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1st Marine Division

The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF).

1st Marine Division
Founded1 February 1941
Country United States
Branch United States Marine Corps
TypeGround combat element
SizeMarine Division (approximately 19,000)[1]
Part ofI Marine Expeditionary Force
Garrison/HQMarine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Nickname(s)The Old Breed
Blue Diamond
Motto(s)No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy
March"Waltzing Matilda"
EngagementsBanana Wars

World War II

Chinese Civil War

Korean War

Cold War

Vietnam War

Gulf War

Somali Civil War

Iraq War

War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)

Commanders
CommanderMajGen Benjamin T. Watson
Notable
commanders
Holland Smith
Alexander Vandegrift
William H. Rupertus
Oliver P. Smith
James M. Masters, Sr.
Edwin A. Pollock
Herman Nickerson Jr.
James Mattis
Pedro Del Valle
Robert O. Bare
Edward W. Snedeker
Frank Libutti
Lawrence D. Nicholson

It is the oldest and largest active duty division in the United States Marine Corps, representing a combat-ready force of more than 19,000 personnel. It is one of three active duty divisions in the Marine Corps today and is a multi-role, expeditionary ground combat force. It is nicknamed "The Old Breed".

Mission

The division is employed as the ground combat element (GCE) of the I Marine Expeditionary Force or may provide task-organized forces for assault operations and such operations as may be directed. The 1st Marine Division must be able to provide the ground amphibious forcible entry capability to the naval expeditionary force (NEF) and to conduct subsequent land operations in any operational environment.[2]

Organization

The 1st Marine Division currently comprises a headquarters battalion, four regiments and five separate battalions as follows:

 
1st Marine Division organization September 2022 (click to enlarge)

History

Inter-War Years

The lineal forebear of the 1st Marine Division is the 1st Advance Base Brigade, which was activated on 23 December 1913 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Subsequently, the brigade was redesignated on 1 April 1914, as the 1st Brigade, and on 16 September 1935, as the 1st Marine Brigade).[3] The brigade consisted of the Fixed Defense Regiment and the Mobile Defense Regiment, later designated as the 1st and 2nd Regiments, 1st Brigade, respectively. In 1916, while deployed in Haiti, the two regiments were again redesignated, exchanging numerals, to then become the 2nd and 1st Regiments, 1st Brigade. Between April 1914 and August 1934, elements of the 1st Brigade participated in operations in Mexico, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba, receiving campaign credit for service in each nation. While the 1st Brigade did not serve ashore in the European theater during the First World War, the brigade was awarded the World War I Victory Medal Streamer, with one bronze star, in recognition of the brigade's service during that conflict.[4] On 16 September 1935, the brigade was redesignated as the 1st Marine Brigade and deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in October 1940.

World War II

 
A Marine of the 1st Marine Regiment on Guadalcanal.
 
Marines of 1st Marine Division fighting on Okinawa, 1945.

The 1st Marine Division was activated aboard the USS Texas on 1 February 1941.[5] In May 1941, the 1st MARDIV relocated to Quantico, Virginia and Parris Island, South Carolina and in April 1942, the division began deploying to Samoa and Wellington, New Zealand. The division's units were scattered over the Pacific with the support elements and the 1st Marine Regiment transported en route to New Zealand on three ships, the USATs Ericsson, Barnett and Elliott from Naval Reserve Air Base Oakland to New Zealand,[6] and later were landed on the island of Guadalcanal, part of the Solomon Islands, on 7 August 1942.

Initially, only the 7th Marine Regiment was in garrison on British Samoa,[7] with the 5th Marine Regiment having just encamped at Wellington, New Zealand after disembarking from USAT Wakefield, and the 1st Marine Regiment not scheduled to arrive in New Zealand until 11 July.[8] The 1st Raider Battalion was on New Caledonia, and the 3rd Defense Battalion was in Pearl Harbor. All of the division's units, with the 11th Marines (artillery) and 75mm howitzer armed 10th Marines battalion would rendezvous at Fiji.[8]

Due to the change in orders and shortage of attack and combat cargo vessels, all of the division's 2.5-ton trucks, M1918 155-mm howitzers[9] and the sound and flash-ranging equipment needed for counter-battery fire had to be left in Wellington. Also, because the Wellington dock workers were on strike at the time, the Marines had to do all the load reconfiguration from administrative to combat configuration.[10]

After 11 days of logistical challenges, the division, with 16,000 Marines, departed Wellington in eighty-nine ships embarked for the Solomon Islands with a 60-day combat load which did not include tents, spare clothing or bedrolls, office equipment, unit muster rolls, or pay clerks. Other things not yet available to this first wave of Marine deployments were insect repellent and mosquito netting.[11] Attached to the division was the 1st Parachute Battalion, which along with the rest of the division, conducted landing rehearsals from 28 to 30 July on Koro Island, which Major General Alexander Vandegrift described as a "disaster".[12]

On 31 July the entire Marine task force was placed under the command of Vice Admiral Frank J. Fletcher's Task Force 61. The division as a whole would fight in the Guadalcanal Campaign until relieved at 1400 on 9 December 1942 by Alexander Patch's Americal Division.[13][14] This operation won the division its first of three World War II Presidential Unit Citations (PUC). The battle would cost the division 650 killed in action, 1,278 wounded in action with a further 8,580 contracting malaria and 31 missing in action.[13] Others were awarded for the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa.[2]

Following the Guadalcanal Campaign, the division's Marines were sent to Melbourne, Australia for rest and refit.[15] It was during this time that the division took the traditional Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda" as its battle hymn. To this day, 1st Division Marines still ship out to this song being played.[16]

The division would next see action during Operation Cartwheel which was the codename for the campaigns in Eastern New Guinea and New Britain. They came ashore at the Battle of Cape Gloucester on 26 December 1943[17] and fought on New Britain until March 1944 at such places as Suicide Creek and Ajar Ridge. During the course of the battle the division had 310 killed and 1,083 wounded. Following the battle they were sent to Pavuvu in the Russell Islands for rest and refitting.[18]

