1st Battalion, 8th Marines
(1/8) is an infantry battalion in the
United States Marine
Corps based out of Camp Lejeune
, North
Carolina
consisting
of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. Nicknamed "The
Beirut Battalion," they fall under the command of the
8th Marine Regiment and
the
2nd Marine
Division.
Subordinate units
- Headquarters Company
- Alpha Company
- Bravo Company
- Charlie Company
- Weapons Company
Mission
Locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, and
to repel the enemy's assault by fire and close-combat.
History
World War II
Activated
April 1, 1940 at
San Diego,
California
the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines was assigned to the
2nd Marine Brigade. The
2nd Marine Brigade was re-designated
February
1,
1941 as
2nd Marine Division. The
battalion was assigned during December 1941 to 2nd Marine Brigade,
2nd Marine Division.
Deployed during January 1942 to American Samoa
and detached from the 2nd Marine Division, they
participated in the following World War
II campaigns:
It deployed during September 1945 to
Nagasaki, Japan, and participated in the
occupation of Japan from September
1945 – June 1946. They relocated during June-July 1946 to MCB Camp
Lejeune, North Carolina, and were deactivated
November 18,
1947.
The 50's through the 90's
The battalion was reactivated
November 1
1950 at MCB Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as
the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines and assigned to the 2nd Marine
Division.
It deployed to the Mediterranean
and the Caribbean
at various times from the 1950s through the
1990s. It participated in the landings on Lebanon
,
July-September 1958, the Cuban
Missile Crisis, October-December 1962, and the intervention in
the Dominican Republic,
May-June 1965. During the 90's as part of the 26th MEU(SOC)
the Battalion took part in Operations Joint Guard as part of IFOR
(International Forces of Readiness) and then SFOR (Supplementary
Forces of Readiness). The Battalion also conducted a Non Combatant
Evacuation of Americans and Allies from Albania during Operation
Silver Wake. Just as Operation Silver Wake wrapped up the Marines
of Headquarters & Service Company, Bravo Company, and Weapons
Company were sent off the Coast of Zaire/Congo for Operation
Guardian Retrieval.
Beirut Bombing
The
battalion participated as part of the multinational peace keeping
force in Lebanon, May –
November 1983. On Sunday, October 23, 1983, 1/8 was the main
victim of what came to be known as the Beirut
Bombing
when a truck bomb was detonated at its headquarters
at the airport in Beirut.
Subsequent Operations Including Desert Storm
The battalion participated in
Operation Desert Shield and
Operation Desert Storm in
Southwest Asia during December 1990
through April 1991. Elements participated in support of
Operation Provide Promise and Deny
Flight, Bosnia, September – October 1993 and January 1994,
Operation Sea Signal in Cuba, June -
July 1994, in support of Operation Support Democracy, Caribbean
Area, May – July 1994, and Operation Silver Wake in 1997.
Global War on Terror
In March 2003 Battalion Landing Team 1/8 departed Camp Lejeune,
North Carolina with the
26th Marine Expeditionary
Unit.
The battalion deployed in support of combat
operations in Mosul
, Iraq
as part of
Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The battalion would also take part in
training exercises in Albania
and Djibouti
in the summer of 2003. Prior to its
redeployment elements of the battalion inserted into Roberts
International Airport
and the port facility in Monrovia,
Liberia
. Lima company, 1/8 conducted airfield
security operations as part of
Joint Task Force Liberia in an
effort to prevent rebel factions from ousting President
Charles Taylor. The battalion would
eventually return to Camp Lejeune in late October, 2003
The battalion deployed in June 2004 to Iraq.
They conducted combat
operations in Al Anbar
Province
and was one of the lead battalions during Operation Phantom Fury in November
2004 leading the assault into Fallujah
.
See also
Notes
References
- Bibliography
- Web
Wikis
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