Second Marine Division, 1940-1999

SECOND MARINE DIVISION

1940 - 1999

TURNER PUBLISHING COMPANY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Second Marine Division History

Second Marine Division Association

Past Presidents

Past Reunions

Second Marine Division Lineage

Unit Citation

Medal of Honor

Distinguished Service Awards

Second Marine Division Special Stories

Second Marine Division Biographies

Roster

Index

INTRODUCTION

Training, Travel, and Travails: The Story of the Second Marine Division.

You are about to read a few vignettes which trace the long and storied history of the Second Marine Division, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

This is the second volume of the Division’s history. But, two volumes of history do not begin to scratch the surface of the Second Marine Division’s significant accomplishments since its inception in 1941. What they do, however, is keep alive the memory of the thousands of Second Division Marines who have been killed or wounded in major battles like Saipan, Tarawa, or Desert Storm—and of those who have served in between.

Actually, this book is a tribute to those United States Marines who have been fortunate to have served in the Second Division and continue to do so today as members of the Second Marin Division Association (SMDA). There are over 7,000 members of the SMDA, most of whom served with or were attached to the Second Division at some points in their careers. The fact that they choose to continue their association with the division is a credit to the pride instilled in every Marine. Moreover, it is proof that the old saying, Once a Marine, always a Marine, is as true today as it was back on November 10, 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized the formation of two battalions of Marines. That began a tradition of military service second to none in the United States.

U.S. Marines have a history of gallantry and loyalty to country that is unparalleled among military service veterans in general. Despite their centuries of noteworthy accomplishments, they have often gone about the serious business of protecting the United States without seeking glory.

Nevertheless, glory seems to find them. Of course, they deserve it. After all, they have earned their glory the hard way: protecting the liberty and freedom of millions of Americans. Second Division Marines are no exception to that viewpoint.

To be sure, not every Second Division Marine has served in combat or performed heroic acts that merit Medals of Honor or other military awards.

But, make no mistake about it: military life is not all about war and training. Second Division Marines, like their counterparts in other military services, do have fun, too. That fact is reflected in many of the stories contained in this volume. In total, the book is a journal of Second Division Marines’ tales of training, travel, and travails. It is a collection of firsthand stories that anyone can appreciate, since it shows Marines as people as well as warriors. So, sit back and enjoy the anecdotes related by this peculiar breed of human beings: the members of the Second Marine Division Association, who have earned their places in the history they so vividly recount in this book.

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO EVERY PAST AND PRESENT MEMBER OF THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION AND OF THE SECOND DIVISION. MAY THEY NEVER BE FORGOTTEN—AND BOOKS LIKE THIS WILL ENSURE THEY WILL NOT BE.

THE HISTORY OF THE HOLLYWOOD MARINES

Second Division Marines can rattle off three important birthdays: their own, the Marine Corps’, and the Division’s—not necessarily in that order. Every Marine remembers that November 10 is the Corps’ birthday. Most Second Division veterans know that February 1, 1941, is the division’s birthday. Their own? Well, for dyed-in-the-wool Second Division members, their own birthdays take a back seat to the other two. That is not surprising. After all, both the Marine Corps and the Second Division have storied histories—and the history of one is the history of the other.

The Birth

Ironically, the Second Division, which is based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was formed in San Diego, California. The Marine Corps combined the 2nd, 6th, and 10th Marine Regiments to form the Second Division, aka the Hollywood Marines and the Silent Second. Not everyone is pleased with the latter, which has been a subject of controversy among Second Division veterans.

The Hollywood Marines And The Silent Second

There is no doubt whence comes the nickname the Hollywood Marines. However, no one can say for sure where the name Silent Second derived. Theories abound. Here is one. Unit mottos are designed to not only reflect, but to help build esprit de corps within the current members of an organization. When organizations [individuals] have performed deeds worthy of note, and they have been written in the sands of time and the annals of history, there is no need to boast or brag. It is fact. Thus, the Silent Second. BUT, just in case there are those who doubt, Silent Second is followed closely by Second to None. And, that leaves no room at the top!

In other words, we are the best—and everyone knows it!

