Description
This brass coin salutes the 6th Division of the U.S. Marines. Struck in a brass alloy, this coin has an attractive use of enamel, making a striking impression. The reverse contains the logo of the Marines set in a semitransparent red enamel that allows the look of radiance.
The 6th division was created on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands in September of 1944. At its core was the First Provisional Marine Brigade, which included the 4th Marines, the 22nd Marines and the artillery battalions that had supported those two Marine regiments and which later were combined and expanded into the 15th Marines. The 1st Provisional Marine Brigade fought as a unit in the invasion and retaking of Guam in the Marianas Islands. The brigade was awarded the Navy Unit Citation for its actions on Guam.
After training on the Island of Guadalcanal, the division steamed 6000 miles to land on the Island of Okinawa on April 1, 1945. The division then fulfilled its mission of capturing the northern half of that island.
The Battle of Okinawa was a long one, lasting 82 days. The Sixth Marine Division had nearly 1700 Marines and Navy Medical Corpsmen who were killed in action or died of wounds, with more than 7400 being wounded in action. The Division was decorated with the Presidential Unit Citation for its heroism there.
After the Japanese surrender, the Sixth Marine Division, less the 4th Marines, sailed to Tsingtao, China to accept the surrender of the Japanese there. The 4th Marines went to Japan. The division occupied Tsingtao until April 1, 1946. On that date, the division, downsized by the loss of many of its Marines who had returned to the United States, was designated as the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. One year to the day after its landing on the Island of Okinawa, the Sixth Marine Division had ceased to be.
Each coin measures 1.75 inch (44mm) in diameter.
™ United States Marine Corps. Officially Licensed Product of the United States Marine Corps (www.marines.com and 1.800.marines)
