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2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines (2/23) is a reserve
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 m ...
battalion in 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 ...
located throughout the Western United States consisting of approximately 1000 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the command of the 23rd Marine Regiment and the
4th Marine Division The 4th Marine Division is a reserve division in the United States Marine Corps. It was raised in 1943 for service during World War II, and subsequently fought in the Pacific against the Japanese. Deactivated after the war, the division was re- ...
.


Current Units


Previous Units


Mission

Provide trained combat personnel and units to augment and reinforce the active component in time of war, national emergency, and at other times as national security requires.


History


World War II

Activated on 20 July 1942 at New River,
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 a ...
, 23rd Marines was assigned to the 4th Marine Division in February 1943 and relocated during July 1943 to
Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by ...
, California. 23rd Marines participated in the following campaigns during
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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
:
Kwajalein Kwajalein Atoll (; Marshallese language, Marshallese: ) is part of the Marshall Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island, which its majority English-speaking res ...
,
Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 est ...
,
Tinian Tinian ( or ; old Japanese name: 天仁安島, ''Tenian-shima'') is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of t ...
, and
Iwo Jima Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...
. For Saipan the 23rd landed on beaches blue 1 & 2. Shore party for 2/23 was the third battalion 20th Marines which was the 121st Seabees.US Marine Corps World War II order of battle : ground and air units in the Pacific War, 1939-1945, date=2002, Gordon L. Rottmann, Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, p. 218-22

/ref> For Iwo Jima 2/23 was the right Assault Battalion on yellow beach. They landed from APA 207 the USS Mifflin on yellow beach 2. The 23rd did not have a Pioneer Battalion so the 133rd Seabees were attached to the Regiment in that assignment. B Co. 133 NCB was Shore Party for 2/23 until relieved on D-plus 18. During the fierce fighting which occurred in the Pacific Theater, four Marines of the 23rd Marine Regiment were awarded the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...
. In October 1945, the Regiment was again relocated to Camp Pendleton and was subsequently deactivated on 15 November 1945. For its actions against enemy forces, 23rd Marines received the following awards: Presidential Unit Citation Streamer with one Bronze Star, Asia-Pacific Campaign Streamer with four Bronze Stars, and World War II Victory Streamer.


Vietnam

On July 1, 1962 2/23 was reactivated, reassigned to the 4th Marine Division and relocated to
Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
on property adjacent to the
Santa Monica Airport Santa Monica Airport (Santa Monica Municipal Airport) is a general aviation airport largely in Santa Monica, California, United States. The airport is about from the Pacific Ocean (Santa Monica Bay) and north of Los Angeles International Airp ...
. As a Marine Corps Reserve unit during Vietnam era, the battalion's weekend drills and annual two week training were often held at
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by Oc ...
as well as other Southern California military installations that included Twentynine Palms, Coronado, and Port Hueneme. In January, 1973 the battalion again relocated this time to
Encino, California Encino ( Spanish for "oak") is a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. History In 1769, the Spanish Portolá expedition, first Europeans to see inland areas of California, traveled north through Sepulved ...
.


Gulf War

Six Marines were activated in late November 1990 from Fox Company in Salt Lake City, Utah. They left within five days to join 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines whose headquarters is in the New Orleans, Louisiana area. From there they proceeded to
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune () is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( Wilmingt ...
for preparation before deploying to Al Jabail, Saudi Arabia. They proceeded into Kuwait where their final location was Hill 99, just outside Kuwait City. They were released from active duty in May 1991 and returned home. In December 1990, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines was mobilized by presidential call-up to serve on active duty 99.2% of those on the rolls reported to their seven separate drill centers for duty. Within two days of activation, this, the largest and most geographically diverse infantry battalion in the Marine Corps, reported to Camp Pendleton, California with 1,015 Marine and Navy personnel. Unlike the standard 180-day forming and training period which most battalions require to prepare for deployment, 2/23 deployed within 16 days of activation and joined III MEF on 25 December 1990 in
Okinawa, Japan 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 o ...
.