The next battle for the 1st Marine Division would be the bloodiest yet at the Battle of Peleliu. They landed on 15 September 1944 as part of the III Amphibious Corps assault on the island. The division's commanding general, Major General William H. Rupertus had predicted the fighting would be, "...tough but short. It'll be over in three or four days – a fight like Tarawa. Rough but fast. Then we can go back to the rest area."[19] Making a mockery of the prediction, the first week of the battle alone cost the division 3,946 casualties, during which time they secured the key airfield sites.[20] The division fought on Peleliu for one month before being relieved.[21] Some of the heaviest fighting of the entire war took place in places such as Bloody Nose Ridge and the central ridges of the island that made up the Umurbrogol Pocket.[22] The month of fighting against the 14th Division (Imperial Japanese Army) on Peleliu cost the 1st Marine Division 1,252 dead and 5,274 wounded.[23]

The final campaign the division would take part in during World War II would be the Battle of Okinawa. The strategic importance of Okinawa was that it provided a fleet anchorage, troop staging areas, and airfields in close proximity to Japan. The division landed on 1 April 1945 as part of the III Amphibious Corps. Its initial mission was, fighting alongside the 6th Marine Division, to clear the northern half of the island – that they were able to do expeditiously. The Army's XXIV Corps met much stiffer resistance in the south, and on 1 May 1945 the Marine division was moved south where it relieved the Army's 27th Infantry Division. The division was in heavy fighting on Okinawa until 22 June 1945, when the island was declared secure. The 1st Marine Division slugged it out with the Japanese 32nd Army at such places as Dakeshi Ridge, Wana Ridge, "Sugarloaf Hill" and Shuri Castle. Fighting on Okinawa cost the division 1,655 killed in action.

During the war, the division had five Seabee Battalions posted to it. The 6th NCB was attached to the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal. They were followed by the 19th Naval Construction Battalion (NCB) which was assigned to the 17th Marines as the third battalion of the regiment. They landed at Cape Gloucester with the division. The 17th Marines were inactivated with the 19th NCB being reassigned. After that, the 33rd NCB was posted to the 1st for the assault on Peleliu and they were replaced by the 145th NCB for the invasion of Okinawa. (see:Seabees) On Peleliu, the 17th Special NCB(segregated) was assigned to the 1st Pioneers as shore party. Together with the 16th Marines Field Depot(segregated) they helped evacuate wounded and bury the dead for the 7th Marines. On the first night of the assault, nearly all of the 17th Seabees volunteered to hump ammo to the frontlines. They also reinforced the Marines in sections where directed, were used to crew a 37mm, and were utilized for several days. For their efforts, they received an official "well done".[24][25][26][27] The 33rd NCB also had 202 Men assigned to the shore party.[28]

Following the surrender of Japan, the division was sent to Northern China as the lead combat element of the III Amphibious Corps with the primary mission of repatriating more than 650,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians still resident in that part of China. They landed at Taku on 30 September 1945 and would be based in Hopeh Province in the cities of Tientsin and Peiping, and also on the Shandong Peninsula,[29] with the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party raging around them. Most Marines in the division would be charged with guarding supply trains, bridges, and depots to keep food and coal moving into the cities. During this time they increasingly fought skirmishes with soldiers from the People's Liberation Army who saw the railways and other infrastructure as attractive targets to ambush, raid, and harass.[30][31]

By the summer of 1946 the division was suffering the effects of demobilization and its combat efficiency had dropped below wartime standards; however, its commitments in China remained. As it became increasingly apparent that a complete collapse of truce negotiations among the Chinese factions was apparent, plans were laid for the withdrawal of all Marine units from Hopeh. The last elements of the division finally left China on 1 September 1947.[30]

Korean War

 
Marines of 1st Marine Division at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

Following the end of World War II and the postwar drawdown of forces, by 1950 the division only possessed the strength of a reinforced regimental combat team.[32] The division would be assembled on the battle field and would participate in the amphibious assault at Inchon under the orders of United Nations Command (UN) commander General MacArthur.[33] The division was the unit chosen to lead the Inchon landing on 15 September 1950. At Inchon, the division faced one of its most daunting challenges, deploying so hurriedly it still lacked its third infantry regiment and ordered to execute an amphibious assault under the worst tidal conditions they had ever faced. After the landing they moved north and after heavy fighting in Seoul they liberated the city.

After the liberation of Seoul, the division was put back on ships and taken to the eastern side of the Korean peninsula and landed at Wonsan on 26 October. As part of X Corps commanded by Army Major General Edward Almond the division was ordered to push north towards the Yalu River as fast as possible.[34] The then commanding officer of the division, Major General O.P. Smith, did not agree with his superiors and had become convinced that they were stretched thin and that the Chinese Forces had entered the war. He purposely slowed his advance and consolidated along the way at every opportunity.[35] The 1st Marine Division was attacked by ten Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) infantry divisions on 27 November 1950. They fought their way out of the Chosin Reservoir against seven PVA divisions suffering over 900 killed and missing, over 3,500 wounded and more than 6,500 non-battle casualties mostly from frostbite during the battle. The greater part of the PVA 9th Army was rendered ineffective as they suffered an estimated 37,500 casualties trying to stop the Marines' march out of the "Frozen Chosin". The division was evacuated from Hungnam in mid-December and then landed in Pusan.[36][37]

Beginning in early 1951 the division participated in several UN offensives in east-central Korea. This was followed by defending against the Chinese Spring Offensive. By June 1951 the 1st Marine Division had pushed northward and secured the Punchbowl and then settled into a defensive line 11 miles (18 km) long.[38]

In mid-March 1952 the 8th Army, to whom the Marines were attached, instituted Operation Bootdrop. The operation was a massive redeployment of UN forces designed to put more Republic of Korea Army units on the Jamestown Line, the UN's Main line of resistance (MLR).[39] The 1st Marine Division was reassigned to the far western end of the MLR defending a 35 miles (56 km) line that encompassed the Pyongyang to Seoul corridor. For much of the next year, in what would be termed the "Outpost War", action along this line consisted of small, localized actions because much of the fighting revolved around the holding and retaking of various combat outposts along the MLR, including the Battles of Bunker Hill, First Hook and Outpost Vegas. Fighting continued until the Armistice took effect on 27 July 1953.[38] During the Korean War the division suffered combat casualties of 4,004 dead and 25,864 wounded.