Mere braggadocio? One Second World War veteran who served in the Second Division, Battery A, 2nd Platoon, 2nd Special Weapons, Anti Aircraft, 6th Regiment, known as the Pogey Bait Marines, recalled that at the beginning of the offensive attack against the Japanese at Guadalcanal, only a few small outfits of the Second Division took part in the operation. (See below.) The main forces were in New Zealand and other places training for their turn to take part while the First Division was taking its beating on the front lines. So, the Second Division guns were silent and being used only in training. The rank and file wanted to get in the action, but if they had known of their fate at Tarawa, they would not have been so anxious to have gotten in and lose their lives, as so many did.

So, explained the veteran, it is no disgrace or slap in the face to be called the Silent Second. It is exactly what they were at first in their role in the war effort to defeat the Japanese army. Their guns were silent no more when they made their mark in history at a place called Tarawa. As the old saying goes, Silence is golden. So, too, is the reputation of the Second Marine Division.

There is no debate over the Division’s other nickname. The term Hollywood Marines can be traced back to the 22nd Field Artillery Battalion of the Marine Corps Reserve, which trained at Camp Elliott near San Diego before WWII. The original artillery unit hailed from Los Angeles. Active duty Marines called them Hollywood Reservists, since many unit members were involved in the movie industry. The name stuck when they were switched to active duty. Strangely enough, many of the active duty Marines became part of the Hollywood Marines when the two groups were merged to form the 2nd Marine Brigade. Ultimately, several more active duty units were added to form what is now known as the Second Division. It was commanded by BGen Barney Vogel, who was promoted to major general during a ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. The ceremony marked the first time the Division formed on the parade deck. It was by no means the last. Thus began the history of the Second Division, which has long been one of the workhorses of the Marine Corps. Since its inception in 1941, the Division has participated in a wide variety of wartime and peace time operations. Its record is unparalleled in Marine Corps history. Let’s take a look to find out why.

WWII

The Second Division did not have to wait long after its inception to see its first action. Shortly after the December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor bombing, the Second Division began training intensely for operations in the South Pacific. It stayed at Camp Elliott under Spartan conditions. Many members slept outside because of a lack of tents. Showers were not always available. In fact, the only time some of the Marines could take showers was when they visited San Diego on liberty. The conditions prepared them well for the war in the Pacific.

A month after Pearl Harbor, the first elements of the Division set sail for the Pacific Theater, where it provided the first and last Marine Corps units sent into action, the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines on Florida Island, where it was attached to the First Marine Division, and the 8th Marines on southern Okinawa respectively. The Division participated in several major battles during the four-year war: Guadalcanal, Saipan, Tinian, Tarawa, Okinawa...these were but a few of the places the Marines of the Second Division showed their mettle and brought glory to themselves and the Corps.

Guadalcanal

The first significant stop was Guadalcanal, where the Division took over from the bloodied but unbowed First Division. The combination of the Second Division and the U.S. Army Americal Division and 25th Infantry drove the Japanese off the island, but at a price. A total of 1,187 Second Division Marines were killed or wounded in the Guadalcanal area. What remained of the weary, disease-plagued Division sailed to New Zealand for rest, relaxation—and more training. (Almost 13,000 Division members had confirmed cases of malaria after leaving Guadalcanal.)

Kindness And Kiwis

The first ships containing Marines landed in New Zealand in June 1942. The landing began a love affair between U.S. Marines and New Zealanders that exists today. Second Division veterans still make pilgrimages to New Zealand every five years or so and many of the Kiwis, as the New Zealanders are referred to lovingly, show up at the Second Marine Division Association’s annual reunions. Movie aficionados may remember the movie Battle Cry, starring Aldo Ray and Van Heflin, which depicted the love affair between the New Zealanders and U.S. Marines.

Let it be emphasized that the Marines were not in New Zealand strictly for social purposes. There was still a war on, and Guadalcanal was but the first of many battles that had to be fought to wrest significant islands from the Japanese grip. Certainly, the fact that 20,000 New Zealand men were absent from the country to fight in other locations did not go unnoticed by the Marines. Thus, they protected the island and the women—although that did not make a lot of New Zealanders feel particularly safe. Over 1,500 New Zealand women married American servicemen during World War II. Many of them became widows as a result.

Taken on a 2-week hike through the hills around San Diego, CA. 1941.

