▁off ens ives ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific . ▁Dra ke ▁and ▁his ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁deployed ▁their ▁ 7 5 mm ▁How itz ers ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁En n ub ir r ▁in ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁They ▁land ed ▁on ▁Blue ▁Beach ▁ 4 ▁at ▁ 5 : 0 0 pm ▁and ▁provided ▁support ▁fire ▁for ▁the ▁adv ancing ▁Al lied ▁units . ▁The ▁at oll ▁was ▁declared ▁secure ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 ▁and ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁g arrison ▁unit ▁until ▁February ▁ 2 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁then ▁rejo ined ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁regiment , ▁which ▁had ▁in ▁the ▁inter im ▁been ▁ordered ▁to ▁Mau i , ▁Hawai i , ▁for ▁rest ▁and ▁further ▁training . ▁In ▁mid - May , ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Mar ines ▁were ▁ordered ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁combat ▁area , ▁when ▁they ▁received ▁orders ▁for ▁the ▁forth coming ▁assault ▁on ▁Sa ip an ▁in ▁the ▁Marian as . ▁Dra ke ▁land ed ▁with ▁his ▁batt alion ▁on ▁Y ellow ▁Beach ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁combat ▁against ▁enemy ▁until ▁July ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Sa ip an , ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Marine ▁Division ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁landing ▁on ▁near ▁T in ian ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 4 . ▁The ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁art illery ▁unit ▁ash