WELCOME to the WWII Marine Corps Preservation (Visual Museum) Website! I am very pleased to have been able to design this site to PRESERVE and SHARE the stories of these United States Marines and other Service Members who served during WWII.
1st Marine Division
Activated on 1 February 1941, the 1st Marine Division would see the first offensive invasion during the Guadalcanal Campaign. The Division would also see fierce combat during the Battle of Cape Glouster, the Battle of Peleliu, and the Battle of Okinawa. The 1st Marine Division would also serve occupation duty in Tientsin, China before returning stateside on 1 September 1947.
2nd Marine Division
Activated on 1 February 1941, the 2nd Marine Division first went overseas to defend Iceland due to the threat of a German Invasion in mid-1941. The Division would see fierce combat during the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of Tarawa, the Battle of Saipan, the Battle of Tinian, and the Battle of Okinawa. The 2nd Marine Division would also serve occupation duty in Nagasaki, Japan.
3rd Marine Division
Activated on 16 September 1942, the 3rd Marine Division would see fierce combat during the Battle of Bougainville, the Battle of Guam, and the Battle of Iwo Jima. The Division would return to Guam after the Battle of Iwo Jima and would be deactivated on 28 December 1945.
4th Marine Division
The 4th Marine Division was formed in February 1943 when several organizations were redesignated. The Division would see fierce combat during the Battle of Kwajalein, the Battle of Saipan, the Battle of Tinian, and the Battle of Iwo Jima. After the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Division was sent to Maui, Territory of Hawaii and was deactivated on 28 November 1945.
5th Marine Division
Formed on 11 Nov 1943, the 5th Marine Division was organized with combat veterans of the 1st Marine Parachute Regiment as well as Marines from the Parachute Training School and the Parachute Replacement Company. The Division would only see combat during the Battle of Iwo Jima where they would be icons during the Flag Raising over Mount Suribachi. The 5th Marine Division would return to Maui, Territiry of Hawaii after the Battle of Iwo Jima and would serve occupation duty on the island of Kyushu, Japan. The Division would be deactivated on 5 February 1946.
6th Marine Division
The 6th Marine Division was activated on 7 September 1944 and organized with combat veterans of the 1st Marine 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. The Division would only see combat during the Battle of Okinawa. After the Battle of Okinawa, the 6th Marine Division withdrew to Guam before a brief occupation duty in Japan and ultimately serving in Tsingtao, China until being deactivated on 1 April 1946.