2nd Battalion, 8th Marines

2nd Battalion 8th Marines
2nd Battalion 8th Marines
	2/8 Insignia
Active	-April 1, 1940 - November 13, 1947; - November 1, 1950 - present
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Type	Infantry battalion
Role	Locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver
Part of	8th Marine Regiment; 2nd Marine Division
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Nickname(s)	"America's Battalion"
Engagements	World War II; * Battle of Guadalcanal; * Battle of Tarawa; * Battle of Saipan; * Battle of Tinian; * Battle of Okinawa; Operation Urgent Fury; Operation Desert Storm; Operation Iraqi Freedom; Operation Enduring Freedom

2nd Battalion 8th Marines (2/8) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. Nicknamed "America's Battalion," they fall under the 8th Marine Regiment and the 2nd Marine Division.

Mission

Locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, and to repel the enemy's assault by fire and close-combat.

Activated on April 1, 1940 at San Diego as the 2nd Battalion 8th Marine Regiment and assigned to the 2nd Marine Brigade.
Participated in the following WWII campaigns: Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, Okinawa
Deployed during September 1945 to Nagasaki Japan.
Participated in occupation of Japan from September 1945 to June 1946
Relocated during June-July 1946 to Camp Lejeune North Carolina.
Deactivated November 13, 1947

Reactivated on December 1, 1950 at MCB Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as 2nd Battalion 8th Marines and assigned to 2nd Marine Division.
Participated in the landing of Lebanon July-September 1953.
Participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis October to December 1962.
Relocated in June 1968 to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Relocated in August 1973 to Camp Lejeune NC.
Participated as part of Multi-Nation Peace Keeping Force in Lebanon August – September 1982, and February- October 1984
Participated in Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada October – November 1983.
Participated in Operation Provide Comfort Iraq April – July 1991.
Elements participated in Operation Support Democracy Cuba October – November 1993.
Participated in support of Operation Joint Endeavor Adriatic Sea October 1996.
Elements participated in security operations Haiti and Panama November 1997 – February 1998 and January – August 1999.

Participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom - Iraq, March – May 2003.
Participated in Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan November 2003 to May 2004.
Participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom - Iraq, August 2006 - anticipated return February 2007.

^ LCpl Zachary W. Lester (May 21, 2007). "2/8 Marines awarded Chesty Puller award". Marine Corps News. United States Marine Corps. Story ID# 2007521164016. Retrieved 2007-05-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)