2nd Battalion, 9th Marines
2nd Battalion, 9th Marines | |
---|---|
United States of America | |
Branch | United States Marine Corps |
Type | Marines |
Role | Amphibious warfare Close-quarters combat Jungle warfare Raiding Reconnaissance Urban warfare |
Size | Battalion |
Nickname(s) | "Hell in a Helmet" |
Engagements | World War II
War in Afghanistan |
2nd Battalion, 9th Marines (2/9) was an
2/9 also participated in various humanitarian missions. The battalion helped evacuate Americans from
2nd Battalion 9th Marines served until September 2, 1994, when it was deactivated to make room for one of three light armor reconnaissance battalions. It was part of the
Battalion composition
A battalion in the Marine Corps is headed by the battalion commander, usually a lieutenant colonel and sometimes a colonel, his staff, headquarters, and the battalion sergeant major. It usually consists of 3–5 companies, with a total of 300 to 1,200 marines.[2] 2nd Battalion 9th Marines comprises a headquarters & service (H&S) company, weapons company and three infantry companies: Echo, Fox, and Golf. During the Vietnam war the battalion comprised headquarters & service (H&S) company, and four infantry companies: Echo, Fox, Golf, and Hotel. Each company had its own weapons platoon with 3 squads of M60 machine guns (7.62) and 60 mm mortars and ether 3.5-inch rocket launchers (super bazooka) or later LAAWS.
History
Early years
With the advent of World War I, the United States expanded the armed forces, to include the United States Marine Corps. The 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines (also known as 2/9) was created and activated on November 20, 1917, at Quantico, Virginia. During this period, there was turmoil in Cuba's sugar producing regions. American companies operated the island's sugar industry, which was vital to the economy of the United States. The battalion's first mission was to keep order in the island and once this was accomplished, it was reassigned. There were rumors that German agents were going to disrupt Mexican oil shipments to Texas. The battalion was sent to Texas to safeguard these shipments.[3] 2/9 was disbanded after the war on April 25, 1919, only to be reactivated in 1925. The battalion's main objective was to train reserve Marines and its headquarters was now transferred to
World War II
In April 1942, five months after the
The 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines were part of the reserve forces for the
Post-World War II
In November 1948, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines was again reestablished. The final stages of fighting between the
On June 25, 1950, war broke out between the provisional governments of
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War, was a conflict between the
The 3d Marine Division began operating in Vietnam when on May 6, 1965, they opened a Marine Compound at the
In September 1962, U.S. military forces constructed an airstrip outside the town of Khe Sanh which became known as the
From April to June 1966, the 2/9 Marines were caught in crossfire of the
In April and May 1967 The Hill Fights on Hills 861, 881 North and 881 South around Khe Sanh Combat Base between the 2/9 Marines and PAVN occurred. In January 1968, Khe Sanh came under heavy attack in what is known as the Battle of Khe Sanh. The main objective of the PAVN was to draw off American troops into the countryside in preparation for the Tet Offensive. Despite being outnumbered, 2/9 Marines, the 26th Marine Regiment and ARVN forces held their ground and the PAVN were driven off of the area around after experiencing heavy casualties by heavy aerial bombardment.[6]
From January 22 to March 18, 1969, 2/9 participated in
In August 1969, 2/9 Marines was ordered to return to Camp Schwab, Okinawa. During this period the unit was assigned to sea duty in and around the waters of Vietnam and continued to receive combat training at Camp Fuji, Japan and Subic Bay in the Philippines.[3]
Mayaguez Incident
On May 12, 1975, barely two weeks after the fall of
Calling the seizure "
Battle of Koh Tang Island
2nd Battalion, 9th Marines landed on Koh Tang Island where the crew of the SS Mayaguez was believed to be held, they were unaware that the crew was already in American hands. The Marines and the CH-53 helicopters which transported them, were attacked by the Khmer Rouge with
The Mayagüez incident with the Khmer Rouge, which ended on May 15, 1975, marked the last official battle of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines in the Vietnam War.[8] The unit deployment program was put into practice in February 1979, and 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines became the first battalion to rotate to the United States. A total of 18 Marines were killed on the last day of the SS Mayaguez rescue operation. They are the last Marines listed on the timeline of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial located in Washington, D.C.[8][9][10]
Post Vietnam era
Operations Desert Shield & Desert Storm
Before the August 2, 1990, invasion of
Somalia
The
By this time,
In 1991, the United States initiated
