The 7th Marine Regiment was formed on August 14, 1917 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Instead of being sent to the trenches of France, the 7th Marines were ordered to Cuba for two years to augment the garrison at the Marine Base at Guantanamo Bay. In 1919, the 7th Marines were demobilized. 14 years later, in response to growing tensions in the Caribbean, the 7th Marines were once again reactivated and deployed aboard warships off the coast of Cuba. The 7th was not needed in CUba as Marine units already on the ground dealt with the insurrection and the 7th Marine Regiment was sent home and once again deactivated.

In response to the state of emergency declared by President Roosevelt, the 7th Marine Regiment was once again activated on January 1, 1941 in Guantanamo Bay Cuba and assigned to the 1st Marine Brigade. Later the Regiment moved to the Marine base in North Carolina for training. In early 1942, the 7th Marines boarded trains for the West coast, arriving in Southern California. Once all of their equipment had arrived, the Marines boarded troop transports and on the April 2, 1942 they set sail for Australia. Upon arrival the Regiment was ordered to the island of Samoa for jungle warfare and amphibious warfare training. Their training complete, the 7th Marines was ordered into Division reserve for the upcoming invasion of Guadalcanal.

Guadalcanal
The 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942. The first few weeks were very tenuous as the Navy had a difficult time getting supplies and reinforcements to the beach. Finally, on September 18, 1942, the 7th Marines landed on Guadalcanal to reinforce the Marines already fully engaged. The fighting on Guadalcanal was fierce and the Japanese defenders resorted to wave after wave of banzai suicide charges. The 7th Marines fought on Guadalcanal for 4 months until finally, they were relieved by elements of the US Army's Americal Division. With over 80% of the Regiment suffering from wounds, malaria and fatigue, the 7th Marines returned to Australia for rest and refit. Once they were brought up to strength, the Regiment once again began training for another invasion.

For their daring heroism on Guadalcanal, Sgt John Basilone of the 1st Battalion of the 7th Marines, and Plt. Sgt Mitchell Paige were awarded the Medal of Honor.

New Britain
The 7th Marines went into action again on December 26, 1943 when they stormed ashore at Cape Gloucester New Britain. After meeting little resistance, the 7th Marines secured an airfield and established a defensive perimeter. That night, a Battalion of Japanese Marines launched a counter-attack against the 7th Marines lines. 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines took the brunt of the assault and the fighting continued throughout the night. By the time the sun began to rise, the entire Japanese force had been wiped out. The Japanese dead were stacked in front of the Marine lines like cordwood. By early January, the Marines had secured most of the island. The Japanese defenders had retreated into the mountains. Slowly the 7th Marines began to sweep the heights clear. Finally on January 14, the 7th Marines assaulted the last Japanese stronghold on the island, Hill 660. After a daring rush, the hill was secure and the Marines dug in. Two days later, the expected counter-attack came. The fighting was brutal and often hand-to-hand but the Marines held the hilltop. When it was over, 200 Japanese soldiers lay dead around the Marine positions at a cost of only 50 Marine dead.

The 7th Marines were ordered into Division Reserve while the 5th Marines took over the offensive operations. The 7th Marines continued to run patrols around the island to protect against guerrilla attacks from hold-out Japanese soldiers. In March of 1943, the Islands of New Britain were declared secure and in April the 1st Marine Division was relived by the US Army 40th Infantry Division who took over defensive operations on the island. The 7th Marines, and the rest of the 1st Marine Division returned to Australia. Once there, the Regiment brought in replacements and began preparing for the next island in the battle for the PAcific.

Peleliu
The island of Peleliu was dominated by a long ridge called the "Umurbrogol," honeycombed with caves and masked by dense jungle growth. A coral reef, intermittently backed by mangrove swamps, ringed the entire island. These features were very effectively utilized by the Japanese in constructing exits, fire ports, and artillery positions through a network of caves and tunnels. It was to be one of the most difficult invasions of the war. For the first time, all three Regiments of the 1st Marine Division were to land at once; 1st Marines to the north, 5th Marines in the center, and the 7th Marines to the south. On September 15, 1944, the Marines landed. In the south, the 7th Marines were met by intense artillery and mortar fire from Japanese positions that had not been touched by the pre-invasion bombardment. The 7th Marines managed to scratch out a beachhead and slowly begin to work their way inland. Advances were measured in feet and every inch was fought for ferociously. On September 20, the 7th Marines broke out of their beachhead and linked up with the 1st Marines. After taking the lead, the 7th Marines, joined by a fresh Regiment, the 321st Infantry of the Army 81st Infantry Division began their assault on the Umurbrogol pocket, the main line of resistance for the Japanese defenders.

