29th Marine Regiment
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 29th Marine Regiment (29th Marines) is an inactive
infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
regiment of the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
. The last Marine Corps regiment activated for service in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, its First Battalion fought in the Battle of Saipan while attached to the
2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina ...
; the entire regiment also fought in
Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...
while attached to the
6th Marine Division The 6th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps World War II infantry division formed in September 1944. During the invasion of Okinawa it saw combat at Yae-Take and Sugar Loaf Hill and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The 6 ...
, and took part in the occupation of Northern China following the war. The 29th Marine Regiment was subsequently deactivated in
1946 Events January * January 6 - The 1946 North Vietnamese parliamentary election, first general election ever in Vietnam is held. * January 7 – The Allies recognize the Austrian republic with its 1937 borders, and divide the country into f ...
as part of the post war drawdown of forces.


History

Originally an "orphan unit", the First Battalion of the 29th Marine Regiment was formed as the Second Separate Infantry Battalion in February 1944 and re-designated as 1/29 en-route to its first combat assignment, attached to the
2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina ...
. Following a month of operational training on the King Ranch in Hawaii, 1/29 went into combat during the Battle of Saipan (15 June – 9 July 1944) first, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Guy E. Tannyhill, then (following Tannyhill being wounded in action on 17 June) under the command of Lieut. Col.
Rathvon M. Tompkins Rathvon McClure Tompkins (August 23, 1912 – September 17, 1999) was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps major general. He saw combat in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and led Marine units during the Dominican Civil War ...
, and finally (following Tompkins being wounded in action on 2 July) by Lieut. Col. Jack P. Juhan. Despite sustaining heavy casualties in combat beginning with the initial landing on 15 June, 1/29 particularly distinguished itself during the "Battle of the Mountain (
Mount Tapotchau Mount Tapochau is the highest point on the island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. It is located in the center of the island, north of San Vicente village and northwest of Magicienne Bay, and rises to a height of 474 m (1555  ...
)", which took place during 22 - 29 June. 1/29 remained attached to the Second Marine Division until September, 1944, when it was sent to Guadalcanal to join the rest of its parent outfit, the 29th Regiment of the
6th Marine Division The 6th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps World War II infantry division formed in September 1944. During the invasion of Okinawa it saw combat at Yae-Take and Sugar Loaf Hill and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The 6 ...
. The parent unit itself was activated at Camp Lejeune,
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
as a separate reinforced regiment on 1 May 1944. Its first commander was Colonel
Victor Bleasdale Victor France Bleasdale (December 2, 1895 – February 10, 1984) was a brigadier general in the United States Marine Corps. He was awarded the Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge in W ...
, an expert instructor and decorated
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
veteran, who served as Chief of Staff of the training center in Camp Lejeune. The regiment was assigned to the
6th Marine Division The 6th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps World War II infantry division formed in September 1944. During the invasion of Okinawa it saw combat at Yae-Take and Sugar Loaf Hill and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The 6 ...
under Major General
Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. Lemuel Cornick Shepherd Jr. (February 10, 1896 – August 6, 1990) was a four-star general of the United States Marine Corps. A veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, he was the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps. As Co ...
on 10 September 1944.


Battle of Okinawa

The regiment was due to be the reserve for the 6th Marine Division but was able to come ashore on the island on D-Day, 1 April 1945, due to the lack of resistance at the outset of the battle. They initially swept through the northern Motobu Peninsula where except for heavy fighting during the Battle of Yae Take they met only moderate resistance. Following the battle the division commanding general
Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. Lemuel Cornick Shepherd Jr. (February 10, 1896 – August 6, 1990) was a four-star general of the United States Marine Corps. A veteran of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War, he was the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps. As Com ...
relieved the regimental commanding officer, Colonel Victor F. Bleasdale, a well-decorated
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
veteran, to install
Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the seco ...
veteran Colonel William J. Whaling. Following heavy fighting in the south the 6th Marine Division replaced the 27th Infantry Division on the western side of the island. The 29th made steady progress south until 12 May 1945 when on the outskirts of
Naha, Okinawa is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 persons per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area is ...
the ran into a low, loaf shaped hill which was soon to be named Sugar Loaf Hill. The hill was part of a complex of three hills that formed the western anchor of General Mitsuru Ushijima's Shuri Line defense. Originally the objective of the
22nd Marine Regiment The 22nd Marine Regiment (22nd Marines) is an inactive United States Marine Corps infantry regiment. The regiment was commissioned in 1942 and was placed under the command of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, and the 6th Marine Division. It t ...
, the 29th would relieve them on 16 May and would sustain heavy casualties over the course of the next few days while taking the hill. They made numerous frontal assaults on the hill and finally secured it on 18 May but in the process they sustained so many casualties that they were rendered combat ineffective and would eventually be relieved by the
4th Marine Regiment The 4th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. Based at Camp Schwab in Okinawa, Japan, it is part of the 3rd Marine Division of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. Mission Close with and destroy the enemy by fi ...
before the push into Naha. The fighting was so intense that during the relief in place the 4th Marines sustained 70 casualties.


Occupation of Northern China

While recuperating on Guam the war ended and that September the regiment received a warning order for it to prepare to move to China. Following the
surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally signed on 2 September 1945, bringing the war's hostilities to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy ...
, the entire 6th Marine Division was sent to
Northern China Northern China () and Southern China () are two approximate regions within China. The exact boundary between these two regions is not precisely defined and only serve to depict where there appears to be regional differences between the climate ...
with the main mission of accepting the surrender of Japanese forces there and helping to repatriate those soldiers and other Japanese nationals back to Japan.


Notable members

* Robert M. McTureous, Jr. - recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Okinawa.


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. The 29th Marine Regiment has been presented with the following awards:


In popular culture

The novel ''Take China: The Last of the China Marines'' by Harold Stephens depicts the 29th Marine Regiment and takes place in China during its civil war.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:029 Inactive units of the United States Marine Corps Infantry units and formations of the United States Marine Corps Infantry29