From 29 to 2/9

We've lived here in Twentynine Palms since 2002. We rented our first place here together after the Man and I were married, and we've had two babies at the Naval Hospital on Base. Most Marines come to affectionately (or not) know the place as "Two-Nine" or else "the Stumps." To be honest, the Man is among the few "few and proud" who actually like this base.

After Boot Camp and School of Infantry, the Man was assigned to the "Wolfpack" 3dLAR, or 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. He served his entire first enlistment with them, and deployed to Iraq during the initial months of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Here's a brief time-line of that deployment, courtesy of Wikipedia. He was part of "A" Company:

In late January through February 2003, the Battalion, with the exception of Company C (on unit deployment in Okinawa), deployed with the 1st Marine Division to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. [...] On March 21, 3d LAR Battalion and its attachments crossed into Iraq with the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, attacking into the Rumaylah oil fields. The Wolfpack, along with 1st LAR Battalion, led the Division’s lightning attack north, passing through Task Force Tarawa 56 hours after attacking into Iraq, crossing the Euphrates, and continuing to attack north along Highway 1. From the afternoon of March 24 until April 1, the Battalion was attached to Regimental Combat Team 5.

On March 31, the Battalion attacked north as part of Regimental Combat Team 5 and secured the northern portion of Hantush Airfield. On 10 April, the Battalion was tasked to provide a headquarters and two companies to Task Force Tripoli. This ad-hoc task force, composed of elements of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions, as well as G/2/23 and TOW plt, 1st Tank Battalion, and commanded by the assistant Division commander, continued to attack north towards Tikrit. [The Man went with the "Tripoli" group, north.] The remainder of Task Force Wolfpack, Companies B, E, and approximately half of H&S Company, as well as the Rear Command Post element, remained outside Baghdad conducting stabilization operations while attached to 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion.

In its advance north towards Tikrit, the element of the Battalion attached to Task Force Tripoli made national headlines in the town of Samarra on April 13 when members of Company D rescued 7 American servicemen who had been taken prisoner earlier in the conflict. The rescued prisoners included two Army helicopter pilots and Shoshanna Johnson, a soldier from the same unit as Jessica Lynch. An image from this moment is captured in the “Operation Iraqi Freedom” mural on a building in 29 Palms. The Battalion reformed in Ad Diwaniyah on April 21. By mid-June, the entire Battalion had redeployed to Twenty-nine Palms, with the last elements of the Division following in September. The Battalion suffered two non-combat deaths, no killed in action, and nine wounded in action during this deployment. (From Wikipedia).

Compared to deployments now averaging 8-10 months for Marines, and sometimes much longer for Soldiers, his deployment was a very short one, just barely over four months.

***

Although we'll be leaving Two-Nine the place in August, we're ironically heading to 2/9 the unit. 2/9, or 2nd Battalion 9th Marines, will be the Man's new unit aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Even more ironically, 2/9 the unit is scheduled to come back to train in Two-Nine the place next summer at the school where the Man is teaching right now, the Urban Warfare Training Center (aka Mojave Viper).:

The base is currently home to the largest military training area in the nation, and consequently, the largest training program. The program known as Mojave Viper has become the model of pre-Operation Iraqi Freedom deployment training. The majority of units in the Marine Corps will undergo a month at Mojave Viper before deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan. Live fire exercises, artillery, tank, and close air support training are used for training. In addition to the sprawling "Combat Town," a two-acre fabricated Middle Eastern village, complete with a mosque, native role-players, an "IED Alley," and other immersive touches. (From Wikipedia.)

I suspect that with a veteran Mojave Viper instructor in their midst,  2/9 will be well prepared for the  intensive 10-day course. 

Here's a brief history of the new unit, from Wikipedia:

The 2nd Battalion 9th Marines (2/9) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I, the unit played an instrumental role in the defeat of the Japanese forces in the Battles of Guam and Iwo Jima during the World War II. The battalion distinguished itself in the defense of Khe Sanh during the Vietnam War, and later participated in an ill fated invasion of Koh Tang Island in Southeast Asia, with the intention of rescuing the crew of the SS Mayaguez. During Operation Desert Storm, the battalion served as the lead battalion for the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF).

2/9 also participated in various humanitarian missions. The battalion helped evacuate Americans from Northern China during the Chinese Civil War and in various occasions participated in providing relief to the victims of typhoons. In 1992, the battalion participated in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia.

2nd Battalion 9th Marines served until September 2, 1994, when it was deactivated to make room for one of three light armor reconnaissance battalions. It was part of the 9th Marine Regiment and the 3rd Marine Division.

According to Headquarters Marine Corps the 2nd Battalion 9th Marines will once again be activated on July 13, 2007 and will replace the 13th Anti-Terriosm Battalion (ATBN).
You can read the entire article at Wikipedia over here: 2nd Battalion 9th Marines.

Comments

[caroline]

wow, annie, your man must be some brave dude! thank you for sharing about the his battilion(s). God bless him and your family! i am excited that you're moving to my side of the country. we usually go to the outer banks (nc beach area) every year for a holiday. who knows? maybe we'll meet some day:-)

[Apryl]

Shhhh don't tell but I have a confession...

I miss the stumps ;)

[Jasmine]

My husband has just been assigned to 2/9 at LeJeune and I was wondering if you have some sort of deployment schedule or training schedule. Could you email me? Thanks!
-Jasmine