In 1953 the division command post was established at Tonggu.[40] The site was later named Camp Howze by the US Army. A memorial to—US and ROK—Marine participation in the war is located at the adjoining district of Bongilcheon-ri (봉일천리) (37°43′52″N 126°49′59″E / 37.73111°N 126.83306°E / 37.73111; 126.83306).[41]

Vietnam War

 
3/3 Marines observe an airstrike during Operation Harvest Moon

In August 1965, the division's 7th Marine Regiment participated in Operation Starlite, the first major engagement against the Vietcong (VC) for American ground troops in South Vietnam.[42] This was followed in September by Operation Piranha.[43]: 69–83  In December Division elements conducted Operation Harvest Moon.[43]: 101–11 

In March 1966 division elements conducted Operations Utah, Oregon and Texas.[44]: 109–27  March also saw the 1st Marine Division Headquarters established at Chu Lai.[45] By June, the entire division was in South Vietnam, its Tactical Area of Responsibility (TAOR) was the southern two provinces of I CorpsQuang Tin and Quang Ngai.[44]: 128–31  In August the division conducted Operation Colorado.[44]: 213–20  Between March and October 1966 to May 1967, the division conducted 44 named operations. The division received its 7th Presidential Unit Citation for service from 29 March 1966 to 15 September 1967.[46]

From January to April 1967 the 7th Marines conducted Operation Desoto.[47]: 53  In early April 1967 under Operation Oregon the division moved north to Da Nang to support the 3rd Marine Division and Task Force Oregon took over the division's former TAOR.[47]: 78  From April to May Division units conducted Operations Union and Beaver Cage.[47]: 63–8  From May to June the 5th Marine Regiment conducted Operation Union II with Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces.[47]: 68  In September Division units and ARVN forces conducted Operation Swift.[47]: 111–9  In November the 5th Marines conducted Operation Essex.[47]: 120–2  On 4 December 1967 Task Force X-Ray was activated to implement Operation Checkers, the movement of the 1st Marine Division from Thừa Thiên Province north to Quảng Trị Province to support the 3rd Marine Division which was engaged in heavy combat along the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone.[48]: 105–6  From 28 December 1967 to 3 January 1968 Division units conducted Operation Auburn on Go Noi Island south of Da Nang.[48]: 91–7 

 
A wounded 2/5 Marine receives treatment during the Battle of Huế

On 11 January 1968 Task Force X-Ray headquarters was established at Phu Bai Combat Base and assumed operational control of the 5th Marine Regiment which moved north from Da Nang and the 1st Marine Regiment already based at Phu Bai.[48]: 105–6  When the 1968 Tet Offensive began at the end of January, the division was involved in fierce fighting with PAVN/VC throughout its TAOR and together with ARVN units would defend Da Nang and fight the Battle of Huế.[48]: 141–249  The 1st Marines would receive a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions at Huế.[49] From May to August Division units conducted Operation Allen Brook on Go Noi Island.[48]: 328–43  From May to October Division units conducted Operation Mameluke Thrust in Happy Valley southwest of Da Nang.[48]: 417–7  From 1 to 19 October Division units conducted Operation Maui Peak to relieve Thường Ðức Camp.[48]: 418–21  From late October to early December the 5th Marines conducted Operation Henderson Hill in Happy Valley.[48]: 423  From 20 November to 9 December Division units conducted Operation Meade River south of Da Nang.[48]: 426–36  From 6 December to 8 March 1969 Division units conducted Operation Taylor Common in the An Hoa Basin west of Hội An.[48]: 437–42 [50]: 88–94 

 
1/5 Marines await a helicopter during Operation Imperial Lake

From 31 March to 29 May 1969 Division and ARVN units conducted Operation Oklahoma Hills southwest of Da Nang.[50]: 103–16  From 26 May to 7 November Division, ARVN and Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC) units conducted Operation Pipestone Canyon on Go Noi Island.[50]: 175–87  On 7 June PFC Dan Bullock of 2/5 Marines was killed in a PAVN sapper attack on An Hoa Combat Base, having lied about his age to enlist, he was, at 15 years old, the youngest American killed in the war.[51]

From July to August 1970 Division units conducted Operation Pickens Forest southwest of An Hoa Combat Base.[52]: 69–76  From 1 September to 7 May 1971 Division and ROKMC units conducted Operation Imperial Lake in the Quế Sơn District south of Da Nang.[52]: 91–2 

On 13 January 1971 Operation Keystone Robin Charlie began with the standing down of the initial units supporting the division. The redeployment accelerated in mid-February but then slowed when HMH-463, HML-167, HMM-263 and MASS-3 were retained to support Operation Lam Son 719.[52]: 220  Throughout April the remaining Division units transferred bases and tactical areas of responsibility to the Americal Division.[52]: 235–8  On 14 April 1971 the 3rd Marine Amphibious Brigade was activated at Camp Jay K. Brooks and III Marine Amphibious Force transferred all remaining Marine forces to it.[52]: 238  On 30 April President Richard Nixon welcomed the division back to Camp Pendleton and awarded it a second Presidential Unit Citation for its service in South Vietnam.[52]: 242 

The division lost 7,012 men killed in action in South Vietnam.[53]

In 1975, the division supported the resettlement of South Vietnamese refugees by providing food and temporary shelter at Camp Pendleton for Vietnamese refugees as they arrived in the United States.[54]

Desert Shield and Desert Storm

In 1990, the 1st Marine Division formed the nucleus of the massive force sent to the Middle East in response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. During Operation Desert Shield, the division supported I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) in the defense of Saudi Arabia from the Iraqi threat. In 1991, the division went on the offensive as part of U.S. Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT)[55] with the rest of Coalition Forces in Operation Desert Storm. The 1st Marine Division destroyed around 60 Iraqi tanks near the Burgan oil field without suffering any losses.[56] 1st Marine Division Task Force Ripper (RCT-7) M60A1 RISE Passive Patton tanks destroyed about 100 Iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers, including about 50 top-of-the-line Soviet T-72 tanks.[57] These efforts were instrumental in the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi forces.

