2nd Battalion 11th Marines 2nd Battalion 11th Marines ( 2 / 11 ) is an artillery battalion comprising four firing batteries ( Echo , Fox , Golf , Kilo 3 / 12 ) and a Headquarters Battery . The battalion is stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California and its primary weapon system is the M777 lightweight howitzer . The battalion was the second in the Marine Corps to fully transition from the M198 Howitzer . They fall under the command of the 11th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division . Mission . Provide direct support of the 11th Marine Regiment in time of conflict . That support may come in the traditional fashion of artillery support to maneuver forces , or by providing batteries to serve as provisional rifle companies . They also have the secondary mission of conducting civil - military operations or " CAG Ops " . History . The battalion was activated September 5 , 1918 at Montierchame , France as the 2d Battalion , 11th Regiment . They were relocated during July – August 1919 to Hampton Roads , Virginia . and were deactivated August 11 , 1919 . 1927 - 1929 . 2 / 11 was reactivated on May 9 , 1927 at Marine Corps Base Quantico , Virginia as the 2d Battalion , 11th Regiment . Deployed during May 1927 to Chinadenga , Nicaragua and assigned to the 2d Brigade . They participated in operations against dissidents in May – July 1927 . They were redesignated July 1 , 1927 as the 2d Separate Battalion , 11th Regiment and relocated to San Diego , California . The battalion was deactivated September 10 , 1927 . They were again reactivated on January 5 , 1928 at San Diego , California as the 2d Battalion , 11th Regiment . The battalion deployed during January 1928 to Corinto , Nicaragua and assigned to the 2d Brigade . They were deactivated August 20 , 1929 on board the while en route to the United States . World War II . 2 / 11 was again reactivated on January 1 , 1941 at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba as the 2d Battalion , 11th Marines , 1st Brigade . Relocated during April 1941 to Parris Island , South Carolina . They deployed during June 1942 to Wellington , New Zealand . The battalion participated in the following World War II battles : Battle of Guadalcanal , Finschhafen , Battle of New Britain , Battle of Peleliu and the Battle of Okinawa . They redeployed during September 1945 to Tientsin , China and participated in the occupation of Northern China from September 1945 to December 1946 . They were reassigned during January 1947 to the Fleet Marine Force and redeployed during January - February 1947 to Guam . Relocated during April – May 1947 they moved to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California and were reassigned to the 3rd Marine Brigade . They were again reassigned during July 1947 to the 1st Marine Division and relocated during August 1947 to Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow , California . 2 / 11 was deactivated on September 28 , 1947 . 1950 - 1965 . The battalion was reactivated on August 7 , 1950 at Camp Pendleton as the 2nd Battalion , 11th Marines , 1st Marine Division and deployed during August – September 1950 to Kobe , Japan . They participated in the Korean War , operating at Inchon - Seoul , the Chosin Reservoir , East Central front , Western front . They were stationed at the Korean Demilitarized Zone from July 1953 - March 1955 and finally relocated during March 1955 to Camp Pendleton , California . Vietnam War . 2 / 11 deployed during February – March 1966 to Camp Hansen , Okinawa . They again redeployed during May 1966 to the Republic of Vietnam and participated in the Vietnam War from May 1966 to March 1971 , operating from Chu Lai , Tam Ky , Hue / Phu Bai , Thon Back Thack , Cao Doi and An Hoa . They returned in March – April 1971 to Camp Pendleton , California . The Gulf War . Deployed during December 1990 with Regimental Landing Team 5 , 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade to Southwest Asia . They participated in the defense of Saudi Arabia until January 1991 and proceeded to participate in the liberation of Kuwait in January - May 1991 operating in Um Guar Al - Juba , Al Wafrah . Following the war they took part in the Bangladesh relief effort Operation Sea Angel in May 1991 . The battalion returned on June 29 , 1991 to Camp Pendleton , California , and was the Gulf War combat unit to return stateside . 1998 - Battery F was attached to 31st MEU ( SOC ) BLT 2 / 4 Battery F Awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ( with Bronze star ) for Combat Operations and Naval Unit Commendations ( with Bronze Star ) , Meritirous Unit Commendation and Sea Service Deployment Ribbon . The flexibility of the MEU was demonstrated with the with the Iraq crisis in late 1998 regarding the regime not complying with the U . N . weapons inspections process . All four ARG ships had just completed Exercise Foal Eagle off the coast of Korea , and were heading to various port visits for liberty , when each ship received the call in early Nov 1998 to sail immediately to Okinawa to onload the 31st MEU . A significant portion of the 31st MEU ’ s 2000 Marines were engaged in urban warfare training in Guam when their message to return to Okinawa came in November . The rest were still in Okinawa , but approximately a quarter of those were a new infantry battalion , just rotating in from California . The battalion had just two days to gather all their personnel to get ready to deploy . The 31st MEU and ships ’ company personnel started their initial onloads to the ships on 9 Nov and completed the morning of 11 Nov . In one night alone , they loaded more than 170 pallets of equipment , weapons , and cargo . In addition , a C - 5 Galaxy from Marine Corps Air Station El Toro , originally scheduled to bring maintenance supplies and tools to Okinawa two weeks later , arrived early on 10 Nov 1998 in order to restock the MEU ’ s Air Combat Element . This evolution was a part of the normal supply rotation , but the shipment arrived a week early – just in time to load onto the ships before they departed . From Nov 1998 to Feb 1999 , the MEU participated in operations in the Persian Gulf and off the coast of Kuwait , including Operation Southern Watch and Operation Desert Fox . In December 1998 2 / 4 participated as the Battalion Landing Team ( BLT ) for the 31 Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Capable ( MEUSOC ) . The operation , named " Desert Fox " , was a retaliation to Saddam Hussein ' s refusal to comply with U . N . Security Council Resolutions that led to a coalition air bombing campaign . The Marines of 2 / 4 were also set up in a defense at and around Muttla ridge , in Kuwait , to act as a deterrent for any Iraqi attack on Kuwait that might have followed the air campaign . Global War on Terror . Operation Iraqi Freedom . 2 / 11 deployed during January 2003 with the 1st Marine Division to Kuwait . They participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq as part of Regimental Combat Team 5 . The battalion relocated during back to Camp Pendleton , California in August 2003 . In August 2004 , the battalion again deployed in support of OIF and operated as a provisional military police with the 1st Marine Division in Ramadi , Iraq . They returned to Camp Pendleton in March 2005 . From then to September 2007 , individual batteries continued to deploy as both traditional artillery and provisional military police throughout Al Anbar . From February 2008 through February 2009 the battalion deployed as civil affairs unit to areas of Fallujah , Ramadi and far western Al Anbar Province .