Tarawa: The Marine Corps’ Finest Hour

MGen Julian C. Smith, the eventual founder of the Second Marine Division Association, assumed command of the Second Division on May 1, 1943. His was not a particularly healthy command. In fact, half the Division was replaced between Guadalcanal and Tarawa. Nevertheless, training continued in New Zealand. The Marines had a job to do—and they intended to do it well.

In October 1943, the Second Division sailed away from New Zealand en route to Tarawa, where it participated in one of the fiercest battles in military history. The Marines landed on November 20, 1943. For all intents and purposes, the battle lasted three days. The Second Division suffered heavily. Of the 18,088 Marines and sailors who participated in the assault on the island—55 percent of whom were combat veterans—3,166 became casualties. Of those, 48 officers and 846 enlisted men were killed in action. Another 8 officers and 76 enlisted men eventually died of their wounds. It was a terrible price to pay. The Division’s reward was a trip to Parker Ranch on Hawaii, more training—and more costly battles.

Shivering On Hawaii

The Second Division Marines who descended on Hawaii after the Tarawa battle appeared strange to the natives. Many were without adequate clothing. They could not have come at a worse time. The weather was cold, there was not enough water, despite the seemingly never-ending rain, and sleeping bags and blankets were in short supply. The Division really did not have enough supplies to make up for the shortages. Nevertheless, it survived, grew healthy—as healthy as a Division can get in wartime—and trained. Soon, the Second Division embarked again and headed for its next battle—which proved even more costly than Tarawa.

Saipan And Tinian

On June 15, 1944, the Second and Fourth Divisions made an assault landing on the island of Saipan. Four days later, the island was under control. Once again, the Division suffered heavy losses: 73 officers and 1,029 enlisted men killed in action. Another 6 officers and 205 enlisted men died of their wounds. Moreover, 256 officers and 4,946 enlisted men sustained wounds. The total was 6,515, double the numbers of Tarawa. About two months later, the Marines captured Tinian, immediately south of Saipan. The Second Division sustained 1,077 more casualties. That was the bad news; the good news was that only one more major battle lay ahead for the Division.

Okinawa

By previous battle standards, Okinawa was not particularly costly for the Second Division. It suffered a total of 450 casualties, 58 of whom (1 officer and 57 enlisted men) were either killed in action or died later of their wounds. Okinawa turned out to be the Division’s last major battle of the war. All totaled, it sustained 12,395 casualties—and etched its name indelibly in the annals of Marine Corps history.

A Military And Marine Milestone

The history of the Second Division cannot be told in all its glory without mentioning that in 1942, the Corps began recruiting African-American Marines. The Marine Corps had wasted little time after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 8802 on June 25, 1941, which allowed African-Americans to serve in the armed forces. The Marine Corps did not welcome the order with open arms. In fact, the Marine Corps Commandant at the time, Major General Thomas Holcomb, told the General Board of the Navy that there would be a definite loss of efficiency in the Marine Corps if it had to take Negroes. Nevertheless, he relented. On April 7, 1942, the Marine Corps agreed to admit African-Americans. Four-and-a-half months later, August 26, 1942, 13 of the first 1,200 African-American Marine Corps recruits arrived at a place called Montfort Point, North Carolina. A new era in USMC history began that day.

It did not take long before the African-American Marines tested their combat skills. They helped their white counterparts beat back a Japanese counter attack on Saipan on June 15, 1944. Sadly, PFC Leroy Seals became a casualty that day. He became the first African-American Marine to die of wounds in battle. Shortly thereafter, the new Commandant of the Marine Corps, LtGen Alexander A Vandegrift, declared The Negro Marines are no longer on trial. They are Marines period. From that day forward, the history of African-American and other Marines became one and the same.

Back To Lejeune—And Home

Members of the Second Division spent a brief time in the occupation of Japan after the war ended. Shortly thereafter, the Division was reassigned to Camp Lejeune, which has been its home ever since. Few Second Division Marines can say that they have stayed there for any great length of time, however.

Here, There, And Everywhere

There is hardly a time when Second Division Marines are not involved in peacekeeping missions somewhere. That has been the case since the end of WWII. The list of places they have served includes Palestine, Lebanon, Guantanamo, Dominican Republic, Beirut, Grenada, Panama, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, and Zaire. The Second Division maintains a constant presence in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. Some members were absorbed into other divisions and fought in Korea and Vietnam. In 1991, the Division fought in Operation Desert Storm and wreaked havoc with the Iraqi forces. Let’s look at a few highlights of the post-WWII years.