Global War on Terror

After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines was activated initially for one year to respond to any additional terrorist attacks that might occur in the United States. Just before its one-year deactivation date, the battalion's active duty status was extended in order for the unit to deploy to the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
to participate in the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق ( Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict and the War on terror , image ...
. 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines was the first complete infantry reserve battalion to deploy in support of the Iraq War. 2/23 pushed forward into
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
on March 20, 2003. Among other locations, the battalion fought in An Nasiriyah assisting Task Force Tarawa's operations in that area after a U.S. Army convoy was ambushed and several soldiers were taken prisoner by insurgent forces. The battalion moved up Route 17 as part of
Regimental Combat Team 1 The 1st Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The regiment is under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The 1st ...
(RCT-1) fighting in Al Gharraf and Al Fajr among other towns. The battalion suffered its only combat fatality in Al Fajr. The battalion continued north with RCT 1 and was part of the tactical feint at Al Kut. Ultimately traveling west to An Numaniyah where the 1st Marine Division crossed the Tigris River. A few days later, on April 8, 2003, the battalion entered Baghdad with the Division. Fox Company found itself engaged in combat with approximately 200 Fedayeen and Iraqi intelligence personnel. A scout sniper attached to Fox company, Sergeant Scott Montoya, was awarded
Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...
for "extraordinary heroism in combat" during this engagement. The next day Golf company moved to secure the Iraqi intelligence headquarters from which Fox Company had been attacked the previous day. Once Baghdad was largely secure, Golf Company and an anti-tank section from Weapons Company became part of Task Force Tripoli, which was the Marine vanguard into
Tikrit Tikrit ( ar, تِكْرِيت ''Tikrīt'' , Syriac: ܬܲܓܪܝܼܬܼ ''Tagrīṯ'') is a city in Iraq, located northwest of Baghdad and southeast of Mosul on the Tigris River. It is the administrative center of the Saladin Governorate. , it h ...
. On December 1, 2008, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, were activated for the Iraq War. They deployed in and around the city of Ar Ramadi. During their deployment, contributions were made to Afghanistan and the withdraw of troops as the last participating Marine infantry force. With over 300 missions successfully completed 2/23 completed their deployment. Weapons company successfully completed missions out of
Al-Taqaddum Air Base Al Taqaddum Airbase ( ar, قاعدة التقدم الجوية), or Al Taqaddum AB , (Called TQ in military shorthand slang), is an air base that is located in central Iraq, approximately 74 kilometers (46 miles) west of Baghdad, at Habbaniyah. Th ...
where they were part of the quick reaction force. On March 1, 2011, the battalion deployed to Okinawa and served as a quick reaction force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The unit was attached to the 4th Marine Regiment as Alpha Company. 2/23 deployed all over Southeast Asia and participated in the Korean Incremental Training Program. The unit returned home in September 2011.


Reserve Unit Activation, 2018

The 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment will again head to Okinawa in October 2018 as part of the Corps Unit Deployment Program, according to an article in the Marine Times.


Unit Awards

2/23 has received several unit citations and commendations. Members who participated in actions that merited the award are authorized to wear the medal or ribbon on their uniforms.
Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces awards and decorations are primarily the medals, service ribbons, and specific badges which recognize military service and personal accomplishments while a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. Such awards are a mean ...
fall into different categories: i.e. Service, Campaigns, Unit, and Valor. Unit awards are distinct from personal decorations. The following are 2/23's Unit Awards: *   Presidential Unit Citation Iwo Jima, Operation Iraqi Freedom *  
Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy and U.S. Marine Corps commands may recommend any Navy or Marine Cor ...
Tinian, Desert Storm, II MEF Iraq 2007 *   Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 4 Arrowheads (World War II) *
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or ...
NAVMC 2922 August 2012

/ref> 1990-91


See also

*
List of United States Marine Corps battalions This is a list of current United States Marine Corps battalions, sorted by the mission they perform. __TOC__ Active units Ground Combat Element battalions The ground combat element (GCE) consists of those combat and combat support units whose ...
*
Organization of the United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior Marine commissioned officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recr ...
*
4th Marine Division (United States) The 4th Marine Division is a reserve division in the United States Marine Corps. It was raised in 1943 for service during World War II, and subsequently fought in the Pacific against the Japanese. Deactivated after the war, the division was re- ...
* 23rd Marine Regiment *
Headquarters Company A headquarters unit is a specialised military unit formed around the headquarters of a commanding officer and the requirements of that position. As such, a headquarters unit is always a component of a larger unit. Examples include: * headquarters ...
23d Marines (HQ/23) -
San Bruno, California San Bruno (Spanish for " St. Bruno") is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, incorporated in 1914. The population was 43,908 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is between South San Francisco and Millbrae, adjacent to ...
*
1st Battalion, 23rd Marines 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines (1/23) is one of 32 infantry battalions in the United States Marine Corps, and one of only eight battalions found in the reserve. It is located throughout Texas and Louisiana consisting of approximately 1000 Marines a ...
(1/23) -
Ellington Field, Texas Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base is a joint installation shared by various active component and reserve component military units, as well as aircraft flight operations of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the aegis ...
*
3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment (3/23) is a reserve infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps located throughout the Southern United States consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. The battalion was first formed in 19 ...
(3/23) -
Bridgeton, Missouri Bridgeton is a second-ring suburb of Greater St. Louis in northwestern St. Louis County, Missouri, United States. Bridgeton is located at the intersection of the St. Louis outer belt and I-70. Bridgeton serves as the primary transport hub with ...
*
2nd Battalion, 24th Marines 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines (2/24) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Chicago, Illinois, consisting of approximately 1000 Marines and Sailors. The battalion falls under the 23rd Marine Regiment and the 4th M ...
(2/24) -
Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
* Truck Company 23rd Marines -
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada Nellis Air Force Base ("Nellis" colloq.) is a United States Air Force installation in southern Nevada. Nellis hosts air combat exercises such as Exercise Red Flag and close air support exercises such as Green Flag-West flown in " Military O ...
* Combat Logistics Battalion 23 formerly
4th Landing Support Battalion 4th Landing Support Battalion (4th LSB) was a Military Landing Support battalion of the United States Marine Corps Reserve. The unit was based out of New Orleans, Louisiana, and fell under the command of the 4th Marine Logistics Group (4th MLG) ...
(aka the 4th Pioneers) * Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 *
Seabees , colors = , mascot = Bumblebee , battles = Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Cape Gloucester, Los Negros, Guam, Peleliu, Tarawa, Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, Phi ...


References


External links

* {{4thMarDiv 4th Marine Division (United States) Infantry battalions of the United States Marine Corps Military units and formations of the Iraq War Units and formations of the United States in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)