About Us

Within these pages, you’ll get to know the warriors, past and present, of the finest infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps, and the courageous chaplains and corpsmen of the United States Navy who care, or have cared, for them.

We hope you’ll enjoy looking through the site, getting to know us and seeing what we’re all about. We’ve been going strong since 1988 and getting stronger every year. Our membership includes Marines from all corners of the United States having served from private to commandant, all of whom share the pride and privilege of having earned the title “United States Marine,” “Chaplain” and those few who earned another title, equally honored and deeply esteemed by Marines, the simple, three-letter title of “Doc.”

Mission Statement

We are an organization of active duty, retired, reserve and honorably discharged Marines, Navy chaplains and corpsmen, having been assigned or attached to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, regardless of era. We are dedicated to preserving the honor, traditions and interests of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, the United States Marine Corps and supporting the Constitution of the United States of America.

About the “Magnificent Bastards”

The 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines Association was formed in 1988 at MCB, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, during the first reunion of veterans of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine, proudly known as “The Magnificent Bastards,” a tribute bestowed (4 June 1964) on the Battalion by then Commanding Officer, Joseph R. (Bull) Fisher, and made official by subsequent Commanding Officer, A. E. (Gene) Bench, in Battalion Order 5600.1B (24 Sept 1966).

While this first reunion was primarily a 20 years later commemoration of the Battle of Dai Do, attendees included veterans of Operations Starlite, Hastings and other significant battles of the Vietnam War. Plank owner members also include brothers who served with 1/3 and 3rd Amtracs.

During the inaugural business meeting, it was decided, by acclaim, that the brotherhood and fellowship was to include any and all Marines, Navy chaplains and corpsmen who served with 2/4 and supporting units at any time over it’s illustrious history since 1911. In 1994, at Parris Island, we were honored to welcome a brother who had served with the legendary Marine Raiders. History buffs may recall that 2/4, on behalf of the 4th Marines, was the first unit ashore in Japan after its surrender. The Raiders formed the nucleus of the “new” 4th Marines which fought bravely against great odds for four bitter months until ordered to surrender on Corregidor by Army General Wainright in April 1942.

From that first reunion of 57 attendees, our numbers have grown considerably to include many who are currently on active duty with the Battalion. We have been fortunate to include within our ranks several who proudly called themselves “Old China Hands” and “Horse Marines,” veterans of WWII, the Korean War period, Vietnam, Iraq/Afghanistan, and, of course, those who served during those relatively short peace time years between the conflicts named above. The Association is one of the more active battalion level Marine Corps veterans organizations, holding annual reunions, sponsoring awards for active duty personnel, such as the outstanding officer, staff non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer, E-3 and below, and corpsman of the year.

We are proud of our strong working relationship with the Battalion, as well as our collaboration with families of active-duty personnel.

In 2009, the Association dedicated of the 2/4 Memorial Monument on the grounds of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia, near the chapel. Included in this effort was the lining of the path surrounding the monument with memorial bricks dedicated to 2/4 Marines, Navy chaplains and corpsmen.

In 2016, the Association completed a second project with the installation of a separate collection of over 1,000 memorial bricks along one of the paths down the hill from the 2/4 memorial.  Each brick has the name of a 2/4 Marine or Navy chaplain and corpsman killed in the line of duty under combat conditions since the inception of the Battalion in 1911.