2545

2545 was a year in the 2540s in the 26th century.

Events

January 10: Draco III is invaded by the Covenant and its civilian population is massacred.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Early February: Edward Buck requests a transfer for the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers in response to the loss of his homeworld, Draco III.
February 27: Edward Buck is transferred to the ODSTs by UNSC High Command.^[2]^[4]

May: After a long drawn out battle, the Battle of Actium ends in a UNSC defeat and Actium is glassed.^[5]
May 10: During the Battle of Actium, Colonel Akono Menteith delivers a stirring speech, rallying the men and women of the 53rd Armored Division to perform great feats of heroism.^[5]
May 30: A conversation takes place between Franklin Mendez and Kurt-051, regarding the reassignment of some members of SPARTAN-III Beta Company, including SPARTAN-B312 and Catherine-B320, to non-combat roles.^[6]

July 3: Operation: TORPEDO commences. Spartan-IIIs of Beta Company launch an assault against a Covenant refinery on Pegasi Delta.^[7] 298 of the 300 SPARTAN-IIIs are killed during the assault, with Tom-B292 and Lucy-B091 as the only survivors.^[8]

September: Edward Buck takes shore leave on Castellaneta in orbit over Saturn, where he meets ONI operative Veronica Dare for the first time.^[9]
September 16: Class-II Spartan-IIs undergo augmentations.^{[citation needed]} Yasmine Zaman has her fourteenth birthday.^[10]
At some point during her augmentations, Yasmine Zaman dies from complications. Her brain is later donated for the creation of the AI known as "Melissa".

Richard Lash transfers to the Prowler Corps.
Natalie Aiken is born on Vodin. Her mother dies during childbirth, leaving her father, Randall Aiken, to raise her.^[11]
Mason Hundley's father dies in the Procellarum basin on Luna, where his skiff ran into severe winds during a retrieval maneuver.^[12]