9th marines infantry battalion formed world war unit played instrumental role defeat japanese forces world war battalion distinguished defense vietnam war later participated ill fated invasion southeast_asia intention rescuing crew operation battalion served lead battalion iii participated humanitarian missions battalion helped evacuate americans chinese civil war occasions participated providing relief victims battalion participated operation restore hope served september room light armor reconnaissance battalions 9th marine regiment july activated 6th marine regiment replaced april post war battalion composition battalion marine_corps headed battalion commander usually lieutenant colonel colonel staff headquarters usually consists companies total marines comprises infantry companies echo fox golf vietnam war fox golf hotel company weapons platoon squads machine guns mortars inch rocket launchers super later history early years advent world war united_states expanded include 9th marines known created activated november virginia period turmoil cuba sugar producing regions american companies operated island sugar industry vital economy united_states battalion mission order island accomplished reassigned rumors german agents going disrupt mexican oil shipments texas battalion sent texas safeguard shipments disbanded war april reactivated battalion main objective train reserve marines headquarters transferred kansas_city missouri companies stationed disbanded world war april months japanese attack pearl harbor unit activated 2nd headquarters camp san_diego california underwent intensive amphibious training reassigned 3rd marine division unit assigned pacific fleet regiment sent july relieve 9th marines participated campaign july participated invasion guam japanese forces staged seven marines prevailed despite fact suffered casualties initial battle marine captain future commandant marine_corps earned medal honor 9th marines reserve forces committed action days day marines distinguished private wilson watson received medal honor island secured unit sent guam underwent training possible invasion japanese mainland invasion occurred hostilities japan united_states came end 9th marines sent camp december disbanded post world war november 9th marines final stages fighting nationalists communists chinese civil war known war liberation occurred fighting escalated 9th marines ordered evacuate americans mission accomplished march battalion sent north_carolina renamed 6th marine june war broke provisional governments competed control korean peninsula north_korea supported south_korea allies united_nations included united_states conflict known korean war 1st sent saw action 9th marines reactivated underwent training japan intention participating conflict 3rd marine division armistice signed july unit deploy korea 9th marines actively participate conflict unit awarded medal 3rd headquarters moved okinawa 9th marines returned 1st battalion returned 3rd marine division okinawa vietnam war vietnam war conflict eventually involved respective allies united_states sent military advisors train army republic vietnam military advisors march combat troops land force began operating vietnam march opened july 9th marines ordered vietnam okinawa 9th marines fought battles camp considered vicious engagement september military forces constructed outside town known combat base constructed base base defense operation scotland manned 9th marines staging ground number attacks north vietnamese troop movements trail april june marines caught forces corps rebelled prime minister head ruling dismissed commander general april hill fights hills north south marines occurred january came heavy attack known main objective communists draw american troops countryside preparation offensive despite outnumbered 9th marines held ground north vietnamese driven area experiencing heavy casualties heavy aerial january march participated operation canyon sweep valley major offensive marine_corps vietnam august 9th marines ordered return camp okinawa period unit assigned sea duty waters vietnam continued receive combat training camp japan philippines incident barely weeks fall forces seized merchant ship recognized international sea lanes claimed territorial waters removed crew questioning naval forces abandoned navy swift boats seizure container ship calling seizure piracy president ford ordered military response retake ship man crew mistakenly thought saw man crew board fishing boat saw people fishing boats island assumed crew island elements 4th marines 4th marines 9th marines flown advanced staging joint marines company 4th marines boarded find deserted raised american flag thai fishing boat thai crew crew members set free approached uss wilson battle island 9th marines landed island crew believed held unaware crew american hands marines helicopters transported attacked machine guns mortars rocket propelled grenade launchers known battle island battalion received word safe arrival crew uss wilson marines planned withdrawal received orders effect helicopter left head count showed marines left island 9th marines marines captured days tortured executed buried common unmarked grave incident ended marked official battle 9th marines vietnam war unit deployment program practice february 9th marines battalion rotate united_states total marines killed day rescue operation marines listed timeline vietnam veterans memorial located washington post vietnam era operations desert shield august invasion kuwait iraqi forces 9th marines deployed okinawa japan october unit deployed ground combat element november island philippine providence devastated typhoon members battalion provided assistance disaster relief efforts battalion remained philippines april returned okinawa japan subsequently battalion returned camp august operation restore hope 5th marine regiment designated participate marine expeditionary unit deployment cycle november successful culmination 9th marines designated 15th 15th period main factions provoked war known factions led president united_states initiated operation provide relief united_nations endorsed effort called provide humanitarian relief august president sent troops marines mission renamed known main objectives provide humanitarian relief initiate nation building factions restore law order help people set representative government restore infrastructure month 9th marines deployed mission lead unit secure port airfield allowed rapid build forces country mission accomplished december february referred marines 2nd battalion 9th marines january marine patrol ambushed gunmen faithful bringing casualties remained april returned camp battalions deployments panama participated anti tank missile evaluation program september redesignated 4th marines present december released message stating reactivated continuing global war terror activated july replaced september marines sailors deployed province support operation iraqi freedom based city returned april marines sailors killed action july marines sailors deployed afghanistan support operation enduring freedom december attached afghanistan earned notorious nickname green hats returned february december returned july echo weapons companies deployed afghanistan january april participating combat operations camp april battalion ceremony camp medal honor recipients medal honor highest military decoration awarded united_states bestowed member united_states armed forces distinguishes gallantry risk life duty engaged action enemy united_states following table contains names men recipients medal honor serving listed accordance date action citation indicates medal honor awarded posthumously marine_corps commandant united states marine corps highest ranking officer member reporting secretary navy chief naval operations marines served 2nd battalion 9th marines commandant marine_corps listed table accordance years served ranks held serving distinguished marines marines served 2nd battalion 9th marines careers subsequently distinguished general officer recipients medal honor assigned different unit notable members served mortar platoon vietnam war unit awards unit citation award bestowed organization action cited members unit participated said actions allowed wear uniforms awarded unit citation presented following awards
2nd Battalion 9th Marines