1992 Los Angeles riots

On 2 May 1992, the 1st Marine Division took part of Operation Garden Plot to help local and state law enforcement as well as the California Army National Guard in quelling the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles County, California. It was part of the 3,500 federal military force sent to Los Angeles. The Marine Corps contingent included the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, commanded by Marine Corps General John F. Kelly. As part of the Joint Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Los Angeles, Marines took up positions in Compton and Long Beach to prevent further rioting and disorder. No rioters or civilians were killed or injured by the Marines, nor did the Marines themselves suffer any casualties. On 10 May, six days after the riots ended, Marines formally withdrew from the city and returned to Camp Pendleton.[58]

1990s humanitarian relief

 
Letter by Gen Mattis distributed throughout division before the 2003 invasion of Iraq

Immediately following the Persian Gulf War, the division sent units to assist in relief efforts following a typhoon in Bangladesh (Operation Sea Angel) and the eruption of volcano Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines (Operation Fiery Vigil).[2] In December 1992, Operation Restore Hope, bringing relief to famine-stricken Somalia, kicked off with the early morning amphibious landing of Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which was supported by 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines. More than 15,000 metric tons of food was successfully distributed from 398 different food sites in the city during the operation. The final phase of the operation involved the transition from a U.S. peacemaking force to a United Nations peacekeeping force. U.S. Marine involvement in Operation Restore Hope officially ended on 27 April 1993, when the humanitarian relief sector of Mogadishu was handed over to Pakistani Armed Forces.[2]

Iraq War

The 1st Marine Division, then under the command of Major General James Mattis, was one of the two major U.S. land forces that participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq as the land component of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. In December 2002, Mattis was quoted as saying, "The President, the National Command Authority and the American people need speed. The sooner we get it over with the better. Our overriding principle will be speed, speed, speed."[59] Initially, the division fought through the Rumaila oil fields, feinted an attack towards Basrah[60] then moved north on Iraq Highway 1 to An Nasariyah – a moderate-sized, Shi'ite dominated city with important strategic significance as a major road junction and proximity to nearby Talil Airfield. The division then fought its way to Baghdad and pushed further to secure Tikrit by forming Task Force Tripoli after the fall of Baghdad. The division covered 808 kilometers in 17 days of sustained combat,[61] the deepest penetrating ground operation in Marine Corps history. After the invasion the division settled in to conduct security and stabilization operations in Baghdad, Tikrit, and then in south-central Iraq from May to October 2003. For actions during the war as part of I MEF the division was awarded its 9th Presidential Unit Citation.[2]

The division returned to Iraq in February 2004 and took control of the Al Anbar province in western Iraq; it was the lead unit in Operation Vigilant Resolve and Operation Phantom Fury in 2004. During February and March 2005, the division was relieved by the 2nd Marine Division concluding the largest relief in place in the history of the Marine Corps.[2] In 2006, the division again deployed to Iraq as the ground combat element for I MEF in the Al Anbar province. It returned to MCB Camp Pendleton in early 2007.[citation needed]

Afghanistan War

Battalions from the 1st Marine Division have been regularly deployed to Afghanistan since 2008. In 2010, 1st Marine Division (Forward) deployed to Helmand province, Afghanistan, as part of the more than 30,000 troops into the country. While in Afghanistan, the Division served as the ground combat element for Task Force Leatherneck, leading a multinational coalition and working alongside Afghan National Security Forces.[62]

Insignia

Originally termed a battle blaze, the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 1st Marine Division was designed by Lt. Col Merrill Twining, Division D-3 in February 1943 while the division was stationed in Victoria, Australia.[63] The blue diamond with the Southern Cross is similar to the Flag of Victoria. The red numeral one in the middle denotes the division's first action on Guadalcanal. A commercial firm in Melbourne first produced the shoulder patch with every Marine issued two of them[64] that was sewn on his battle jacket.

The 2nd Marine Division originally had a similar battle blaze of the same design with a red snake in the shape of a "2" also reading GUADALCANAL.[65]

Marine Corps shoulder sleeve insignia were officially authorized on 15 March 1943.[66] Some in the division who served on Guadalcanal wore their "battle blaze" on the right shoulder to distinguish themselves from replacements who had not been on "The Canal".[citation needed]

Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. The 1st Marine Division has been presented with the following awards:[67]

Streamer Award Year(s) Additional Info
  Presidential Unit Citation Streamer with one Silver and three Bronze Stars 1942, 1944, 1945, 1950, 1950, 1951, 1966–1967, 1967–1968, 2003 Guadalcanal, Peleliu-Ngesebus, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq
  Joint Meritorious Unit Award Streamer 1992–1993 Somalia
  Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with one Bronze Star 1952–1953, 1990–1991 Korea, Southwest Asia
  Mexican Service Streamer April–November 1914 Vera Cruz
  Dominican Campaign Streamer June–December 1916
  Haitian Campaign Streamer with one Bronze Star August 1915 – August 1934
  Marine Corps Expeditionary Streamer

  World War I Victory Streamer with one Bronze Star

  American Defense Service Streamer with one Bronze Star 1941 World War II
  Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer with one Silver and one Bronze Star
Guadalcanal, Eastern New Guinea, New Britain, Peleliu, Okinawa
  World War II Victory Streamer 1941–1945 Pacific War
  Navy Occupation Service Streamer with "ASIA"

  China Service Streamer with one Bronze Star September 1946 – June 1947 North China
  National Defense Service Streamer with three Bronze Stars 1950–1954, 1961–1974, 1990–1995, 2001–present Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, War on Terrorism
  Korean Service Streamer with two Silver Stars 1950–1953 Inchon-Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East-Central Front, Western Front
  Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer 1992–1993 Somalia
  Vietnam Service Streamer with two Silver and three Bronze Stars July 1965 – April 1971, April–December 1975 Chu Lai, Da Nang, Dong Ha, Qui Nhon, Huế, Phu Bai, Quang Tri, Operation New Arrival
  Southwest Asia Service Streamer with two Bronze Stars September 1990 – February 1991 Desert Shield, Desert Storm
  Iraq Campaign Streamer
March 2004 – March 2005, March 2006 – February 2007
  Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Streamer
March–May 2003
  Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer 2001–present
  Korea Presidential Unit Citation Streamer

  Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Streamer

  Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions Streamer

See also

 
19th Naval Construction Battalion Plaque as the third Battalion 17th Marines with the 1st Marine Division Seabee Museum Archives