The Second Marine Division in the Post World War II Period 1945-1949

There have been many stories told about experiences in the Second Marine Division during World War II in the Pacific arena. There has not been much said about the division or its units during the post war period. This narrative should give all members of the Second Marine Division Association some information of the actions and whereabouts from late 1945 to 1949.

On August 6, 1945, the U.S. delivered the first atomic bomb to be exploded in combat on Hiroshima. Three days later, it dropped the second, this time on Nagasaki. On August 14, 1945, President Truman announced that a cease fire was in effect and that the war had ended. General MacArthur was designated SCAP and given authority to accept the surrender of Japan for the governments of the U.S., Republic of China, United Kingdom, and USSR. For the first time in four years, the Second Division was free from combat. It was not an ending, though; it was simply the beginning of a new type of mission. On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered formally to the Allied Powers on board the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The Marine Detachments of the Missouri, as well as Marine officers from Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, the staffs of CinCPac-/CinCPoa, and the Third Fleet were present.

Still On Saipan—But Not For Long

By the end of the war, the Marine Corps had reached a peak strength of 485,833. The major Marine ground commands in the Pacific consisted of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, at Oahu, the III Amphibious Corps on Guam, and the V Amphibious Corps on Maui. The Second Division was based at Saipan. While the Marines waited, an advance reconnaissance party from the V Amphibious Corps—led by Colonel Walter W. Wensinger, Corps Operations Officer, and consisting of key staff officers of the Corps and the Second Marine Division— arrived at Nagasaki to prepare for the landing of the V Amphibious Corps troops supported by Army units.

On September 23, 1945, Major General Harry Schmidt, V Amphibious Corps commander, established his command post ashore at Sasebo and took control of the Second and Fifth Marine Divisions. The 2nd and 6th Marines, Second Marine Division, landed simultaneously on the east and west sides of the harbor at Nagasaki for occupation duty and relieved the Marine detachments from the cruisers USS Biloxi and Wichita, which had been serving as security guards. The next day, General Walter Krueger, commander of the U.S. Sixth Army, assumed control of all forces ashore. The remainder of the Second Marine Division landed at Nagasaki.

Survey Section. H & S Btry, 4th BN, 10th Marines 2nd Marine Division. Front Row L to R: Ward, Spillman, McGregor, Crofford, Bayliss. Back Row L to R: Ferry, Mead, Arnold, Vevsteeq, Bain. 1942, Camp Pahatinual. Wellington, New Zealand.

Administrative changes occurred at a rapid rate. On October 1, 1945, a U.S. Army task force occupying Kanoya airfield—the only major Allied unit ashore in Kyushu other than the Second and Fifth Marine Divisions—was transferred to the command of the V Amphibious corps from the FEAF. On October 4th, the V Amphibious Corps changed the boundary between the Second and Fifth Marine Divisions to include Omura in the Second Division zone. The Fifth Division security detachment at the Marine air base was relieved by the 3d Battalion, 10th Marines, and the detachment returned to parent control.

By October 13th, all units of the 8th Marines, Second Marine Division, had established themselves in and around Kumamoto and begun the process of inventory and disposition. On October 27, the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, Second Marine Division, assigned to the eastern half of Kagoshima, arrived at Kanoya from Nagasaki and relieved the U.S. Army task force there. Two days later, a motor convoy carrying the major part of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines, Second Marine Division, moved from Kumamoto to Kagoshima City to assume control of western Kagoshima. On October 30, the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines, Second Marine Division, assumed operational control of the Army Air Force detachment manning the emergency field at Kanoya from a battalion of the 32d division, USA, and the battalion prepared for return to Sasebo to rejoin its regiment.