That same month, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines was deployed to Somalia. BLT 2/9's mission was to be the lead unit, Marine Raiders from Fox Company performing the first live rubber boat landing since WW2 secured the seaport and a force Recon unit followed by Gulf company secured the airfield in Mogadishu which allowed the rapid build-up of forces in-country. The mission was accomplished between December 9, 1992, and February 1993. The Somalis referred to Marines of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines as "The Black Boots." On January 30, 1993, a Marine patrol was ambushed in Mogadishu by gunmen faithful to warlord Mohammed Farah Aidid bringing about casualties. 2/9 remained in Somalia until April 1993 when they returned to Camp Pendleton. The battalion's next two deployments were to Fort Sherman, Panama for jungle training and then Fort Hunter Liggett which they participated in the Javelin anti-tank missile evaluation program.[12][13] On September 2, 1994, 2nd Battalion 9th Marines was deactivated and redesignated 2nd Battalion 4th Marines.
2007-2015
On December 7, 2006,
Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor is the highest
Name | Rank in 2/9 | Unit | Place | Date of action | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Louis H. Wilson Jr. |
Captain | Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division | Near Font Hill, Guam | July 25, 1944 – July 26, 1944 | [18] |
Wilson D. Watson |
Private | Company G, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division | Iwo Jima | February 26, 1945 – February 27, 1945 | [19] |
Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. |
First Lieutenant |
Company H, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division | Near Ky Phu, Republic of Vietnam | December 18, 1965 | [20] |
Thomas P. Noonan, Jr. † |
Lance Corporal |
Company G, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine | Near Quanq Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam | February 5, 1969 | [21] |
William D. Morgan † |
Corporal | Company H, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division | Near Quanq Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam | February 25, 1969 | [22] |
William K. Carpenter |
Corporal | Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 1st Marine Division | Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan | November 21, 2010 | [23] |
Commandants of the Marine Corps
The
Name | Rank in 2/9 | Unit served | Served as Commandant | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Robert E. Cushman, Jr. |
Lieutenant Colonel |
Commanding officer of 2/9 from January 2, 1943, to April 20, 1945 | January 1, 1972, to June 30, 1975 | [25] |
Louis H. Wilson Jr. |
Captain | Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division | July 1, 1975, to June 30, 1979 | [26] |
Charles C. Krulak |
Major | Operations Officer of 2/9 from 1977 to 1978 | June 30, 1995, to June 30, 1999 | [27] |
Distinguished Marines
Other Marines who served in the 2nd Battalion 9th Marines during their careers, who subsequently distinguished themselves by either becoming a general officer (O-7 and above) or recipients of the Medal of Honor while assigned to a different unit were:
Name | Rank | Unit served | Distinction | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Frank J. Breth |
Brigadier General |
Platoon Commander (1960–1961) | Reached the rank of Brigadier General | [28] |
Joseph J. McMenamin |
Brigadier General | Served as the 81mm Mortar Platoon Commander and Headquarters & Service Company Executive Officer (1974–1976) |
Reached the rank of Brigadier General | [29] |
Howard V. Lee |
Lieutenant Colonel |
Platoon commander of Co. F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division (1958–1959) | Medal of Honor (1966) | [30] |
Allan J. Kellogg |
Sergeant Major |
Company Supply Non-commissioned Officer of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division (1965–1967) | Medal of Honor (1970) | [31] |
Other notable former members
- Reagan Administration. He served in the mortar platoon during the Vietnam War in 1965.[32]
Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation.[33] 2/9 has been presented with the following awards:
- Presidential Unit Citation (Navy/Marine Corps) |
- Presidential Unit Citation (Army/Air Force) |
- Navy Unit Commendation |
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Navy/Marine Corps) |
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign
|
World War II Victory
|
- National Defense Service |
- China Service |
- Korean Service |
- Armed Forces Expeditionary |
- Southwest Asia Service |
- Vietnam Service |
Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces Meritorious Unit Citation of the Gallantry Cross
|
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
|
- Fourragère - 2/9 under the 5th or 6th Marines command rates a French Fourragère |
See also
- History of the United States Marine Corps
- List of United States Marine Corps battalions
- Organization of the United States Marine Corps
Notes
- ^ a b Seck, Hope Hodge (April 8, 2015). "Last 9th Marines battalion deactivates at Lejeune". www.marinecorpstimes.com. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
- ^ What is the size of battalion?, Retrieved October 18, 2007
- ^ a b c d e f g h [1] 2/9 Network, retrieved October 18, 2007
- ^ "General Louis Hugh Wilson, Jr., USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
- ^ "A Hero Among Us, World War II Letters". World War II Magazine. HistoryNet. May 2005. Retrieved 2006-08-02.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c "Khe Sanh Combat Base". Retrieved 2006-08-02.