References

  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
Specific
  1. ^ Sanborn, James K. (12 September 2015). "Former Cyber Commander Takes Over 1st Marine Division." MarineCorpsTimes.com. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f . United States Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 21 November 2007.. Accessed 9 June 2009. 10 June 2009.
  3. ^ 1st Marine Division: Lineage http://www.1stmardiv.marines.mil/About/Lineage/ Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  4. ^ 1st Marine Division: Honors http://www.1stmardiv.marines.mil/About/Honors/ Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  5. ^ Lowery, M. Trent (28 January 2008). "1st Marine Division welcomes veterans for 67th anniversary". Marine Corps News. United States Marine Corps.
  6. ^ Lane (2004), p. 44
  7. ^ It would be replaced by the 2nd Marine Regiment from San Diego sailing with the USS Wasp
  8. ^ a b Lane (2004), p. 51
  9. ^ Rottman (2002), p. 27
  10. ^ Lane (2004), p. 57
  11. ^ Lane (2004), p. 60
  12. ^ Lane (2004), p. 63
  13. ^ a b Frank (1990), p. 522
  14. ^ Cronin (1951), p. 47
  15. ^ Leckie Helmet for my Pillow, p. 147-208
  16. ^ Roger Clarke. . Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 11 December 2006. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
  17. ^ Shaw, Henry I.; Kane, Douglas T. (1963). "History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II". Volume II: Isolation of Rabaul. Headquarters Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 8 August 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2008.
  18. ^ Turner (1997), p. 25-6
  19. ^ Sloane (2005), p. 65
  20. ^ Hastings (2007), p. 116
  21. ^ Sledge (1990), p. 151
  22. ^ Sledge (1990), p. 96, 127–158
  23. ^ Sledge (1990), p. 155
  24. ^ Seabee Museum Archives, Port Hueneme, CA. 93043. 17th Special; NCB p. 29[1]
  25. ^ World War II Database World War II Database
  26. ^ 16th Field Depot
  27. ^ 17th Special, Seabee Museum
  28. ^ Peleliu Shore Party Group
  29. ^ Jessup, John E. (1989). A Chronology of Conflict and Resolution, 1945–1985. New York: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-24308-5.
  30. ^ a b Frank, Benis; Henry I. Saw Jr. (1968). . History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II. Historical Branch, G-3 Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. Archived from the original on 12 September 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  31. ^ Sledge (2002), pp. xx–xxi.
  32. ^ Chapin (2000), p. 5
  33. ^ Simmons (2003), p.200.
  34. ^ Halberstam (2008), p.432-33.
  35. ^ Fehrenbach (1963), p.233.
  36. ^ Russ (1999), p. 433-34
  37. ^ [USMC 1st Division Casualties from 8 Oct to 24 December 1950 were 604 KIA/114 WIA/192 MIA/3,485 WIA/7,338 Non Battle casualties "US Marine Operations on Korea" Vol. 3, pp. 381–382.]
  38. ^ a b . United States of America – Korean War Commemoration. Marine Corps History and Museums Division. Archived from the original on 16 July 2007. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  39. ^ Ballenger (2000), p.5.
  40. ^ "File 2828: 1st Marine Regiment - Headquarters Battalion - Command Diary". koreanwar.org. December 1953. Retrieved 9 January 2021. Headquarters—Headquarters Battalion—1st Marine Division (Reinf), FMF—c/o FPO, San Francisco, California—COMMAND DIARY FOR DECEMBER 1953—Map of Korea, AMS Series L751, L: 50,000—1. SUMMARY—This report covers the activities of Headquarters Battalion from 1 December to 31 December 1953 . . . the Division Command Post was located at TONGGU, Korea (CS083788), and operated thereat.
  41. ^ "Korean War Memorials in Pictures: Remembering UN Participation 60 Years Later" (PDF). p. 89.
  42. ^ Simmons US Marines History, p. 225
  43. ^ a b Johnson, Charles (1978). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Landing and the Buildup, 1965 (Marine Corps Vietnam Operational Historical Series). Marine Corps Association. ISBN 978-0-89839-259-3.
  44. ^ a b c Shulimson, Jack (1982). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: An Expanding War, 1966 (PDF). History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  45. ^ Simmons US Marines History, p. 229
  46. ^ . Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  47. ^ a b c d e f Telfer, Gary (1984). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: Fighting the North Vietnamese 1967. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN 978-1494285449.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  48. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Shulimson, Jack (1997). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: 1968 The Defining Year. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN 0160491258.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  49. ^ "Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Unit Citation to the First Marines (Reinforced)". Retrieved 30 March 2009.
  50. ^ a b c Smith, Charles (1988). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: High Mobility and Standdown 1969. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN 978-1494287627.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  51. ^ Brian Thomas Gallagher (7 June 2019). "He Enlisted at 14, Went to Vietnam at 15 and Died a Month Later". The New York Times.
  52. ^ a b c d e f Cosmas, Graham (1988). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: Vietnamization and Redeployment 1970–1971 (PDF). History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN 978-1482384123.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  53. ^ CDR Kenneth Davis, US Navy (ret), and associates of the Coffelt Database of Vietnam casualties.
  54. ^ FallOfSaigon (2008). "AFTER ACTION REPORT~ 17 April ~ 7 May 1975". Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  55. ^ U.S. Marines in the Persian Gulf: 1990-1991 - With the I Marine Expeditionary Force in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Col. Charles J. Quilter, Jr., USMC Reserve, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, DC, 1993.
  56. ^ Blitzkrieg in the Gulf by Yves Debay
  57. ^ Moore p.A01
  58. ^ Stephen Braun and Jim Newton (10 May 1992). "U.S. Army, Marine Troops Withdraw From Los Angeles: Disorder: Police officers reportedly demoralized by public bickering over their readiness and performance. National Guard units to remain for a while". Los Angeles Times.
  59. ^ Warren American Spartans, p. 426
  60. ^ Warren American Spartans, p. 425
  61. ^ Reynolds Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond, p. 170.
  62. ^ "1stmardiv". 1stmardiv.marines. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  63. ^ p.20 Rottman, Gordon L. US Marine Corps Pacific Theatre of Operations 2004 Osprey Publishing
  64. ^ p.Rill, James C. A Narrative History of the 11th Marines 2003 Merriam Press
  65. ^ p. 32 Thompson, James G Complete Guide to United States Marine Corps Medals, Badges, and Insignia: World War II to Present Medals of America Press, 2003
  66. ^ Rottman, Gordon L. & Chappell, Mike. US Marine Corps 1941–1945. Osprey Publishing. p. 54.
  67. ^ "Lineage and Honors of the 1st Marine Division". Retrieved 23 November 2018.
Bibliography
  • Ballenger, Lee (2000). The Outpost War: U.S. Marines in Korea, Vol. 1: 1952. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books. ISBN 1-57488-373-9.
  • Chapin, John C. (2000). Fire Brigade: U.S. Marines in the Pusan Perimeter. Washington, D.C.: Marine Corps Historical Center.
  • Cronin, Francis D. (Capt) (1951). Under the Southern Cross: The Saga of the Americal Division. Washington, D.C.: Combat Forces Press.
  • Fehrenbach, T.R. (1963). This Kind of War. Dulles, Virginia: Brassey's Inc. ISBN 1-57488-334-8.
  • Frank, Richard (1990). Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-394-58875-4.
  • Halberstam, David (2007). The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War. New York: Hyperion. ISBN 978-1-4013-0052-4.
  • Hastings, Max (2007). Retribution: The Battle for Japan, 1944–45. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-307-26351-3.
  • Lane, Kerry (2004). Guadalcanal Marine. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 1-57806-664-6.
  • Leckie, Robert (2001). Helmet for my Pillow. Simon & Schuster Inc. ISBN 0-7434-1307-5.
  • Reynolds, Nicholas E. (2005). Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond: The U.S. Marine Corps in the Second Iraq War. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-717-4
  • Rottman, Gordon L., US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1941–43, Osprey Publishing, 2004
  • Russ, Martin (1999). Breakout: The Chosin Reservoir Campaign, Korea 1950. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-029259-4.
  • Simmons, Edwin H. (2003). The United States Marines: A History (Fourth ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-790-5.
  • Sloan, Bill (2005). Brotherhood of Heroes: The Marines at Peleliu, 1944: The Bloodiest Battle of the Pacific War. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-6009-0.
  • Turner, David (1997). First Marine Division. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 1-56311-244-2.
  • Warren, James A. (2005). American Spartans: The U.S. Marines: A Combat History from Iwo Jima to Iraq. New York: Pocket Books.
Web
  • Johnstone, Major John H., USMC (1968). "Brief History of the 1st Marines". Historical Branch, United States Marine Corps. from the original on 18 June 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2006.

