Military

2nd Battalion, 8th Marines

2nd Battalion 8th Marines ["America's Battalion"] was activated 1 April 1940 at San Diego, California, and assigned to the 2nd Marine Brigade. On 01 February 1941, 2nd Marine Brigade was redesignated as the 2nd Marine Division. The Battalion was reassigned in December 1941 to 2nd Marine Brigade, 2nd Marine Division. It deployed in January 1942 to American Samoa and detached from the 2nd Marine Division. It was detached October 1942 from 2nd Marine Brigade and assigned in February 1943 to 2nd Marine Division. It participated in the following World War II campaigns: Guadalcanal; Tarawa; Saipan; Tinian; and Okinawa. It deployed September 1945 to Nagasaki, Japan, and participated in the occupation of Japan from September 1945-June 1946. The Battalion relocated June-July 1946 to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina and was deactivated 18 November 1947.

The Battalion reactivated 1 December 1950 at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina as the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines and assigned to 2nd Marine Division. It deployed in the 1950's to 1980's to the Mediterranean and Caribbean areas at various times. It participated in the landings in Lebanon from July-Sept 1958, and was reduced to Cadre status during May 1959-July 1961. The Battalion participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis October-December 1962, and relocated in January 1968 to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The Battalion relocated August 1973 to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, and participated in numerous training exercises throughout the 1970's and 1980's. It participated as part of the Multi-National Peace Keeping Force in Lebanon, August-September 1982 and October 1983-February 1984. It also articipated in the Landings on Grenada-Carrialon, October-November 1983, and in Operation Provide Comfort, Iraq April-July 1991. Elements participated in Humanitarian Operations, Cuba December 1996, and in Operation Support Democracy, Cuba October-November 1993.