham, battalion commander during the Battle of Huế in the Vietnam War
- George R. Christmas, company commander during the Battle of Huế in the Vietnam War
- Major Lloyd W. Williams. A famous saying is attributed to Williams, who was serving as a company commander in the 5th Marines during the Battle of Belleau Wood. When advised to withdraw by a French officer at the defensive line just north of the village of Lucy-le-Bocage on June 1, 1918, he is said to have replied: "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!" Captain Williams would not survive the ensuing battle, and was posthumously promoted to major and recommended for the Distinguished Service Cross.
- Brigadier general Gordon D. Gayle, commanded the battalion on New Britain and Peleliu.
- Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace was commander of 2nd Plt, G Co, 2/5 during the Vietnam War.[12]
- Brigadier general Lester A. Dessez, commanded 18th Company in 1922.
- Willard Keith, G Company during World War II
- Sergeant Reckless, Korean Warhorse
In popular culture
- The 1987 film Battle of Hue.
- The Battle of Guadalcanal.
- The 2011 film Battle: Los Angeles portrays the Marines of Echo Company, 2/5 in a fictional battle inspired by the 1942 events.
See also
They are depicted in 2019 Film IpMan 4, The Finale.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- ISBN 1-85532-852-6.
- ^ "2d Battalion, 5th Marines at Hue" (PDF).
- ^ Lance Cpl. Joseph Scanlan (September 19, 2012). "Most decorated infantry battalion returns from Afghanistan". Marine Corps. Archived from the original on September 24, 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
- ^ "Maj Benjamin Middendorf Honored With Prestigious Leftwich Trophy". Marine Corps Association & Foundation. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- ^ General James F. Amos, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps (April 23, 2013). "LTCOL WILLIAM G. LEFTWICH JR. TROPHY FOR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP". United States Marine Corps. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- ^ "National Geographic TV Shows, Specials & Documentaries". Archived from the original on March 16, 2015.
- ^ "Battleground Afghanistan". National Geographic Channel. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ "CMOHS.org - Private First Class SIMANEK, ROBERT E., U.S. Marine Corps". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-08.
- ^ "James Albert Graham | Vietnam War | U.S. Marine Corps | Medal of Honor Recipient".
- ^ "View All Medal of Honor Recipients".
- ^ "View All Medal of Honor Recipients".
- ^ Cpl Blaich, Ryan (2007-09-05). "Gen. Pace, 2d platoon reunited". Marine Corps News. Archived from the original on 2007-12-15. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2nd Battalion 5th Marines.
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