The fighting lasted for eight weeks and the Japanese fought with everything they had. Each and every cave seemed to be filled with Japanese and each one had to be fought for. Using a combination of explosives and flamethrower teams, the Marines began the systematic destruction of the defender's positions. Once the Japanese forces had been eliminated, the 1st Marine Division was officially relieved by the 81st Infantry Division. During the fighting on Pelelieu, 4 Marines were awarded the Medal of Honor from the 7th Marines.

John Drury
Wesley Phelps
Charles Howard Roan
Arthur Jackson
Okinawa
On April 1, 1945, the Island of Okinawa was assaulted by 80,000 Marines of the 1st, 2nd, and 6th Marine Divisions. The 1st Marine Division landed on the southern portion of Okinawa against light resistance. Their beachhead was quickly secured and supplied began flowing in. Resistance began to become stronger as the Marines pushed north. The 1st Marine Division was ordered into Reserve to protect the right flank of the invasion forces. The Division battled the Japanese along the coast and was stopped suddenly at the Shuri Castle. For 30 days the Division, along with the Army 77th Infantry Division, battled the Japanese stronghold. In one final rush and furious hand-to-hand fighting, the Marines secured the castle.

The next objective was the Kunishi Ridge which was heavily defended with interlocking pillboxes and artillery. On June 12, 1945, the 7th Marines launched their attack on the ridge. Their first assault failed and another attack was launched that night. By daybreak, two companies of the 7th Marines were atop the ridge with the enemy pinned beneath them. The rest of the Regiment moved up and began the task of clearing the tunnels and caves of Japanese. The operation lasted for 4 days. Using flamethrowers, grenades and bayonets, the Japanese were isolated and destroyed. By June 17, the ridge had been cleared of all Japanese and the Marines commanded the heights. The 7th Marines was relieved by the 8th Marines who continued the advance. During the 8th Marines assault, the Army commander of the Okinawa invasion, General Simon Buckner was killed. Command of the 10th Army fell to Marine Lt. Gen Roy Geiger who became the first Marine to command a force the size of an Army.

After Okinawa, the 7th Marines were ordered to occupation duty in China where they were to disarm the Japanese forces there. In addition they were called upon to keep the peace during the bloody civil war between the Chinese Nationalists and Communist forces. In 1947, the 7th Marines returned to California and were deactivated later that year.

Korea
On August 17, 1950 the 7th Marines were again activated for service. On September 15, the 1st Marine Division, with the 7th Marines in Reserve, landed at the port city of Inchon. Once the port was secured, the 7th Marines landed and took over the drive for Seoul. For 5 days, the 7th Marines fought against the communist North Korean forces and entered the capital city of Seoul. In bitter house-to-hose fighting, the city quickly fell to the Marines and the communists were driven north.

In October, the 1st Marine Division landed at Wonson. After liberating the port, the Marines began their drive north to the Chosin Resevoir to either capture or destroy a key hydroelectric plant. By November 15, the Marines had reached the southern tip of the resevoir. Then all hell broke loose. Eight Chinese communist Division stormed out of the mountains and attacked the 1st Marine Division. The Marines began to withdraw just as winter set in. For four weeks, the Marines fought through 78 miles of mountain roads in icy winter conditions all the while battling the Chines forces. By mid-December, the Marines had finally reached the port of Hungnam and were evacuated. The fighting withdrawal had cost the 1st Marine Division over 4,000 casualties but the enemy had paid a high price. The Marines had inflicted over 25,000 casualties on the 8 Chinese Divisions. The Chosin Reservoir, or "Frozen Chosin", had been one of the bloodiest fights of the war and the Marines finest hour.

The 7th Marines participated in numerous operations in 1951 including the assault on the Hwachon Resevoir. In May, the 7th Marines were on defensive duty when 500,000 Chines soldiers attacked the main United Nations lines in their Spring offensive. For three months, the 7th Marines fought with the rest of the UN forces to defeat the Chinese offensive. For the rest of 1951 and 1952, the 7th Marines maintained their defensive positions and conducted patrols around their area of operations. In 1953, the 7th Marines were ordered to relieve the Army 25th Infantry Division. Soon after, the Regiment came under attack by North Korean and Chinese forces. The Marines held out for two weeks and did not lose any ground. The attacks ended on July 27, when the Panmunjom truce went into effect.

