At Camp Pendleton, the Marines brought back a brigade after 22 years, as part of an overall change in the Corps.
The 1st Landing Support Battalion was originally created in 1942 just months after Pearl Harbor. Their red patches were a fixture on beachheads in campaigns like Guadalcanal and Okinawa.
“Now it’s just become part of our rich history, as far as being called red patchers, is part of what we wear on both on our trousers and our cover,” said Lt. Col. Jonathon Peterson, who is commanding the reactivated unit.
Camp Pendleton is adjusting to new procedures and screening to limit the spread of COVID-19. A few months ago, ceremonies like the one Thursday would have been canceled.
“Through social distancing, just all the other procedures everyone else is following. I think we all know a little more about how to safely operate in this environment,” he said.
This battalion is part of an overall plan by the Marine Corps to spend more resources working closely with the Navy after years of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, as ordered by the Commandant of the Marine Corps David Berger.
“Not knowing all the answers right now, we’re going to be part of trying to find those solutions for how we operate in the pacific and around the globe differently,” Peterson said.
In the coming years, the Marines want to place emphasis on amphibious landings and traveling the globe with lighter Marine Expeditionary Units, while heavier units like tanks, will soon be history.
