"NEW ENGLAND'S OWN"
1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment
Devens Reserve Forces Training Area. The Battalion is primarily a cold weather infantry unit, and trains in many locations around the Northeast. In addition, it trains in California, North Carolina and Northern Norway. 1st Battalion, 25th Marines is spread throughout the Northeast with Companies in New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, and Massachusetts which is where it gets the name "New Englands Own". Today the Battalion is spread over the New England area with the Headquarters and Service Company along with Weapons Company located at Devens RFTA. Company A is located at Topsham, Maine; Company B is located at Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Company C is located at Plainville, Connecticut.
The mission of 1/25 4th Marine Division is to provide trained combat and combat support personnel and units to augment and reinforce the active component in time of war, national emergency, and at other times as national security requires; and have the capability to reconstitute the Division, if required.
Marines conduct training to prepare for employment as a Battalion tasked to plan and conduct combat operations in order to locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, or to repel his assault by close combat.
Peacetime Unit Mission is to be prepared to mobilize in 30-42 days to be a combat capable battalion. Be Prepared to conduct offensive and defensive operations against forces in cold weather and mountain operations. Be prepared to execute effective combat operations training, Intelligence, fire support coordination, logistics and administration processes. Be prepared to augment/reinforce other similar organizations. Maintain individual MOS proficiency through effective training.
"New England's Own" Selected Marine Corps Reserve unit was originally established in Boston, Massachusetts, as an infantry company in the early 1920's. It was not until some years later that the unit attained battalion status.
In April of 1926, Captain John J. Flynn was named the Commanding Officer of the 301st Company, USMCR, with Headquarters at the Marine Barracks, Charlestown Navy Yard. Building #5, the Navy Officer's Mess, was used for drill and formation until the Company was called to active duty on November 8, 1940.
During its varied and illustrious history, the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines has undergone some redesignations. From its beginning as the 301st Company, the Battalion has been variously redesignated as an Artillery Company (December 29, 1928); the 301st Infantry Company (December 1, 1929); Company A, 1st Battalion, 19th Reserve Marines (February 15, 1933); 2nd Battalion, Fleet Marine Corps Reserve (February 1, 1935) - at that point a battalion had an authorized strength of 256 men, comparable to an infantry company in today's table of organization.
There was an especially critical period in the life of "New England's Own" from 1931 to 1934. During those years, Congress discontinued all drill and administrative pay. Those stalwarts who stayed with the organization did so voluntarily. New members were required to purchase their own uniforms. The fact that the Battalion survived this critical period is a "banner" on their history.
The 2nd Battalion continued as a unit until called to active service on the eve of World War II. The Battalion was sent to Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia, and then to Cuba where it was split in January 1941 to serve with various units serving in Cuba at the time.
On May 1, 1943, the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines was formed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and was then shipped off to Camp Pendleton, California, to be assigned to the 4th Marine Division, During the war the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines saw action in the following island-hopping campaigns: Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian and Iwojima. The Battalion earned special honors for its action on Iwo Jima. The Battalion played a critical role in the seizure of Hill 382 ("Turkey Knob") in an area that Marine,,, on Iwo Jima called the "Meat Grinder." For its actions, the Battalion earned a Presidential Unit Citation. The Battalion saw no further action during the war due to having to rebuild the Battalion after the heavy losses on Iwo Jima. The Battalion was deactivated on October 31, 1945.
After World War II, on October 1, 1946, the 2nd Infantry Battalion was activated at the Naval and Marine Corps Training Center in South Boston under the command of Lieutenant Colonel James J. Dugan, who had established an excellent personal record as a member of the Battalion before the war and distinguished himself by outstanding service during World War II. Lieutenant Colonel Dugan remained as the Commanding Officer until July 1950, shortly before the Battalion was called to active duty during the Korean War. The service during the Korea War was short and the Battalion was quickly returned to Boston in October of 1951, where it grew into one of the largest Marine Reserve units in the country.
On July 1, 1962, the Battalion was reorganized and redesignated in conjunction with the new concept and mission of the Marine Corps Reserve as the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division, FMF, USMCR, with the Battalion Headquarters located in Boston, Massachusetts. On September 30, 1977, the Headquarters was relocated to Camp Edwards, Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Since its reorganization in 1962, the Battalion has participated in a variety of training experiences, including desert maneuvers at 29 Palms, California; amphibious training in Little Creek, Virginia; mountain warfare training at Bridgeport, California; cold weather training in Norway, and numerous field exercises at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Attesting to the effective role which the unit played in these and other programs, the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines received the GENERAL HARRY SCHMIDT TROPHY for the most combat ready battalion in the 4th Marine Division in 1970,1989, and 1990- No other battalion in the 4th marine Division can claim that they have won this trophy in consecutive years.
On November 25, 1990, the Battalion was again called to active duty to serve in the Gulf War against Iraq. 'I'he Battalion moved to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and was promptly moved into the Kuwait Theater of Operations on December 29, 1 990. The Battalion was assigned as an independent battalion within the 1st Marine Division. While attached to the 1st Marine Division, it performed a variety of missions to include Rear Area Security and Enemy Prisoner of War Control. The Battalion was With the frontline units during the war, which made it one of the few Reserve units to see frontline service. During the Ground offensive the Battalion was to receive the responsibility of controlling over 8,500 Iraq POWs and processing them to rear areas of the 1st Marine Division. The Battalion was returned to the United States in April of 1991 and was deactivated at Camp Edwards, Massachusetts.
On June 9, 2000, the Headquarters was relocated to Devens Reserve Forces Training Area, Massachusetts.The Battalion is still performing its mission of training for the possible call-up for active service in times of national emergency. Today the Battalion is spread over the New England area with the Headquarters and Service Company along with the Weapons Company located at Devens RFTA. Company A is located at Topsham, Maine; Company B is located at Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Company C is located at Plainville, Connecticut.