8th Marine Regiment ( United States ) The 8th Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps . They are based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune , North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force . Subordinate units . The Regiment comprises four infantry battalion s and one headquarters company : History . Early years . The 8th Marine Regiment was formed on 9 October 1917 , at Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia during the build up for World War I . While training for war , the command was transferred to Fort Crockett , Texas to guard the nearby Mexican oil fields . The regiment was joined there by the 9th Marines to form the 3d Marine Brigade ; the first Advance Base Force of World War I . As such , the Marines were held in reserve to establish and defend naval bases in the Atlantic Ocean or the West Indies , if required . The 8th Marines was deactivated at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 25 April 1919 . A year later , the regiment was reactivated for service in Haiti where Marines had been fighting the Cacos bandits since 1914 . Through systematic patrolling which culminated in a number of brief , sharp clashes , the 8th Marines eliminated Haitian banditry that had lasted more than a hundred years . With its mission accomplished , the 8th Marines was deactivated again in 1925 . World War II . In 1940 the Regiment was formed once more , in San Diego , California . It was the first Marine Regiment to deploy into the Pacific waters to Samoa . After ten months of jungle training , while defending the Samoan Islands , the Regiment sailed to reinforce the engaged 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal . While there , the 8th Marines won its first Presidential Unit Citation . When the 8th arrived on Guadalcanal they were still wearing the Kelly Transitional helmet according to the book , ' My Helmet for a Pillow ' . Joining the 2nd Marine Division in New Zealand , the 8th Marines spent several months refitting for the Battle of Tarawa . In 76 hours of some of the bloodiest fighting in American history , the Marines seized that island and opened the door to the Japanese Empire . For its gallant performance , the 8th Marine Regiment received its second Presidential Unit Citation . After refitting in Hawaii , the 8th Marines sailed for the Marianas , to storm the beaches of Saipan and Tinian , capturing key bases for the air war against Japan . Reinforced with artillery , the Regiment later joined the 1st and 6th Divisions in the Battle of Okinawa . Post - war years . In the 1980s 2nd Battalion 8th Marines participated in Operation Urgent Fury , the successful liberation of the Island of Grenada and the rescue of American students . Immediately after departing Grenada , 2d Battalion , 8th Marines continued their deployment to join the Multi - National Peacekeeping Force in Beirut , Lebanon . They were withdrawn from Beirut on 26 February 1984 , ending their duties as part of the Multi - National Peacekeeping Force and resuming their commitment as the Landing Force Sixth Fleet ( LF6F ) Battalion Landing Team . From December 1990 to April 1991 the 8th Marines participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait . 2d Battalion , 8th Marines participated in Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq from April to July 1991 . Global War on Terrorism . 8th Marines deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in the February 2005 . They operated around the city of Fallujah , Iraq . The Marines secured the city ahead of the December 2005 national elections . 8th Marines redeployed to Iraq in January 2009 , taking over responsibility for the western Al - Anbar province from the 5th Marines . During this period , RCT - 8 continued and completed the major retrograde of equipment out of Iraq , and also continued civil affairs operations to stabilize the Area of Operation . Due to the drawdown of forces throughout the country , RCT - 8 ' s deployment was cut short and they were ordered to redeploy home in September 2009 , instead of their original departure date of January 2010 . On 7 January 2011 , the Department of Defense officially announced that RCT - 8 would be deploying in early 2011 to Afghanistan for approximately one year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom .