would break up into five, two-man teams. They would then scatter in all directions, gather intelligence, and re-locate to a pickup point at a given time. These patrols were conducted mostly around the Ho Chi Minh Trail area. These Marine Raiders were also used as the first Combined Action Program (CAP) unit to work with the South Vietnamese Popular Force within Vietnamese villages located within the Tactical Area of Responsibility that the battalion was assigned. Their intelligence gathering aided in the discovery of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) units in this area. This information along with other intelligence began Operation Harvest Moon in December 1965. Operation Harvest Moon was the second major conflict that the 3rd Marine Division 3rd Marine Regiment, 9th Marine Regiment and 7th Marine Regiment along with ARVN forces fought. This operation took place in Quang Tin Province northwest of Chu Lai. Beginning in 1966, combat operations measurably increased with the battalion participating in Operation Double Eagle and Operation Hastings, a coordinated Marine/Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) search and destroy mission. Operation Prairie was one of the first operations that was fought in the hills west of Leatherneck Square. During this operation, Captain Howard V. Lee (E Co.) became the battalion's second Medal of Honor recipient. Total Marines losses were put at 200 killed and over 1,000 wounded. The PAVN 324B Division losses were put at 1,329 killed and seven POW's. On 25 June 1966 Operation Jay began about 30 kilometers northwest of Huế, and lasted nine days. 2/4 landed north of the PAVN 812th Main Force Battalion, and other Marine units landed south of the PAVN position. Caught in between the two Marine units, the PAVN suffered over 80 dead in nine days of fighting. The moniker of "The Magnificent Bastards" was first used by the incoming Battalion Commander, Lt.Col. Joseph R. "Bull" Fisher the day he assumed his command on 4 June 1964. On 24 September 1966, Battalion Order No. 5600.1B, was signed. It officially added (by legal order) the lower pennant with the nickname the "Magnificent Bastards". The next major confrontation was with 324B NDivision (8,000 to 10,000 soldiers) came during the siege of Con Thien in the summer and fall of 1967. This was called Operation Kingfisher and ran from 16 July through 31 October. The battalion arrived in the area around the second week of September. On the 14th, Echo