Second Division troops continued to move here and there—all anxious to return home to the United States. On January 31, 1946, the Second Marine Division relieved the 32d Division, USA, of duties in Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, and Oita Prefectures. At this time, the prefectural duties of the major Marine units were: 2nd Marines, Oita and Miyazaki; 6th Marines, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, and Oita; 8th Marines, Kumamoto and Kagoshima; 10th Marines, Nagasaki. Finally, by mid-year, they received the long-awaited orders to go home. On June 13, 1946, the 2nd Marines—responsible for the Oita and Miyazaki Prefectures—left Sasebo, Kyushu, bound for Norfolk, Virginia. The 8th Marines followed soon after. As quickly as they had moved into Japan, they moved out.

On June 24, 1946, the Second Marine Division headquarters left Kyushu for the U.S. A week later, the 6th Marines’ Headquarters and Service Company and Weapons Company departed Sasebo, Kyushu. By July 2, 1946, the major elements of the Second Marine Division had departed for the U.S.

On July 12th, the Second Marine Division docked at Norfolk, Virginia, from Japan and proceeded to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where it arrived the following day. The reason it was sent to Lejeune was simple: the war may have been over, but threats to world security were not gone.

National security concerns were focused on the expanding communist threat in Europe and the Mediterranean region. In response, the Second Division was assigned to Camp Lejeune on the east coast of the United States instead of returning to southern California. Lejeune was an ideal place for the Second Marine Division to launch expeditions to the Mediterranean and Caribbean regions when needed. Many such an expedition set sail for both regions in the ensuing years.

WPNS Co. 6th Marines. Left Front; Arthur Tully, Joseph Pritz. & Stanley Schreck. Rear left; Bert Spooner, Mike Taglarini. At Camp Tarawa, Hawaii. Spring of 1944.

Home—But Just For A Visit

The Second Division underwent changes as it settled in at Lejeune. On September 2, 1946, the 4th Marines (Reinf) (less one battalion) was returned to the U.S. from China to join the Second Marine Division at Camp Lejeune. Then, in a significant event on December 16, 1946, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, under the operational control of the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, was activated by the Commanding General, Second Marine Division, who assumed its command.

Any members of the Second Division who thought they would be rooted at Camp Lejeune for a long time were sadly mistaken. Between January 13 and March 28, 1947, the Second Division, commanded by Major General Thomas E. Watson, participated in amphibious maneuvers with the Fleet in Caribbean waters. Less than a month after their return, on April 15, 1947, Commandant A. A. Vandegrift announced that the Marine Corps was being reorganized into more flexible units and armed with more powerful infantry weapons. Marine units would be able to disperse by air, surface vessels, or submarines without administrative delay or loss of firepower. And disperse they did—often.

The Marine Corps and its Second Division began a new life after WWII. The reorganization of the Fleet Marine Force to gain mobility and peacetime utility was effected. Under the new J Tables of Organization, the new FMF eliminated the infantry regimental echelon within the brigade and division and provided for battalions. The new tables provided for a more economical use of service personnel. This translated into travel and a new approach to peacekeeping, one component of which was was what Second Marine Division members lovingly refer to as Med Cruises.

The First Med Cruise Sets Sail

In January 1948, the Second Marines (Reinf) left Morehead City, North Carolina, on the Navy transports USS Bexar and Montague for assignment to ships operating in Mediterranean waters. This move initiated the Marine Corps policy of maintaining an air/ground force with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. Fleet Admiral Chester A. Nimitz implied the Marines sent to the Mediterranean served as a warning to Yugoslavia that the 5,000 U. S. Army troops in the Free Territory of Trieste were not to be molested. The Marines were to be divided among the carrier USS Midway and the cruisers Portsmouth, Providence, and Little Rock. Other Second Division units followed. For example, between February 20th and June 28th, 1948, the 8th Marines (Reinf) took on their role of the landing force of the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean. The Division rotated troops frequently in the Mediterranean region. The strategy proved almost immediately to be a wise one.

Japanese light machine gun, Okinawa. Courtesy of Don Tesiero.

On July 18, 1948, a provisional Marine Consular guard was detached from the 21st Marines on board the USS Kearsarge at Tripoli and sent to Jerusalem to protect the U. S. Consul General there. That was by no means the first time Marines would visit the area. In fact, as subsequent events proved, the Palestine region would prove to be active—and deadly—for members of the Second Division. Before the region became a battleground for the Division, however, other units began frequenting the Caribbean. On March 2nd, 1949, U. S. Marines, soldiers, and three Canadian platoons made a landing on Vieques Island in the Caribbean as part of what was up until that point the largest postwar amphibious exercise.

