7th Shock Troops Battalion

The 7th ODST Battalion is a UNSC Marine Corps Shock Infantry battalion, that served during the Human-Covenant War.

History
One of the most famed and veteran units of the UNSC Marine Corps, the 7th Shock Battalion served in some of the most climatic and legendary battles during the latter part of the Human-Covenant War. The 7th Battalion fought alongside Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 during most of 2552, and into the end of the war in the Spring of 2553. Men and women from this battalion were also some of the first Humans to travel outside of the Milky Way Galaxy, during the Second Battle of Installation 00.

Some of the most ferocious fighting done by the 7th battalion was done during the First and Second Battle of Earth. Overall, the defense of Earth was one of the largest campaigns the ODST's fought in during the 30+ years of the war.

Marines of the Seventh would conduct air assault operations during the opening phases of the ground war at Mombasa, where the troopers battled in the streets before reinforcements from the could arrive. Later, additional forces from the would arrive in HEV's to reinforce UNSC positions against the Prophet of Regret's expeditionary force. Most, if not all of the bulk of the reinforcements were killed when the Assault Carrier above New Mombasa, Kenya entered slipspace. Though some Marine Shock Troops were able to survive the slipspace rift, and engage hostile Covenant forces.

Members, from an unknown company, of First Platoon would later drop from the In Amber Clad onto Installation 05 during the operation to capture the Prophet of Regret. They then cleared a landing zone so that a Warthog could be deployed for John-117. Most of these troopers would perish during the initial campaign against the Covenant, and only a few would escape back to Earth with Commander Keyes.

During the Battle of Cleveland in Winter 2552, a squadron of AV-14 Hornets provided a platform for Shock Troops to rescue civilians held inside of a stadium. They fastropped from the Hornets, and dispatched the enemy forces within the stadium in seconds. Minutes later, infantry forces helped the Shock troops eliminate ground forces occupying land in the older part of town.

The 7th Battalion fought during the last battle of the Human-Covenant War, and arguably, one of the largest. Unlike their previous excursions unto the Halo rings, the men and women of the 7th battalion would be exclusively used for air assaults. One such assault happened during a mission to destroy numerous Anti-Aircraft Artillery platforms overlooking a desert sea. These AAA guns were later destroyed by the shock troops, and allowed the to successfully land near the cartographer building. During the last battle of the Ark Campaign, and the last of the war, Shock troops were again airlifted into combat. This time, they punched holes in Covenant armored and artillery positions. They assisted MCPO John-117 and SgtMaj Johnson in shutting down the shield generator stations, protecting the Citadel; during which, the Sangheili carrier Shadow of Intent provided air cover, and distracted enemy forces from the joint Human-Sangheili offensive, by firing on the shield with their plasma torpedoes. After their primary objective was complete, allied forces then proceeded to enter the citadel canyon with an armored push on the ground, consisting of Human and Sangheili infantry forces and M808B Scorpion's, and covered by AV-14 Hornets in the air.

Trivia

 * The 7th was first mentioned in the Art of Halo book, released alongside Halo 2. The patch was intended to be used on the Battle Dress and Working uniforms of the Marines of the 7th Battalion on the
 * The 7th Battalion is the only UNSC unit to have elements fight on all three Forerunner installations discovered by Humans.

Related Articles

 * United Nations Space Command
 * UNSC Marine Corps
 * Orbital Drop Shock Troopers
 * UNSC Military Units