- 4th Marine Division (United States)
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 4th Marine Division
caption= 4th Marine Division insignia
dates=August 14 ,1943 -November 28 ,1945
February 1966 - present
country=United States
allegiance=
branch= USMC
type= Infantry division
role= Locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver.
size=
command_structure=Marine Forces Reserve
current_commander=
garrison=New Orleans, Louisiana
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname="Fighting Fourth"
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=World War II
*Battle of Kwajalein
*Battle of Saipan
*Battle of Tinian
*Battle of Iwo Jima Operation Desert Storm Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=The 4th Marine Division is a reserve division in the
United States Marine Corps . It is theground combat element of theMarine Forces Reserve and is headquartered inNew Orleans, Louisiana and has units throughout the United States.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.
ubordinate units
* Headquarters Battalion [cite web |url= http://www.mfr.usmc.mil/4thmardiv/HQBN/
title= HQBN BATTALION 4TH MARDIV | accessdate= 2007-12-27]
* 14th Marine Regiment
* 23rd Marine Regiment
* 24th Marine Regiment
* 25th Marine Regiment
*4th Assault Amphibian Battalion
*4th Combat Engineer Battalion
*4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
*4th Reconnaissance Battalion
*4th Tank Battalion
*Anti-Terrorism Battalion History
World War II
This division was formed by the organization and redesignation of several other units. The 23rd Marine Regiment began as
infantry detached from the 3rd Marine Division in February 1943, the same month that anartillery battalion of the 12th Marines became the genesis of the 14th Marines and engineer elements of the 19th Marines formed the nucleus of the 20th Marines. In March the 24th Marine Regiment was organized, and then in May it was split in two to supply the men for the 25th Marines.This war-time shuffling provided the major building blocks for a new division. The units were originally separated, however, with the 24th Marines and a variety of reinforcing units (engineer, artillery, medical, motor transport, special weapons, tanks, etc.) at
Camp Pendleton inCalifornia . The rest of the units were atCamp Lejeune ,North Carolina . This East Coast echelon moved to Pendleton by train and transit of thePanama Canal in July and August. When all the units were finally together, the 4th Marine Division was formally activated onAugust 14 ,1943 , withMajor General Harry Schmidt in command.After intensive training, it shipped out on
13 January 1944 , and in 13 months made four majoramphibious assault s, in the battles of Kwajalein (Roi-Namur ), Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima, suffering more than 17,000 casualties. It was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and aNavy Unit Commendation , and then deactivated28 November 1945 .In February 1966, it was reactivated as the lead division in the
Marine Forces Reserve , and major units later served with distinction in the Persian Gulf.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 4th Marine Division has been presented with the following awards:
ee also
*
List of United States Marine Corps divisions
*Organization of the United States Marine Corps Notes
References
:Marine Corps;Web
* [http://www.mfr.usmc.mil/4thmardiv/ 4th Marine Division's official website]
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-C-Marshalls/ "Breaking the Outer Ring: Marine Landings in the Marshall Islands "]
* [http://www.fightingfourth.com/ 4th Marine Division World War II tribute site]
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