1st Battalion 24th Marines
Encyclopedia
1st Battalion, 24th Marines (1/24) is a reserve infantry
battalion in the United States Marine Corps
located throughout Michigan
and Ohio
consisting of approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors. Nicknamed Terror from the North, they fall under the command of the 24th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.
.
In October 1938, Detroit became the home of a second company of Marines, Company "D" of the 8th Reserve Battalion. Shortly thereafter, in November 1940, the 8th Reserve Battalion was mobilized as an individual active duty battalion before being integrated into the First Marine Brigade in January 1941. As part of the First Marine Brigade, the battalion fought valiantly in World War II
in the South Pacific
.
In August 1946, the battalion was formed into the 17th Infantry Battalion. Four short years later, the reservists of the 1st Battalion were mobilized and reported to Camp Pendleton
, California
, where many joined the units of the 1st Marine Division in Korea
in the fall and winter of 1950.
In July 1962, the Marines became Headquarters & Service Company of the 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment when the 4th Marine Division was reactivated. 1/24 was mobilized in support of Operation Desert Shield in December 1990. The unit was sent to Okinawa and the Philippines where they assisted in rescue operations associated with the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
In support of Operation Enduring Freedom during 2003, 1/24 saw the mobilization of companies A, B, and C reinforced with platoons from Weapons company and small elements of H&S company. Company A along with Heavy Machinegun Platoon went to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti
, Horn of Africa
. Company B, reinforced by 81mm Mortar Platoon went to support security operations in Kuwait
. Company C and the Battalion's Javelin Platoon supported security operations in Southern Iraq
.
Until 2005, the battalion was based at Brodhead Armory which is an historic building that has served in various capacities over the years. It has served as a submarine base
for the United States Navy
, a union hall for the Teamsters
in the Jimmy Hoffa
era, and a professional boxing arena for Joe Louis
and other famous boxers.
The battalion headquarters and its subordinate Headquarters and Service Company relocated to Selfridge Air National Guard (SANGB) Base in 2005. SANGB is a joint base which accommodates all branches of the armed forces and is located roughly 35 miles (56.3 km) north of Detroit.
, California
to prepare for deployment to the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. The battalion arrived in downtown Fallujah
in late September 2006 to serve for seven months with Regimental Combat Team 5
and Regimental Combat Team 6. They replaced 1/25's Area of Operations. During this deployment 1/24 participated in Combat Operations in Fallujah, suffering 22 Marines killed in action with another 331 wounded, including 41 amputees.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalion in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
located throughout Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
consisting of approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors. Nicknamed Terror from the North, they fall under the command of the 24th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.
Current units
| Name | Location |
|---|---|
| Headquarters and Service Company | Mount Clemens, Michigan Mount Clemens, Michigan Mount Clemens is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,312. It is the county seat of Macomb County.-Early history:... |
| Alpha Company | Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand... |
| Bravo Company | Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan... |
| Charlie Company | Lansing, Michigan Lansing, Michigan Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan... |
| Weapons Company | Perrysburg, Ohio Perrysburg, Ohio As of the census of 2000, there were 16,945 people, 6,592 households, and 4,561 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,899.2 people per square mile . There were 6,964 housing units at an average density of 780.5 per square mile... |
Mission
Provide trained combat and combat support personnel and units to augment and reinforce the active component in time of war, national emergency, and at other times as national security requires; and have the capability to reconstitute the Division, if required.History
On July 5, 1922 the Marines first came to Detroit when a volunteer Marine Corps Reserve company was activated with a strength of 70 men. In 1926 the company designated as the 306th Company of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Reserve before being redesignated in 1929 as Company "B" of the 8th Reserve Battalion, headquartered in Toledo, OhioToledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
.
In October 1938, Detroit became the home of a second company of Marines, Company "D" of the 8th Reserve Battalion. Shortly thereafter, in November 1940, the 8th Reserve Battalion was mobilized as an individual active duty battalion before being integrated into the First Marine Brigade in January 1941. As part of the First Marine Brigade, the battalion fought valiantly in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in the South Pacific
Pacific Ocean Areas
Pacific Ocean Areas was a major Allied military command in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands during the Pacific War, and one of two United States commands in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz of the U.S...
.
In August 1946, the battalion was formed into the 17th Infantry Battalion. Four short years later, the reservists of the 1st Battalion were mobilized and reported to Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where many joined the units of the 1st Marine Division in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
in the fall and winter of 1950.
In July 1962, the Marines became Headquarters & Service Company of the 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment when the 4th Marine Division was reactivated. 1/24 was mobilized in support of Operation Desert Shield in December 1990. The unit was sent to Okinawa and the Philippines where they assisted in rescue operations associated with the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
In support of Operation Enduring Freedom during 2003, 1/24 saw the mobilization of companies A, B, and C reinforced with platoons from Weapons company and small elements of H&S company. Company A along with Heavy Machinegun Platoon went to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
, Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
. Company B, reinforced by 81mm Mortar Platoon went to support security operations in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. Company C and the Battalion's Javelin Platoon supported security operations in Southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
Until 2005, the battalion was based at Brodhead Armory which is an historic building that has served in various capacities over the years. It has served as a submarine base
Submarine base
A submarine base is a military base that shelters submarines and their personnel.Examples of present-day submarine bases include HMNB Clyde, Île Longue , Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Naval Submarine Base New London, and Rybachiy Nuclear Submarine Base .The Israeli navy bases its growing submarine...
for the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, a union hall for the Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
in the Jimmy Hoffa
Jimmy Hoffa
James Riddle "Jimmy" Hoffa was an American labor union leader....
era, and a professional boxing arena for Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
and other famous boxers.
The battalion headquarters and its subordinate Headquarters and Service Company relocated to Selfridge Air National Guard (SANGB) Base in 2005. SANGB is a joint base which accommodates all branches of the armed forces and is located roughly 35 miles (56.3 km) north of Detroit.
Global War on Terror
In April 2006, the battalion began training in Michigan and Camp PendletonMarine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to prepare for deployment to the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. The battalion arrived in downtown Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
in late September 2006 to serve for seven months with Regimental Combat Team 5
and Regimental Combat Team 6. They replaced 1/25's Area of Operations. During this deployment 1/24 participated in Combat Operations in Fallujah, suffering 22 Marines killed in action with another 331 wounded, including 41 amputees.
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps battalions
- Organization of the United States Marine CorpsOrganization of the United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy . The most senior Marine officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for...