During the Korean War, 20 Marines of the 7th Marines were awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroism under fire.

William Barber
Hector Cafferata
David Champagne
Raymond Davis
Ambrosio Guillen
James Johnson
John Kelly
Jack Kelso
Robert Kennemore
Herbert Littleton
Daniel Matthews
Frederick Mausert III
Frank Mitchell
George O'Brien, Jr.
James Poynter
George Ramer
Robert Reem
William Shuck, Jr.
Archie Vamn Winkle
Lewis Watkins
The 7th Marines remained in Korea for several years before returning stateside. Once there, the Regiment entered a new mission of training and regular deployments to the far east and the western Pacific. The 7th Marines were called upon in 1962 during the Cuban missle crisis where once again they embarked aboard Navy vessels off the Caribbean Island's coast. The Crisis soon subsided as Russia gave up on trying to set up nuclear missiles in Cuba and the 7th Marines returned to Camp Pendleton California. Three years later, the 7th Marines were shipped overseas to once again fight communist aggression.

Vietnam
In June of 1965, the 7th Marines arrived in Southeast Asia as part of the III Marine Amphibious Force. In August, the 7th Marines launched the first major offensive of the conflict, Operation Starlite. Their objective was to destroy the Vietcong base at Van Truong. After a massive artillery and air attack, the 7th Marines assaulted the base and routed the VC forces encamped there. 45 Marines were killed and the enemy lost over 650 of their soldiers. Operation Starlite was an overwhelming success.

After Starlite, the 7th Marines began their operations in pacifying villages and towns in their area of operations. They ran continuous patrols and were in regular contact with enemy forces in brief, fierce firefights. The 7th Marines also sent units to participate in Operations Utah and Texas. They also began forming Combat Action Platoons, a combination of Vietnamese Militia and Marine Infantry Squads. Throughout 1966 and 1967, the 7th Marines were heavily engaged in counter-guerrilla operations throughout South Vietnam. IN 1968, the 7th Marines were called upon to repulse the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive. After soundly defeating the NVA Offensive in their areas, the 7th Marines returned to CAP and counter-guerrilla operations.

The 7th Marine participated in one final operation in 1970, Operation Pickens Forest. The agressive campaign resulted in hundred of enemy killed or captured and several key areas around the III MAF area were secured of enemy resistance. Finally after 5 years of combat in Vietnam, the 7th Marines returned to the United States in September of 1970.

During the Vietnam War, 9 Marines of the 7th Marine Regiment were awarded the Medal of Honor for their extraordinary heroism

Oscar Austin
Wayne Caron
Ralph Dias
James Howe
Jose Jimenez
Larry Smedley
Lester Weber
Roy Wheat
Kenneth Worley
Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm
For 20 years after Vietnam the 7th Marines enjoyed peaceful training operations. In 1990, the 7th Marines were ordered to the deserts of Southwest Asia to prepare to drive the Iraqi army out of Kuwait. The 7th Marines spent several months in the desert preparing and in February of 1991, began offensive operations by launching Task Force Ripper. After breaching several Iraqi minefields, the 7th Marine drove deep into Kuwait and linked up with the advancing US Army units on the outskirts of Kuwait City. The next day, with a Kuwaiti Armored Battalion in support, the 7th Marines entered and liberated Kuwait City. The 7th Marines continued to drive the Iraqis further north back to Iraq and had crossed the border when operations were ordered halted.

Kuwait had been liberated and the 7th Marines returned to their new home at Marine Corps Base 29 Palms California. The next year, the 7th Marines were ordered to the Eastern African country of Somalia to aid in the humanitarian efforts. After an unopposed landing, the Regiment secured the capital of Mogadishu and established several defensive positions around the relief worker's camps. Elements of the 7th Marines moved inland to escort food convoys as they delivered supplies to areas desperately in need of food and medical supplies. For 5 months the 7th Marines worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of the people of Somalia and the aid workers helping them. The Regiment returned to 29 Palms in May of 1993. Since then the 7th Marines have participated in numerous training operations and made several deployments to the Persian Gulf and the Western Pacific.

Today the 7th Marine Regiment Reinforced stands ready to answer the nation's call to send Marines in harms way any time, any place.