1st Battalion, 24th Marines Regiment Memorial

1st Battalion, 24th Marines (1/24), is a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve infantry battalion, headquartered at Selfridge ANG Base, Michigan. Other units of the battalion are, Alpha Co. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bravo Co., in Terre Haute, Indiana, Charlie Co. in Lansing, Michigan, and Weapons Co., in Perrysburg, Ohio. In 2006-2007, 1/24 was deployed to Al Anbar Province, Iraq for duty. During this deployment, 22 Marines were killed in combat operations. Upon return, the 1/24 Memorial Committee (a 501(c)(3) organization) was formed to design and build a suitable memorial to these "Fallen 22." The memorial is located at, 47275 Sugarbush Rd, Chesterfield Twp., MI 48047. in the rear of the Township Offices. The meaning behind the tradition of leaving coins : A penny left on the top of the headstone means that the grave-site was visited. A nickel indicates that the person visiting the site trained at boot camp with the deceased veteran, while a dime means the person served with them in some capacity. A quarter left at the grave means that the person who left the coin was with the veteran when they were killed. The practice became is believed to have first began in the United States during the Vietnam War as a way to pay their respects to the fallen servicemen.