(Note—The Canadian Company had been previously attached to the 8th Marines to prepare for and participate as a unit in FLEX-49.) That area, too, proved to be active for the Second Division as future events unfolded.

A World At War—Again

While Second Division Marines sailed to and fro in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas, the world returned to war. In 1950, a police action broke out in Korea which occupied the attention of the United States. Although many troops were dispatched, including large numbers of Marines, the Second Division’s role was limited. The Division per se did not participate. Many members were attached to First Division units, where they performed with honor. The next major event involving the Second Division did not occur until November 1, 1956, when the Third Battalion, Second Marine Regiment helped evacuate Americans from Alexandria, Egypt. Less than two years later, the Division was back in the Middle East. On July 15, 1958, Battalion Landing Team crossed the beaches at Beirut, Lebanon. These episodes were the beginning of a series of incidents requiring the Division’s services. Mobility became the Second Division’s middle name—and its strongpoint.

From The Halls Of Montezuma To The Shores Of Tripoli...And Cuba...And Grenada...And...

The Second Division Marines in the 1960s were an active bunch. On October 27, 1962, the Division and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing deployed during the Cuban missile crisis. In April 1965, 3/6 was lifted by helicopter from the USS Boxer to secure the American Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. These were but preludes to a growing number of small—but significant—missions over the next few years.

2nd Platoon L. Co. 3rd Battalion. 8th Marine 2nd Division. Taken on Tinian after the battle. Jack Quinn is 7th from left on top row.

Tragedy In Beirut

October 1983 was a particularly sad month for the Marine Corps in general and the Second Division in particular. An event on October 23rd brought home in startling fashion what all Marines keep locked up in the backs of their minds: death is always an imminent possibility for peacekeepers. As do all servicemen and women, Marines run the risk of injury in death as part of their duties. Seldom, though, do peacetime Marines die by the hundreds. Unfortunately, death was the fate of 273 1st Battalion, 8th Marines on October 23, 1983, when a terrorist drove a truck carrying gas-enhanced explosives into their barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. The incident devastated not only the Division, but the nation as well. The Marines who sacrificed their lives will always be remembered. There exists a living memorial of 273 Bradford Pear trees along Camp Lejeune Boulevard, one for each Marine who died in Beirut. They serve as reminders that keeping the peace can be— and is—fraught with danger. Yet, such untimely deaths do not deter Second Division Marines, nor their counterparts throughout the Corps, from protecting the United States. That has always been their mission. No doubt it will continue to be—and they will do it well.

Two Days Later, It’s Back In Action

Only two days after their comrades died, Battalion Landing Team 2/8 landed at the eastern Caribbean island of Grenada at five a.m. to rescue 800 college students stranded there. Then, on December 20, 1989, the Second Marine Division began combat operations as part of the aptly named Task Force Semper Fidelis in Panama against General Manuel Noriega’s forces. Such actions grew routine to Second Division units from that point on. Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived via air in Monrovia, Liberia, on August 5, 1990, to help evacuate personnel from the American Embassy. On January 4, 1991, Marines evacuated 260 U.S. and foreign citizens from the American Embassy, Mogadishu, and Somalia, during Operation Eastern Exit. Three months later, on April 7th, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit participated in Operation Provide Comfort, a multinational relief effort to aid Kurdish refugees on the Iraq-Turkish border. That Marines were operating in the area at the time was no surprise. After all, the Second Division was one of the main participants in the legendary Desert Storm operation, which had begun only a few months earlier.

Desert Storm— A War To End All Wars

Most of the Second Division was deployed to the Middle East in 1991 to combat Iraqi forces. Units had started for the region as early as September 1990, when the First Battalion, Second Marine Regiment arrived in Saudi Arabia in support of Desert Shield—four months before actual hostilities began. Not all of the Division was available for duty in Desert Storm, though. As is often the case with the Second Division nowadays, its members are separated in diverse places. For example, on December 16, 1991, approximately 300 members of the Eighth Marines arrived at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to participate in Haitian humanitarian efforts for 6,000 refugees. The constant activity, though, is a blessing for Division members. At least they will never get bored. They certainly did not in Kuwait.

