3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines (3/2) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Comprising approximately 1000 marines and sailors and nicknamed the "Betio Bastards", they fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Regiment of the 2nd Marine Division. Subordinate units H&S Company India Company Kilo Company Lima Company Weapons Company History World War II The unit was activated 18 January 1941 at San Diego, California. They were assigned to the 2nd Marine Brigade during February 1941 and deployed to Koro Island with the 2nd Marine Division in June 1942. The battalion participated in the following World War II campaigns: Guadalcanal Tarawa Saipan Tinian Okinawa During the Battle of Tarawa, the battalion participated in the amphibious assault on, and the capture of, the small island of Betio in the Tarawa atoll, earning them the nickname "the Betio Bastards." Following the war, the battalion stood occupation duty in Kagoshima, Japan until February 1946 when they redeployed to Camp Pendleton, California. The battalion was deactivated on 27 March 1946. Post World War II history 3/2 was reactivated on 28 December 1950 at Camp Pendleton and were again assigned to the 2nd Marine Division. They deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. They were deployed on a cruise to the Mediterranean Sea from September 1965 to April 1966. The battalion again deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from September 1967 through January 1968, to augment the Marine Barracks there in manning outposts along the base's fence line. The battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia in August 1990 and participated in Operation Desert Storm in early 1991. In 1994 they participated in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia and Operation Deny Flight and Operation Provide Promise. Lance Corporal Rother incident Lance Corporal Jason Rother was a Marine from 3/2 who became lost in the Mojave Desert and died of exposure. His skeletal remains were found over four months after he went missing. Global War on Terror In 2003, 3/2 deployed to Kuwait as part of Task Force Tarawa and, beginning in March, supported Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion also participated in the battle of Nasiriyah. During this deployment, 3/2 had 1 Marine, Sgt. Nicholas M. Hodson of Springfield, MO killed in action. While en route back to the United States on 12 June 2003, 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines (3/2) while