External links

  • 1st Marine Division's official website

marine, division, mardiv, marine, division, united, states, marine, corps, headquartered, marine, corps, base, camp, pendleton, california, ground, combat, element, marine, expeditionary, force, founded1, february, 1941country, united, statesbranch, united, st. The 1st Marine Division 1st MARDIV is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton California It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force I MEF 1st Marine DivisionFounded1 February 1941Country United StatesBranch United States Marine CorpsTypeGround combat elementSizeMarine Division approximately 19 000 1 Part ofI Marine Expeditionary ForceGarrison HQMarine Corps Base Camp PendletonNickname s The Old BreedBlue DiamondMotto s No Better Friend No Worse EnemyMarch Waltzing Matilda EngagementsBanana Wars Occupation of Veracruz Mexico 1914 Occupation of Haiti 1915 1934 Occupation of the Dominican Republic 1916 24 Occupation of Cuba 1917 22 World War II Guadalcanal Campaign Battle of Cape Gloucester Battle of Peleliu Battle of OkinawaChinese Civil War Operation BeleaguerKorean War Battle of Pusan Perimeter Battle of Inchon Second Battle of Seoul Battle of Chosin Reservoir First and Second Battles of Wonju Battle of Hwacheon Battle of the Punchbowl Battle of Bunker Hill 1952 First Battle of the Hook Battle for Outpost Vegas Battle of the Samichon RiverCold War Cuban Missile CrisisVietnam War Operation Starlite Operation Piranha Operation Union Operation Union II Operation Swift Operation Allen Brook Tet Offensive Operation Imperial LakeGulf War Battle of Khafji Battle of Kuwait International Airport Liberation of KuwaitSomali Civil War Operation Restore HopeIraq War Invasion of Iraq Battle of Baghdad First Battle of Fallujah Second Battle of FallujahWar in Afghanistan 2001 2021 Helmand province campaign Operation Strike of the Sword Operation MoshtarakCommandersCommanderMajGen Benjamin T WatsonNotablecommandersHolland SmithAlexander VandegriftWilliam H RupertusOliver P SmithJames M Masters Sr Edwin A PollockHerman Nickerson Jr James MattisPedro Del ValleRobert O BareEdward W SnedekerFrank LibuttiLawrence D Nicholson It is the oldest and largest active duty division in the United States Marine Corps representing a combat ready force of more than 19 000 personnel It is one of three active duty divisions in the Marine Corps today and is a multi role expeditionary ground combat force It is nicknamed The Old Breed Contents 1 Mission 2 Organization 3 History 3 1 Inter War Years 3 2 World War II 3 3 Korean War 3 4 Vietnam War 3 5 Desert Shield and Desert Storm 3 6 1992 Los Angeles riots 3 7 1990s humanitarian relief 3 8 Iraq War 3 9 Afghanistan War 4 Insignia 5 Unit awards 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksMission EditThe division is employed as the ground combat element GCE of the I Marine Expeditionary Force or may provide task organized forces for assault operations and such operations as may be directed The 1st Marine Division must be able to provide the ground amphibious forcible entry capability to the naval expeditionary force NEF and to conduct subsequent land operations in any operational environment 2 Organization EditThe 1st Marine Division currently comprises a headquarters battalion four regiments and five separate battalions as follows Headquarters Battalion 1st Marine Regiment 5th Marine Regiment 7th Marine Regiment 11th Marine Regiment 1st Reconnaissance Battalion 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 1st Combat Engineer Battalion 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion 1st Marine Division organization September 2022 click to enlarge History EditInter War Years Edit The lineal forebear of the 1st Marine Division is the 1st Advance Base Brigade which was activated on 23 December 1913 at Philadelphia Pennsylvania Subsequently the brigade was redesignated on 1 April 1914 as the 1st Brigade and on 16 September 1935 as the 1st Marine Brigade 3 The brigade consisted of the Fixed Defense Regiment and the Mobile Defense Regiment later designated as the 1st and 2nd Regiments 1st Brigade respectively In 1916 while deployed in Haiti the two regiments were again redesignated exchanging numerals to then become the 2nd and 1st Regiments 1st Brigade Between April 1914 and August 1934 elements of the 1st Brigade participated in operations in Mexico Haiti the Dominican Republic and Cuba receiving campaign credit for service in each nation While the 1st Brigade did not serve ashore in the European theater during the First World War the brigade was awarded the World War I Victory Medal Streamer with one bronze star in recognition of the brigade s service during that conflict 4 On 16 September 1935 the brigade was redesignated as the 1st Marine Brigade and deployed to Guantanamo Bay Cuba in October 1940 World War II Edit A Marine of the 1st Marine Regiment on Guadalcanal Marines of 1st Marine Division fighting on Okinawa 1945 The 1st Marine Division was activated aboard the USS Texas on 1 February 1941 5 In May 1941 the 1st MARDIV relocated to Quantico Virginia and Parris Island South Carolina and in April 1942 the division began deploying to Samoa and Wellington New Zealand The division s units were scattered over the Pacific with the support elements and the 1st Marine Regiment transported en route to New Zealand on three ships the USATs Ericsson Barnett and Elliott from Naval Reserve Air Base Oakland to New Zealand 6 and later were landed on the island of Guadalcanal part of the Solomon Islands on 7 August 1942 Initially only the 7th Marine Regiment was in garrison on British Samoa 7 with the 5th Marine Regiment having just encamped at Wellington New Zealand after disembarking from USAT Wakefield and the 1st Marine Regiment not scheduled to arrive in New Zealand until 11 July 8 The 1st Raider Battalion was on New Caledonia and the 3rd Defense Battalion was in Pearl Harbor All of the division s units with the 11th Marines artillery and 75mm howitzer armed 10th Marines battalion would rendezvous at Fiji 8 Due to the change in orders and shortage of attack and combat cargo vessels all of the division s 2 5 ton trucks M1918 155 mm howitzers 9 and the sound and flash ranging equipment needed for counter battery fire had to be left in Wellington Also because the Wellington dock workers were on strike at the time the Marines had to do all the load reconfiguration from administrative to combat configuration 10 After 11 days of logistical challenges the division with 16 000 Marines departed Wellington in eighty nine ships embarked for the Solomon Islands with a 60 day combat load which did not include tents spare clothing or bedrolls office equipment unit muster rolls or pay clerks Other things not yet available to this