2nd Battalion 7th Marines

2nd Battalion, 7th Marines
2nd Battalion, 7th Marines insignia
Active	1 January 1940 – 26 February 1947 17 August 1950 – present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Light Infantry
Size	1,200
Part of	7th Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms
Nickname(s)	"War Dogs"
Motto(s)	"Ready for anything, counting on nothing."
Anniversaries	1 January 1940
Engagements	World War II *Guadalcanal Campaign *Battle of Cape Gloucester *Battle of Peleliu *Battle of Okinawa Korean War *Battle of Inchon *Second Battle of Seoul *Battle of Chosin Reservoir *East Central Front *Western Front *Defense of the DMZ Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom *Operation Vigilant Resolve *Operation Alljah Operation Enduring Freedom
Commanders
Current commander	LtCol Christopher Steele

The 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines (2/7) is a light infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and consist of approximately 1,200 Marines and Sailors. The battalion falls under the command of the 7th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division.

The battalion's current subordinate units are:

At the beginning of World War II, the battalion had three subordinate rifle companies – E (Easy), F (Fox), G (George), a weapons company designated as H (How), and a Headquarters Company. As the war progressed, the weapons company was eliminated and the component elements redistributed throughout the headquarters and rifle companies. During the Korean War, the battalion's three rifle companies were designated D (Dog), E (Easy) and F (Fox). During the Vietnam War, the battalion was organized under a four rifle company order of battle – E (Echo), F (Fox), G (Golf) and H (Hotel).

The battalion was activated on 1 January 1940 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On 18 September 1942, 2/7 landed on Guadalcanal. They fought the Battle of Guadalcanal for four months until they were relieved by elements of the United States Army's Americal Division. The battalion was then sent to Australia along with the rest of the 1st Marine Division for rest and refit.

2/7 landed on Cape Gloucester, New Britain on 26 December 1943 securing an airfield the first day. That night, Japanese Marines counterattacked and 2/7 took the brunt of the assault and the fighting continued throughout the night. By the time the sun began to rise, the entire Japanese force had been wiped out. On 14 January, 2/7 along with the rest of the regiment assaulted and took the last Japanese stronghold on the island, Hill 660. Two days later, the counter-attack came but the Marines held the hilltop often resorting to hand-to-hand fighting.