of this mission and sailed for Camp Lejeune, North Carolina in September 1946. 2/4 was again deactivated on 18 November 1947. The 1950s and 1960s The battalion was reactivated on 2 September 1952 for the Korean War; however, they did not see action because of the end of hostilities. The battalion arrived in Japan as part of the Fourth Marines on 24 August 1953 and was assigned the mission of defending southern Japan. To maintain its combat readiness the battalion trained in amphibious operations on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Fourth Marine Regiment was transferred to Hawaii in 1953 and here the battalion became part of the First Marine Brigade. The battalion then settled down for a ten-year tour of duty. Vietnam War 2nd Battalion 4th Marines was once again committed to ground combat operations, this time in South Vietnam. In May 1965 the battalion landed at LZ Blue (west of Green Beach) near Chu Lai. The first combined land operation of the war was Operation Lien Ket 4 between 2/4 and 3rd Battalion, Republic of Vietnam Marine Division on 28 July. The first major engagement for the battalion was Operation Starlite (the first regimental sized battle for American forces since the Korean War) in August 1965. It was a combined amphibious/helicopter borne assault on enemy fortified positions of the Van Tuong Peninsula, south of the Chu Lai Air Base. Six days after the operation had begun; the 1st Vietcong Regiment was decisively defeated. During this operation, Lance Corporal Joe C. Paul (H Co.) became the battalion's first Medal of Honor recipient. Total losses for both sides were 52 Marines killed and over 200 were wounded. Vietcong (VC) losses were over 600 killed and 9 POW's. There were 2 Medals of Honor, 6 Navy Crosses and 14 Silver Stars. As a result of Operation Starlite, Col. Joseph R. "Bull" Fisher established a small unit of 30 Marines plus one Sgt. in charge. This unit became known as "The Bull's Raiders". The S/2 Scouts which consisted of 12 Marines was used to make up this unit plus additional Marine volunteers, mostly E-4 Corporals with specialized skills. Their mission was to act as shock troops, combat intelligence, and a quick reaction force. A new intelligence gathering tactic was established known as "hunter / killer" patrols. One squad, or 10 Marine Raiders would be sent by helicopter to a staging area where they