first wave of Marine deployments were insect repellent and mosquito netting 11 Attached to the division was the 1st Parachute Battalion which along with the rest of the division conducted landing rehearsals from 28 to 30 July on Koro Island which Major General Alexander Vandegrift described as a disaster 12 On 31 July the entire Marine task force was placed under the command of Vice Admiral Frank J Fletcher s Task Force 61 The division as a whole would fight in the Guadalcanal Campaign until relieved at 1400 on 9 December 1942 by Alexander Patch s Americal Division 13 14 This operation won the division its first of three World War II Presidential Unit Citations PUC The battle would cost the division 650 killed in action 1 278 wounded in action with a further 8 580 contracting malaria and 31 missing in action 13 Others were awarded for the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa 2 Following the Guadalcanal Campaign the division s Marines were sent to Melbourne Australia for rest and refit 15 It was during this time that the division took the traditional Australian folk song Waltzing Matilda as its battle hymn To this day 1st Division Marines still ship out to this song being played 16 The division would next see action during Operation Cartwheel which was the codename for the campaigns in Eastern New Guinea and New Britain They came ashore at the Battle of Cape Gloucester on 26 December 1943 17 and fought on New Britain until March 1944 at such places as Suicide Creek and Ajar Ridge During the course of the battle the division had 310 killed and 1 083 wounded Following the battle they were sent to Pavuvu in the Russell Islands for rest and refitting 18 The next battle for the 1st Marine Division would be the bloodiest yet at the Battle of Peleliu They landed on 15 September 1944 as part of the III Amphibious Corps assault on the island The division s commanding general Major General William H Rupertus had predicted the fighting would be tough but short It ll be over in three or four days a fight like Tarawa Rough but fast Then we can go back to the rest area 19 Making a mockery of the prediction the first week of the battle alone cost the division 3 946 casualties during which time they secured the key airfield sites 20 The division fought on Peleliu for one month before being relieved 21 Some of the heaviest fighting of the entire war took place in places such as Bloody Nose Ridge and the central ridges of the island that made up the Umurbrogol Pocket 22 The month of fighting against the 14th Division Imperial Japanese Army on Peleliu cost the 1st Marine Division 1 252 dead and 5 274 wounded 23 The final campaign the division would take part in during World War II would be the Battle of Okinawa The strategic importance of Okinawa was that it provided a fleet anchorage troop staging areas and airfields in close proximity to Japan The division landed on 1 April 1945 as part of the III Amphibious Corps Its initial mission was fighting alongside the 6th Marine Division to clear the northern half of the island that they were able to do expeditiously The Army s XXIV Corps met much stiffer resistance in the south and on 1 May 1945 the Marine division was moved south where it relieved the Army s 27th Infantry Division The division was in heavy fighting on Okinawa until 22 June 1945 when the island was declared secure The 1st Marine Division slugged it out with the Japanese 32nd Army at such places as Dakeshi Ridge Wana Ridge Sugarloaf Hill and Shuri Castle Fighting on Okinawa cost the division 1 655 killed in action During the war the division had five Seabee Battalions posted to it The 6th NCB was attached to the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal They were followed by the 19th Naval Construction Battalion NCB which was assigned to the 17th Marines as the third battalion of the regiment They landed at Cape Gloucester with the division The 17th Marines were inactivated with the 19th NCB being reassigned After that the 33rd NCB was posted to the 1st for the assault on Peleliu and they were replaced by the 145th NCB for the invasion of Okinawa see Seabees On Peleliu the 17th Special NCB segregated was assigned to the 1st Pioneers as shore party Together with the 16th Marines Field Depot segregated they helped evacuate wounded and bury the dead for the 7th Marines On the first night of the assault nearly all of the 17th Seabees volunteered to hump ammo to the frontlines They also reinforced the Marines in sections where directed were used to crew a 37mm and were utilized for several days For their efforts they received an official well done 24 25 26 27 The 33rd NCB also had 202 Men assigned to the shore party 28 Following the surrender of Japan the division was sent to Northern China as the lead combat element of the III Amphibious Corps with the primary mission of repatriating more than 650 000 Japanese soldiers and civilians still resident in that part of China They landed at Taku on 30 September 1945 and would be based in Hopeh Province in the cities of Tientsin and Peiping and also on the Shandong Peninsula 29 with the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party raging around them Most Marines in the division would be charged with guarding supply trains bridges and depots to keep food and coal moving into the cities During this time they increasingly fought skirmishes with soldiers from the People s Liberation Army who saw the railways and other infrastructure as attractive targets to ambush raid and harass 30 31 By the summer of 1946 the division was suffering the effects of demobilization and its combat efficiency had dropped below wartime standards however its commitments in China remained As it became increasingly apparent that a complete collapse of truce negotiations among the Chinese factions was apparent plans were laid for the withdrawal of all Marine units from Hopeh The last elements of the division finally left China on 1 September 1947 30 Korean War Edit Marines of 1st Marine Division at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir Following the end of World War II and the postwar drawdown of forces by 1950 the division only possessed the strength of a reinforced regimental combat team 32 The division would be assembled on the battle field and would participate in the amphibious assault at Inchon under the orders of United Nations Command UN commander General MacArthur 33 The division was the unit chosen to lead the Inchon landing on 15 September 1950 At Inchon the division faced one of its most daunting challenges deploying so hurriedly it still lacked its third infantry regiment and ordered to execute an amphibious assault under the worst tidal conditions they had ever faced After the landing they moved north and after heavy