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22nd Marine Regiment (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 22nd Marine Regiment (22nd Marines) is an inactive infantry
regiment of the United States Marine Corps
. Activated for service in World War II
, they fought in the battles of Eniwetok
, Guam and Okinawa
. The regiment was under the command of the 6th Marine Division; took part in the occupation of Northern China following the war and were subsequently deactivated in 1946. The regiment was reactivated at Marine Corps Base Quantico
, Virginia
in 1947 as a school troop unit but were finally deactivated on October 17, 1949.
battalion
s and one headquarters battalion:
— the first regiment designated as an "independent" unit after the start of World War II. They embarked for the Pacific theater, where they trained for a year and a half — first in Samoa
and then in Hawaii — before seeing combat in 1944.
The regiment participated in the Battle of Eniwetok
in February 1944, where they were the first Marine Corps unit to formally employ Fire team tactics in combat.
in 1943 with the slow manifesting tropical disease
Filariasis
, which causes Elephantiasis
. They were replaced with 500 men that were excess with the 3rd Marine Division and replacements from the United States. This greatly reduced the number of experienced Marines and leaders within the regiment just prior to the invasion. For the invasion of Guam, the regiment, along with 4th Marines and the Army's
305th Infantry Regiment, formed the core of the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade . On D-Day, 1/22 landed on Beach Yellow 1 which was just north of Agat
, 2/22 came ashore on Yellow 2 and 3/22 in reserve came on land at Yellow 1.
, the entire 6th Marine Division was sent to Northern China
with the main mission of accepting the surrender of Japanese forces there and helping to repatriate those soldiers and other Japanese nationals back to Japan. The 22nd Marines landed in Tsingtao on October 11, 1945 and were still there on March 26, 1946 when the 22nd Marines was officially deactivated.
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...
regiment of 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...
. Activated for service 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...
, they fought in the battles of Eniwetok
Battle of Eniwetok
-External links:* *...
, Guam and Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
. The regiment was under the command of the 6th Marine Division; took part in the occupation of Northern China following the war and were subsequently deactivated in 1946. The regiment was reactivated at Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1947 as a school troop unit but were finally deactivated on October 17, 1949.
Subordinate units
The regiment was composed of three infantryInfantry
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
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s and one headquarters battalion:
| Battalions |
|---|
| Headquarters Company 21st Marines |
| 1st Battalion 22nd Marines (1/22) |
| 2nd Battalion 22nd Marines (2/22) |
| 3rd Battalion 22nd Marines (3/22) |
- The regiment initially also had a 2nd Separate Pack Howitzer Battalion which would eventually became a battalion within the 15th Marine Regiment upon its formation.
Activation and the Battle of Eniwetok
The 22nd Marine Regiment was activated on June 1, 1942 at Camp Linda Vista, CaliforniaCalifornia
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...
— the first regiment designated as an "independent" unit after the start of World War II. They embarked for the Pacific theater, where they trained for a year and a half — first in Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
and then in Hawaii — before seeing combat in 1944.
The regiment participated in the Battle of Eniwetok
Battle of Eniwetok
-External links:* *...
in February 1944, where they were the first Marine Corps unit to formally employ Fire team tactics in combat.
Battle of Guam
Prior to the 1944 Battle of Guam, it was discovered that some 1800+ members of the regiment had been infected while they were in SamoaSamoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
in 1943 with the slow manifesting tropical disease
Tropical disease
Tropical diseases are diseases that are prevalent in or unique to tropical and subtropical regions. The diseases are less prevalent in temperate climates, due in part to the occurrence of a cold season, which controls the insect population by forcing hibernation. Insects such as mosquitoes and...
Filariasis
Filariasis
Filariasis is a parasitic disease and is considered an infectious tropical disease, that is caused by thread-like nematodes belonging to the superfamily Filarioidea, also known as "filariae"....
, which causes Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis
Elephantiasis is a disease that is characterized by the thickening of the skin and underlying tissues, especially in the legs and male genitals. In some cases the disease can cause certain body parts, such as the scrotum, to swell to the size of a softball or basketball. It is caused by...
. They were replaced with 500 men that were excess with the 3rd Marine Division and replacements from the United States. This greatly reduced the number of experienced Marines and leaders within the regiment just prior to the invasion. For the invasion of Guam, the regiment, along with 4th Marines and the Army's
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
305th Infantry Regiment, formed the core of the 1st Marine Provisional Brigade . On D-Day, 1/22 landed on Beach Yellow 1 which was just north of Agat
Agat, Guam
Agat is a village on the island of Guam, an unincorporated territory of the United States. It is located south of Apra Harbor on the island's western shore. The village's population has decreased since the island's 2000 census....
, 2/22 came ashore on Yellow 2 and 3/22 in reserve came on land at Yellow 1.
Battle of Okinawa
During the Battle of Okinawa the regiment landed on Green Beach where they secured the left flank of the landing force. Following the landing they pushed north with the rest of the 6th Marine Division and secured the northern portion of the island. They were eventually pulled down south and placed in the line to the right of the 1st Marine Division where they would eventually secure the city of Naha while taking very heavy casualties. After the fighting on Okinawa the regiment was moved to Guam to rest and refit.Occupation of Northern China
While recuperating on Guam the war ended and that September the regiment received a warning order for it to prepare to move to China. Following the surrender of JapanSurrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, the entire 6th Marine Division was sent to Northern China
North China
thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain....
with the main mission of accepting the surrender of Japanese forces there and helping to repatriate those soldiers and other Japanese nationals back to Japan. The 22nd Marines landed in Tsingtao on October 11, 1945 and were still there on March 26, 1946 when the 22nd Marines was officially deactivated.
Reactivation and Quantico duty
The 22nd Regiment was reactivated as School Demonstration Troops at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, on 1 September 1947. Among its duties was training new Marine Corps Officers at The Basic School, Quantico,VA. It was fully deactivated on 17 October 1949.Notable members
- Henry A. Courtney, Jr.Henry A. Courtney, Jr.Henry Alexius Courtney, Jr. was an officer of the United States Marine Corps Reserve during World War II, and a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor.-Biography:...
- Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient during the Battle of Okinawa - Anthony P. DamatoAnthony P. DamatoCorporal Anthony Peter Damato was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his valor and sacrifice of life during World War II...
- Medal of Honor recipient during the Battle of Eniwetok - James L. DayJames L. DayMajor General James Lewis Day was a United States Marine, who as a Corporal, during World War II in the Battle of Okinawa, displayed "extraordinary heroism, repeated acts of valor, and quintessential battlefield leadership, ...inspired the efforts of his outnumbered Marines to defeat a much...
- Medal of Honor recipient during the Battle of Okinawa - Fred F. Lester - Medal of Honor recipient during the Battle of Okinawa
Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. The 22nd Marine Regiment has been presented with the following awards:| Presidential Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation (US) The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941... |
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| Navy Unit Commendation Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944... |
|
| Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was... |
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 |
World War II Victory Medal World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of... |
 |
China Service Medal China Service Medal The China Service Medal was a military medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted on August 23, 1940 and featured a yellow ribbon with narrow red edge stripes... |
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps regiments
- 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...