2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines

Unit Lineage

Reactivated on 14 January 1941, the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines is a light infantry battalion assigned to the 2nd Marine Regiment under the 2nd Marine Division at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Known as "The Warlords," 2/2 consists of approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors. The battalion's combat history spans from Guadalcanal to Helmand Province, with the distinction of having spearheaded one of the most consequential amphibious assaults in Marine Corps history.

World War II

2/2 landed on Guadalcanal as part of the Tulagi landings in August 1942, earned a Presidential Unit Citation, and participated in the final offensive that cleared the island. At Tarawa on 20 November 1943, 2/2 was one of three battalions that spearheaded the assault on Betio Island. The battalion landed on Red Beach 2 under devastating Japanese fire. Lieutenant Colonel Herbert R. Amey Jr., the battalion commander, was killed by machine gun fire before reaching the beach. Despite the loss of their commanding officer in the opening minutes, the Marines of 2/2 fought their way onto the island and held their ground. The battalion went on to fight at Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa before deploying to Nagasaki for the occupation of Japan.

Cold War

During the Cold War, 2/2 served as a rapid-response force deployed across the Mediterranean and Caribbean. In 1976, the battalion evacuated 263 American citizens from Beirut by sea during the Lebanese Civil War. Elements of 2/2 deployed to Guantanamo Bay during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. In 1983, the battalion served as part of the multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

Desert Storm Through the Global War on Terror

2/2 deployed to Saudi Arabia in December 1990 and participated in the liberation of Kuwait during Desert Storm. During the Global War on Terror, the Warlords deployed to Iraq in July 2005 under Regimental Combat Team 8, operating between Fallujah and Abu Ghraib. Sixteen Marines were killed in action during that deployment. The battalion returned to Iraq in 2008 under Regimental Combat Team 5, operating between Rawah and Al Qaim. In October 2009, 2/2 deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, operating south of Safar Bazaar. Eight Marines were killed in action during that tour.

Gear for the Warlords

This collection is for the Marines who served with 2/2 and the families who carry their legacy. Every t-shirt, hoodie, flag, and accessory honors the battalion's history from Tarawa to Helmand. Veteran-owned and made in the USA.

Browse our 2/2 Marines t-shirts, long sleeves, hoodies, tank tops, flags, decals, drinkware, and more below. OIF and OEF veteran designs available. Every order ships free at $75+.