The first ground action in Desert Storm took place on January 17, 1991, when Division artillery fired rounds for thirteen minutes to eliminate an Iraqi logistics site and truck park. Twelve days later, ground troops swung into action. Second Division Marines skirmished against dozens of Iraqi vehicles located across their front. One Marine, Corporal Edmond Willis, a TOW gunner with the 2d Light Armor Infantry Battalion, recorded the first ground combat kill of the war by destroying an enemy tank. He added a second shortly thereafter. There was a lull in the action after that day.

Division Marines spent much of their time between January 29th and February 24th clearing mine fields and destroying long range targets. They did find time on January 29th to participate in the first major ground action of the war when they repulsed an Iraqi mechanized battalion. Their next major taste of action took place on February 24, 1991 when, with massive air support, First Battalion, 6th Marines, First Battalion, Eighth Marines, and Second Battalion, Second Marines initiated an assault on Iraqi forces in Kuwait. The Marine Corps Hymn blared over loudspeakers as the troops launched their highly successful assault. They, along with their First Division counterparts, breached Iraqi mine fields and spearheaded the Desert Storm ground offensive.

As the day ended, the Iraqis were in a serious state of disrepair. Large numbers of their vehicles and personnel were destroyed courtesy of the Second Division, whose losses amounted to one member killed in action and twelve others wounded. Three days later, Division Marines participated in their last action of the short war when they killed Iraqi snipers and other soldiers firing rockets at them. They destroyed an ammunition truck in the bargain. After that, they spent their time improving their positions, setting up firing ranges, and maintaining equipment in anticipation of further action. That action never came.

A Triumphant Return

The Division shipped captured equipment back to Camp Lejeune as trophies of war. Quickly, the troops also came back to their home base after a withdrawal to Saudi Arabia. By May 1991, the Division was home again, basking in its glory. Amazingly, almost 14,000 Iraqi soldiers had surrendered to Division personnel in what amounted to a four-day war. As usual, though, the Division paid a price. Six Marines were killed in action and 38 were wounded. Compared to other wars involving the Second Division, that was a small price to pay. But, one death is one too many to Second Division Marines, as it is to members of all the American military services.

The Beat Goes On

This brief history does not pretend to capture the full glorious history of the Second Marine Division. As you read this, Division members are involved in a variety of activities designed to keep their skills sharp and America free. From time to time they will perform heroic deeds that keep them in the limelight and let Americans know the Second Marine Division is working to protect their freedom. One such event was the daring rescue by a Second Division unit which rescued Air Force Captain Scott O’Grady from behind enemy lines in Bosnia on June 8, 1995. But, the Second Marine Division does not seek glory. Glory comes naturally to the Division, one of the finest fighting units in United States Marine Corps history. It has been since its inception in 1941—and will continue to be until peace becomes a reality throughout the world. May that day come soon. Until it does, however, the Second Marine Division will be there to do its part.

Kuwait March 1991. Left (standing) Lcpl. D. Wahl, Left (sitting) Cpl. Ancheta, Center (with glasses) Cpl. G. Ashe, Right (back) Lcpl. Hall.

Saudi Arabia. February 1991. G Co. 2/2. Typical living quarters during Desert Storm.

Second Marine Division Association

Association History and Information

PURPOSE OF SMDA:

The Association has two main purposes for membership. First, it is a means of reestablishing and/or maintaining contact with those who served with the 2D Marine Division or attached units. Second, to support a unique Scholarship Fund to assist in the education of dependents of the 2D Marine Division personnel.

MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY:

The Association is incorporated as a civilian veterans organization open to anyone who served or Is serving in the 2D Marine Division or attached units or units in direct support of the Division. The annual dues are $15.00 and Life Membership is $100.00.

STATE CHAPTER MEMBER ELIGIBILITY:

The By-Laws of the Second Marine Division Association cover State Chapters under Article XIII. Article XIII (c) provides All Active members of organizations authorized by Article XIII must be members in good standing of the Second Marine Division Association After the documents have been approved by the State and presented and approved by the National Staff, a State Charter will be issued. Chapter dues are set by each Chapter.

BACKGROUND SMDA:

The 2D Marine Division was formed early in 1941 and has served with distinction since that date in many areas including the recent action in the Persian Gulf. The 2D