2nd Battalion 4th Marines
2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. The battalion, nicknamed the Magnificent Bastards, is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and are a part of the 5th Marine Regiment and 1st Marine Division.
2nd Battalion, 4th Marines was constituted in April 1914 during World War I when it was activated as one of the three battalions of the 4th Marine Regiment. Shortly after being activated, the battalion deployed to Mexico as part of the punitive expedition led by General John J. Pershing. The presence of American forces offshore proved to be sufficient enough pressure on the Mexican government to act to end the threat to Americans.
In 1916, civil war broke out in the Dominican Republic and the Dominican Government was unable to end the strife. President Woodrow Wilson dispatched American forces. 2/4 went ashore in the Dominican Republic and, after several clashes with rebel forces, successfully put down the revolution. Occupation duty followed pending the establishment of an elected government. The battalion departed the Dominican Republic in August 1924 for San Diego, California.
During October 1926 the Federal government directed the Marine Corps to furnish units to guard the mail because the postal service had experienced several robberies. The battalion was directed to safeguard mail transported by rail and truck west of the Mississippi river. The robberies promptly stopped.
In April 1927 the battalion was ordered to Tientsin, China. Their mission was to reinforce U.S. forces already in place against rebelling Chinese nationalist forces. On 4 October 1927, 2/4 was re-designated as 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines. With this re-designation, 2/4's lineage and honors were transferred to 2/12. A new 2/4 would be activated in the future, but for lineage and honors purposes it would in no way be connected with the old 2/4.
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