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COMPANY “F”, 2ND BATTALION, 9TH US MARINE FIELD

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:300.00 USD Estimated At:600.00 - 800.00 USD
COMPANY “F”, 2ND BATTALION, 9TH US MARINE FIELD

GUIDON. 20” x 28” double applique embroidered on red field. This is the service guidon of the 9th Marine Regiment, Second Battalion, F (Fox) Company, Fleet Marine Forces. The battalion consists of a Headquarters & Service (H&S) Company, Weapons Company and three Infantry Companies: Echo, Fox, and Golf. During the Vietnam War Hotel Company was part of the battalion. The 9th Marine Regiment was part of the 3rd Marine Division.
The battalion was created in 1917 at Quantico, Virginia. Not long after they were sent to Cuba to protect American interests there. They were then sent to Texas to protect oil shipments from rumored German agents operating out of Mexico. The battalion was disbanded in 1919. However, in 1925 they were reconstituted with the mission of training Marines which they did until 1937 when they were again disbanded.
In April 1942, with war against Japan underway, the battalion was reactivated as part of the 2nd Marine Division. After intensive training they were transferred to the 3rd Marine Division. In July 1943 they were sent to Guadalcanal and from there took part in the fighting for Bougainville later that year. In 1944 they invaded Guam and during the fighting repelled several Japanese attacks but suffered 50 per cent casualties. Captain Louis Wilson was awarded a Medal of Honor for his action in these attacks. He would later become Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps.
Initially part of the floating reserve at Iwo Jima, five days after the landings there they were sent ashore where another unit member, Private Wilson Watson, was also awarded the Medal of Honor. After the end of the war they were sent to Camp Pendleton and disbanded in December 1945. In November 1948 they were reactivated and sent to northern China to assist in the evacuation of Americans during the Chinese Civil War. In 1949 upon return home they were sent to Camp Lejeune and redesignated the 3rd battalion, 6th Marines.
With the Korean war raging, the 2nd/6th Marines were again reactivated in preparation for transfer to the combat zone but the armistice ended the fighting before they could arrive. After this the 3rd Marine Division was sent to Okinawa but the battalion was transferred to the 1st Marine Division. By 1960 they were again part of the 3rd Marines.
With war in Vietnam heating up the 3rd Marine Division was sent there in May 1965 with headquarters at Da Nang. 2/9th Marines arrived in country in July. The battalion was heavily engaged while there including in the famous battle of Khe Sanh in 1968 in the Tet Offensive by the Communist forces. In August 1969 the battalion was back on Okinawa.
They next took part in the attempt to free the crew of the merchant ship SS Mayaguez in 1975. They successfully landed where intelligence had told them the crew were being held but they had already been freed. The Marines withdrew under fire from Khmer Rouge forces. 2/9th Marines deployed to the Philippines then Somalia in August 1992 where they secured landing areas and battled local guerrillas. In September 1994, 2nd Battalion/9th Marines was deactivated and redesignated as the 2nd Battalion/ 4th Marines.
The battalion was reactivated for the War on Terror in July 2007 and were soon sent to Iraq in 2008. The battalion would continue fighting in the Middle East in Iraq and Afghanistan off an on until April 2013. The battalion was again deactivated in April 2015.
The guidon is a red field use banner bearing the unit designation for 9th Marine Regiment and F Company. The battalion was the 2nd since that command had Fox Company as a component unit.
CONDITION: fine. (02-17547-42/JS). $600-800.