2nd Battalion 6th Marines 2nd Battalion , 6th Marines ( 2 / 6 ) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . Also known as " The Ready Battalion " or " 2 / 6 Spartans " , it consists of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors and falls under the command of the 6th Marine Regiment and the 2nd Marine Division . History . World War I . 2nd Battalion , 6th Marines was activated on July 11 , 1917 to serve as reinforcements during World War I . On January 19 , 1918 , the battalion went to League Island , Philadelphia in order to head out to France as part of the 4th Brigade , American Expeditionary Force . The battalion fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood for which they were awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm from the French government . Beginning October 3 , 1918 , the 6th Regiment led the offensive to take Blanc Mont Ridge , pushing the Germans out of the Champagne Region of France . In November 1918 , 2 / 6 also took part in the Meuse - Argonne Offensive which was the last major offensive of the war . The battalion returned to Marine Corps Base Quantico on June 19 , 1919 . They were deactivated shortly thereafter on August 20 , 1919 . World War II . From May to July 1941 2 / 6 reassigned to the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade and deployed to garrison Reykjavík , Iceland against possible German invasion . In March 1942 the battalion returned to San Diego and was reassigned to the 2nd Marine Division . In the fall of 1942 2 / 6 sailed to Wellington , New Zealand where it began advanced combat training . This was followed by movement to Guadalcanal on January 1 , 1943 . The 2 / 6 also took part in the Battle of Tarawa . That was on November 21 , 1943 , the second day of the Battle of Tarawa . On June 15 , 1944 the battalion landed on Saipan in the Marianas Islands to take part in the Battle of Saipan . Following the end of the war , 2 / 6 landed at Nagasaki to take part in the Occupation of Japan from September 1945 until July 1946 . In August 1946 the battalion relocated to Camp Pendleton , California . As part of the post war draw down of forces , 2 / 6 was deactivated on October 1 , 1947 . The exploits of the 2 / 6 were immortalized in the WWII classic novel , " Battle Cry " , by Leon Uris . Although the characters were fictional , the movements of the 2 / 6 were historically accurate and were based on Uris ' own experiences in the 2 / 6 during WWII as a PFC . The 1960s through the 1990s . From February to June 1983 , 2nd Battalion , 6th Marines became part of the Multinational Peace - Keeping Force in Lebanon . They returned on October 23 , 1983 as relief for 1st Battalion , 8th Marines after the bombing of the Marine barracks . On March 3 , 1989 , 2nd Battalion , 6th Marines was deactivated and placed into a cadre status . 2 / 6 was reactivated on July 23 , 1994 at Cuzco Wells , Guantanamo Bay , Cuba . Then took part in Operation Sea Signal , the security and processing of Haitian migrants . In September of that same year the battalion ' s main force returned to Guantanamo Bay to provide security for Cuban migrants . A year later in September 1995 2 / 6 was sent to support United Nations and NATO peace keeping operations in the former Yugoslavia . From September 1995 to February 1996 , 2 / 6 served as the tactical reserve for Operation Joint Endeavor Implementation Forces ( IFOR ) and on numerous occasions as the stand - by TRAP force for Operation Deny Flight . For these actions the battalion received the Joint Meritorious Unit Citation . From April to May 2000 , Echo company , Weapons Co and elements of Headquarters and Services ' ( H & S ) Surveillance , Targeting and Acquisition ( STA ) deployed to Kosovo and took part in Operation Dynamic Response . Global War on Terror . From February 2002 to August 2002 , the Battalion was assigned to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit as the Battalion Landing Team . From February 2003 to May 2003 , the entire Battalion deployed to Kuwait to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq . From August 2003 to April 2004 , 2 / 6 deployed to Okinawa , Japan for a UDP , becoming a part of the 4th Marine Regiment . From August 2004 to July 2005 , 2 / 6 became a part of the 4th MEB , acting as the Brigade ' s Anti - Terrorism Battalion . While in this capacity the battalion deployed Marines and Sailors to guard the American embassies in Baghdad and Kabul . From September 2005 to April 2006 , the Battalion deployed to Fallujah , Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom . They operated in the areas around the city of Fallujah as part of Regimental Combat Team 5 . From April 2007 through October 2007 , the battalion again deployed to Fallujah , Iraq . There they pacified a formerly hostile city through the development of professional local city police . From August 2008 through March 2009 , the battalion was deployed as the ground combat element of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit . On June 12 , 2010 , the Battalion deployed to Marjah , Helmand province , Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . They returned from Marjah , Helmand Province , Afghanistan January 6 , 2011 . 2nd Battalion 6th Marines deployed to Trek - Nawa , Helmand Province , Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from December 2011 until June 2012 .