- ^ Home of Heroes Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved October 18, 2007
- ^ a b c d e Capture and Release of SS Mayaguez, Retrieved October 18, 2007
- ^ "Joseph N. Hargrove". VirtualWall.org. Retrieved 2006-08-02.
- ^ Vietnam Veterans Memorial timeline, October 18, 2007
- ^ Marine Air Ground Task Force 4 / MAGTF 4, Retrieved October 18, 2007
- ^ a b c U.S. 3rd Marine Division, Retrieved October 18, 2007
- ^ 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Retrieved October 18, 2007
- ^ "MARADMIN 582/06 - PUBLICATION OF FISCAL YEARS 2007 THROUGH 2013 TABLES OF ORGANIZATION AND EQUIPMENT (T/OE)". U.S. Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 11 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-12.
- ^ "About 2nd Battalion 9th Marines". 2ndbattalion9thmarines.org. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ^ "The Battalion Runner 2011 - No. 2". 2ndbattalion9thmarines.org. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ^ "Title 2, Chapter V, Part 58, Sec. 578.4 "Medal of Honor"". Code of Federal Regulations. 2002-07-01. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
- ^ "Capt Louis H. Wilson Jr., Medal of Honor, 1944, 2/9/3, Guam (Medal of Honor citation)". Marines Awarded the Medal of Honor. United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2007-02-10.
- ^ Wilson Douglas Watson Archived February 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Who's Who in Marine Corps History, History Division, United States Marine Corps, Retrieved October 20, 2007
- ^ "First Lieutenant Harvey C. Barnum, Jr., USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "Lance Corporal Thomas P. Noonan, Jr., USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2011-02-08. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "Corporal William David Morgan, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "Carpenter Valor". Archived from the original on 2014-07-22. Retrieved 2014-07-18.
- ^ "USMC Commandants". Heritage Press International. Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
- ^ "General Robert E. Cushman, Jr., USMC". Who's who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2010-12-15. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "General Louis Hugh Wilson, Jr., USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "General Charles C. Krulak, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2011-03-12. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "Official Biography for Frank J. Breth". United States Marien Corps. Retrieved 2007-10-20.[dead link]
- ^ "Official Biography for Joseph J. McMenamin". United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "Lieutenant Colonel Howard Vincent Lee, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ "Sergeant Major Allen J. Kellogg, USMC". Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
- ^ Marine Corps Heritage Foundation website Archived June 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Unit Citation and Campaign Participation Credit Register
References
- Web
- 2/9's most update website
- Official Website of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment
- Official Website of the 2/9 Network. Retrieved 2006-07-03.
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial, The Virtual Wall.. 2006-07-10.
- U.S. 3rd Marine Division, Official USMC website. Retrieved on 2006-07-08.
- "Capture and Release of SS Mayaguez by Khmer Rouge forces in May 1975". USMM.org. Archived from the original on 18 July 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-08.
- 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Official USMC website. Retrieved on 2006-07-10.
- Fox Co. 2/9 in Vietnam. Retrieved 2006-07-03.
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial timeline. Retrieved 2006-08-02.
,