From its first combat exposure to present, the Destroyers have embodied the tenacious war-fighter spirit that has made the Marine Corps legendary.
Operation JUST CAUSE: PANAMA
- Over a fifteen month span, LAI would send several detachments to Panama. - December 1989 was the first combat action for LAI.
- 20 December 1989, Cpl Garreth Isaak would be the Battalion’s first KIA. He would be awarded the Silver Star (posthumously) for his actions.
DESERT SHIELD / DESERT STORM
- December 1990-April 1992.
- Jan-Feb 1991 2d LAI conducted 4 major combat missions.
- 2d LAI was the first coalition force to enter Kuwait in force with the intention of staying.
Operation PROVIDE COMFORT: Northern Iraq
- April 1991 through January 1992 the Battalion provided detachments to the 24th and 26th MEU’s in support of Operation PROVIDE COMFORT in Northern Iraq.
- 15 May the 24th MEU Detachment swam the Tigris River.
Operation RESTORE HOPE: Somalia
- Several detachments in support of MEU operations deploy to support operations in Kismayu and Mogadishu, Somalia from April 1992 through May 1994.
Operation RESTORE DEMOCRACY: Haiti
- On 20 September 1994 BLT 2/2 landed in Haiti with a LAR platoon attachment.
- Landing on “Blue Beach” Camp Haitian, the Marines conducted convoy escorts, arms collection, disarmament of the Haitian Forces, and various Humanitarian Effort tasks.
Operation JOINT GUARDIAN: Kosovo
- From June to July 1999 an element of D Co deployed with the 26th MEU and participated in Operation Joint Guardian. As the first U.S. Peacekeepers in Kosovo, the Marines and the Sailors of the MEU provided stability to the embattled region.
Operation AVID RESPONSE: Turkey
- 20-23 August 1999 elements of D Co deployed with the 26th MEU to support Operation “AVID RESPONSE”. A Humanitarian mission following an earthquake in Turkey. Haiti: 1 March 2003 through 1 July 2004.
- On 26 February 2003 the Battalion received a Warning Order to prepare to deploy to Haiti in order to assist in stabilization operations. On 1 March 2003 the first elements of B Co arrived at Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
- The company immediately began an aggressive patrol posture combating looters and gangs that controlled the area.
- The company quickly seized control and maintained momentum throughout the deployment.
Operation UNIFIED RESPONSE: Haiti
- From 15 January to 8 March 2010, elements of Co B in support of 22 MEU, just returned from a 7 month deployment when they were recalled off of post deployment leave in order to re-deploy to provide humanitarian support to Haiti following the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck just west of Port-au-Prince on 12 January 2010.
- The MEU conducted the re-call and was embarked for departure in less then 56 hours from receiving the order to redeploy.
Operation ENDURING FREEDOM: Afghanistan
- Jan through April 2002 - Co A deploys a platoon in support of BLT 3/6, 26 MEU; They operated in vicinity of Kandahar. - During their deployment the detachment conducted VCPs, ECPs, and an aggressive patrolling effort and reconnaissance missions.
- March through October 2008-Co B provided a platoon in support of 1/6, 24 MEU. The BLT operated in the southern Helmand Province. At that time they were the southern most coalition force. They established an aggressive patrolling effort and conducted several reconnaissance missions.
- May through November 2009 – the Battalion conducted operations in the vicinity of Southern Helmand Province. Seized Khan Neshin Castle and established (2) COPS and several Afghan Border Patrol and Afghanistan National Police Stations
- Company A deployed in support of 4th LAR from December 2009 through June 2010; conducting operations in the Marjah area.
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM: Iraq
- 4-8 February 2003, 2d LAI deployed to Kuwait with Companies A, B, and H&S Company; Weapons Company was disbanded on 17 January and integrated into A and B Companies, C Co was attached to the MEF Headquarters.
- On 17 March 2003 at 2345Z the order to move to the dispersal area was received. At 0600Z the battalion began the road march in its standard order; Alpha, Tactical COC, Bravo, Main COC, Combat Train, and the Field Train.
- On 19 March 2003 at 0300Z the battalion was ordered to assume MOPP Level 1 due to heightening tensions in the area.
- 20 March 2003 Saddam Hussein launched his own assault, with a truck bomb exploding at Camp Commando, and missiles fired at Camps Commando, Virginia, New York, and in the vicinity of Highway 80.
- At 0300Z on the 21st, Alpha Company led the Battalion through the breach; the Battalion conducted a “Zone Reconnaissance” along Route Tampa and conducted link ups with the Army’s TF 3-69 and TF Tarawa and the assault on An Nasiriyah.
- After traveling north all day, and battling numerous small enemy detachments the Battalion established a defensive position straddling Highway 7 well north of An Nasiriyah. Almost immediately the Battalion was attacked with both direct and indirect fire weapons systems in a battle that would later be called “The Battle of the Coil”.
- This battle and the subsequent “Running Gun-fights” through numerous towns would result in the Battalion’s renaming as “Destroyers”.
- On 1 April, reports surfaced that a large number of enemy vehicles, including armor moved into Al Hayy airfield; B Co led the RCT’s assault on the airfield. Supported with Cobra’s the Regiment attached through Al Hayy which resulted in the destruction of large numbers of enemy vehicles, bunkers, and weapons caches.
- After the Battalion fixed the enemy in the vicinity of Al Kut, the Battalion conducted a 250 kilometer road march, bypassing Al Kut. The battalion repositioned itself in the vicinity of An Nu’meniyah.
- Following the road march, the Battalion re-designated under TF Tripoli; which consisted of 3 LAR Bns, 5th Bn 11th MarReg, Company G/2/23, and an Engineer Company.
- The Destroyer’s conducted operations IVO Tikrit until 20 April, following Easter TF Tripoli conducted relief in place with 4th Infantry Div. and the Battalion was ordered to displace back to Tactical Assembly Area (TAA) Paige.
- 9 through 13 May the battalion moved back to Camp Matilda, Kuwait and began preparing to return home, with the last Marines arriving on 28 June.
- D Company Deployed in support of I MEF on 28 February through September 2004. During the Company’s 7 month deployment they conducted several blocking positions, reinforced VCPs, and conducted an aggressive patrolling effort and reconnaissance mission in and around Fallujah and participated in several operations in support of RCT-1.
- A Company conducted a relief in place with D Company, 17 Sept 2004. The company conducted combat operations in and around Fallujah from September 2004 to March 2005. During the Company’s 7 month deployment they conducted several blocking positions, reinforced VCPs, and conducted an aggressive patrolling effort and reconnaissance mission in and around Fallujah and participated in several operations in support of RCT-1.
- From March through October 2005 the Battalion conducted combat operations in the vicinity of Al Asad, Camp Korean Village, and Al Qaim in support of RCT-5.
- From 10 September 2006 through April 2007, the Destroyer’s found themselves again deployed to Al Anbar, Iraq. This time to Camp Korean Village and AO Rawah. Due to the large number of LAR members that completed several previous deployments to Al Anbar and Camp Korean Village, the terrain was familiar and the battalion was able to rapidly affect changes to the tactical layout of the AO.
- The Battalion conducted operations in AO Rawah, Camp Korean Village, Rutbah, Mosul, and Akashat as an independent battalion. The battalion conducted extended desert operations utilizing rapid ground refueling, supported by CH53E. Throughout the deployment, the Battalion supported interdiction operations along the Syrian Border in support of Operation Deny Al-Qaeda North (DAN), a MEF level operation.