2d Marine Division
| 2nd Marine Division | |
|---|---|
2nd Marine Division insignia
|
|
| Active | Active 1 February 1941 – present. |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America |
| Branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Type | Ground combat element |
| Size | Marine Division (Approximately 20,000) |
| Part of | II Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune |
| Nickname(s) | The Silent Second |
| Motto(s) | Follow Me |
| Mascot(s) | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
MajGen John K. Love |
| Notable commanders |
Alfred M. Gray, Jr. Thomas E. Watson (USMC) Clayton Barney Vogel Randolph M. Pate James L. Jones Julian C. Smith Alphonse DeCarre Chesty Puller |
The U.S. 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and headquartered at Julian C. Smith Hall.
The 2nd Marine Division earned renown in World War II, distinguishing itself at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa.
The lineal forebearer of the 2nd Marine Division is the 2nd Marine Brigade, which was activated on 1 July 1936 at San Diego, California. Subsequently, the brigade was deployed during August–September 1937 to Shanghai, China. The 2nd Marine Brigade relocated during February–April 1938 to San Diego, California.
Major General Clayton B. Vogel, its first commander, activated the 2nd Marine Division at a parade and review at the Marine Corps Base, San Diego, California, during a sunny Saturday afternoon of 1 February 1941. The division consisted of the 2nd, 6th, and 8th Marines infantry regiments; the 10th Marines, an artillery regiment; engineer, medical, service, and tank battalions; and transport, signal, chemical, and antiaircraft machine gun companies. By mid-1941, because of the growing threat of a German invasion to Iceland, the 6th Marine Regiment, a battalion from 10th Marines and other scattered units were pulled from the division and sent to garrison Reykjavik. After the outbreak of war the 8th Marine Regiment with an assortment of other division assets formed the 2nd Marine Brigade and were dispatched to garrison American Samoa.
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Wikipedia