2nd Battalion, 25th Marines

2nd Battalion, 25th Marines (2/25) is a reserve infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps headquartered in Garden City, New York, with units located throughout the Mid-Atlantic States. It consists of approximately 1000 Marines and sailors. They fall under the command of the 25th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.

Mission
Provide trained and qualified units and individuals to augment, reinforce, or reconstitute the active component of the Marine Corps in time of war, national emergency, and such other times as the national security may require

World War II
The Battalion was first activated on 1 May 1943 at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as the 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines. They relocated during August–September 1943 to Camp Pendleton, California. In September 1943, 2/25 was assigned to the 4th Marine Division. They were deployed for combat during January 1944 to Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. They participated in the following World War II campaigns: Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. In October 1945, they relocated to Camp Pendleton, California and were deactivated on 31 October 1945.

Post-war years
2/25 was reactivated on 1 July 1962 at Garden City, New York, and assigned to the 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve.

The battalion was mobilized piecemeal during the period of November 1990 - January 1991 in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. The majority of the battalion trained at Camp Pendleton and 29 Palms, CA for possible deployment overseas, while Fox Company 2/25 deployed to the Persian Gulf and participated directly in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. 2nd Platoon of Fox Company deployed as part of 5th Marine Regiment of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade participating in combat operations in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while the remainder of the company supported 2nd Marine Division operations with the 2nd Light Armored Infantry Battalion. With the cessation of hostilities in the Persian Gulf, 2nd platoon of Fox Company was subsequently diverted to Bangladesh for participation in Operation Sea Angel in May 1991. The battalion demobilized during March/April 1991 and returned to Garden City, New York. The elements of Fox Company that remained active returned to the Bronx, NY on July 3, 1991, just prior to the 4th of July weekend of 1991. These Marines were subsequently reassigned to other 2/25 elements as the Fox Company headquarters was moved from its prior home in New Rochelle, NY to Albany, NY during their deployment.

In September/October 1994, 2/25 participated in Operation Sea Signal in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. In the summers of 1995 and 1996, they participated in JTF-6 Counter-drug missions in the Southwest United States. In 1997 they participated in a CAX at 29 Palms CA. In July Of 1998 parts of the Battalion deployed to Lithuania to participate in a CJT known as "Baltic Challenge 98". February 1999, the battalion deployed to Norway for Operation Battle Griffin. Also participated in Operation Rescue Eagle, Romanian July 2000

Global War on Terror
Mobilized during January 2002 - January 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Demobilized in January 2003 and returned to Garden City, New York. Mobilized March 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and started demobilization August 2003. During the summer of 2004 deployed to Mount Fuji, Japan for Annual Training. During the winter of 2005 deployed to Norway for Annual Training in support of Battle Griffin '05. In March 2005, 75 members of the battalion deployed to Iraq as individual augments with 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. In December of that year, more than 250 individual members of the battalion were mobilized to augment 1st Battalion 25th Marines for deployment in Iraq.

During the summer of 2007 the battalion, joined by medical and veterinary civil affairs units, traveled to Senegal for Operation Shared Accord. The battalion split its time between training with Senegalese commandos and fire support companies and providing veterinary and medical care to the towns surrounding the training area.

In September 2008, 2/25, with individual augments from 1/25 and 3/25, deployed to Al Anbar Province in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion was split in two 500 marine "half-battalion" units to pursue separate missions: Force protection of Al Asad Air Base and counter insurgency operations in the area around Camp Korean Village, Iraq. 2/25 Demobilized and returned to Garden City, New York, on 10 April 2009, after turning over the security of Al Asad Air Base to 1st Battalion 8th Marines; and the operations around Camp Korean Village were turned over to elements of 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion. In the Summer of 2010, over 400 Marines from 2/25 deployed to Mozambique to train with the local military, and conduct humanitarian medical Civil Affairs in towns near the capital. The partner based training concentrated on small arms tactics and hasty mine clearing in one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.

Members

 * Matthew Bogdanos - former CO of Weapons Company
 * Raymond W. Kelly - former operations officer
 * Robert Wertz
 * David E. Hickman - former weapons specialist attached to 10th mountain division