fighting in Seoul they liberated the city After the liberation of Seoul the division was put back on ships and taken to the eastern side of the Korean peninsula and landed at Wonsan on 26 October As part of X Corps commanded by Army Major General Edward Almond the division was ordered to push north towards the Yalu River as fast as possible 34 The then commanding officer of the division Major General O P Smith did not agree with his superiors and had become convinced that they were stretched thin and that the Chinese Forces had entered the war He purposely slowed his advance and consolidated along the way at every opportunity 35 The 1st Marine Division was attacked by ten Chinese People s Volunteer Army PVA infantry divisions on 27 November 1950 They fought their way out of the Chosin Reservoir against seven PVA divisions suffering over 900 killed and missing over 3 500 wounded and more than 6 500 non battle casualties mostly from frostbite during the battle The greater part of the PVA 9th Army was rendered ineffective as they suffered an estimated 37 500 casualties trying to stop the Marines march out of the Frozen Chosin The division was evacuated from Hungnam in mid December and then landed in Pusan 36 37 Beginning in early 1951 the division participated in several UN offensives in east central Korea This was followed by defending against the Chinese Spring Offensive By June 1951 the 1st Marine Division had pushed northward and secured the Punchbowl and then settled into a defensive line 11 miles 18 km long 38 In mid March 1952 the 8th Army to whom the Marines were attached instituted Operation Bootdrop The operation was a massive redeployment of UN forces designed to put more Republic of Korea Army units on the Jamestown Line the UN s Main line of resistance MLR 39 The 1st Marine Division was reassigned to the far western end of the MLR defending a 35 miles 56 km line that encompassed the Pyongyang to Seoul corridor For much of the next year in what would be termed the Outpost War action along this line consisted of small localized actions because much of the fighting revolved around the holding and retaking of various combat outposts along the MLR including the Battles of Bunker Hill First Hook and Outpost Vegas Fighting continued until the Armistice took effect on 27 July 1953 38 During the Korean War the division suffered combat casualties of 4 004 dead and 25 864 wounded In 1953 the division command post was established at Tonggu 40 The site was later named Camp Howze by the US Army A memorial to US and ROK Marine participation in the war is located at the adjoining district of Bongilcheon ri 봉일천리 37 43 52 N 126 49 59 E 37 73111 N 126 83306 E 37 73111 126 83306 41 Vietnam War Edit 3 3 Marines observe an airstrike during Operation Harvest Moon In August 1965 the division s 7th Marine Regiment participated in Operation Starlite the first major engagement against the Vietcong VC for American ground troops in South Vietnam 42 This was followed in September by Operation Piranha 43 69 83 In December Division elements conducted Operation Harvest Moon 43 101 11 In March 1966 division elements conducted Operations Utah Oregon and Texas 44 109 27 March also saw the 1st Marine Division Headquarters established at Chu Lai 45 By June the entire division was in South Vietnam its Tactical Area of Responsibility TAOR was the southern two provinces of I Corps Quang Tin and Quang Ngai 44 128 31 In August the division conducted Operation Colorado 44 213 20 Between March and October 1966 to May 1967 the division conducted 44 named operations The division received its 7th Presidential Unit Citation for service from 29 March 1966 to 15 September 1967 46 From January to April 1967 the 7th Marines conducted Operation Desoto 47 53 In early April 1967 under Operation Oregon the division moved north to Da Nang to support the 3rd Marine Division and Task Force Oregon took over the division s former TAOR 47 78 From April to May Division units conducted Operations Union and Beaver Cage 47 63 8 From May to June the 5th Marine Regiment conducted Operation Union II with Army of the Republic of Vietnam ARVN forces 47 68 In September Division units and ARVN forces conducted Operation Swift 47 111 9 In November the 5th Marines conducted Operation Essex 47 120 2 On 4 December 1967 Task Force X Ray was activated to implement Operation Checkers the movement of the 1st Marine Division from Thừa Thien Province north to Quảng Trị Province to support the 3rd Marine Division which was engaged in heavy combat along the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone 48 105 6 From 28 December 1967 to 3 January 1968 Division units conducted Operation Auburn on Go Noi Island south of Da Nang 48 91 7 A wounded 2 5 Marine receives treatment during the Battle of Huế On 11 January 1968 Task Force X Ray headquarters was established at Phu Bai Combat Base and assumed operational control of the 5th Marine Regiment which moved north from Da Nang and the 1st Marine Regiment already based at Phu Bai 48 105 6 When the 1968 Tet Offensive began at the end of January the division was involved in fierce fighting with PAVN VC throughout its TAOR and together with ARVN units would defend Da Nang and fight the Battle of Huế 48 141 249 The 1st Marines would receive a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions at Huế 49 From May to August Division units conducted Operation Allen Brook on Go Noi Island 48 328 43 From May to October Division units conducted Operation Mameluke Thrust in Happy Valley southwest of Da Nang 48 417 7 From 1 to 19 October Division units conducted Operation Maui Peak to relieve Thường Dức Camp 48 418 21 From late October to early December the 5th Marines conducted Operation Henderson Hill in Happy Valley 48 423 From 20 November to 9 December Division units conducted Operation Meade River south of Da Nang 48 426 36 From 6 December to 8 March 1969 Division units conducted Operation Taylor Common in the An Hoa Basin west of Hội An 48 437 42 50 88 94 1 5 Marines await a helicopter during Operation Imperial Lake From 31 March to 29 May 1969 Division and ARVN units conducted Operation Oklahoma Hills southwest of Da Nang 50 103 16 From 26 May to 7 November Division ARVN and Republic of Korea Marine Corps ROKMC units conducted Operation Pipestone Canyon on Go Noi Island 50 175 87 On 7 June PFC Dan Bullock of 2 5 Marines was killed in a PAVN sapper attack on An Hoa Combat Base having lied about his age to enlist he was at 15 years old the youngest American killed in the war 51 From July to August 1970 Division units conducted Operation Pickens Forest southwest of An Hoa Combat Base 52 69 76 From 1 September to 7 May 1971 Division and ROKMC units conducted Operation Imperial Lake in the Quế Sơn District south of Da Nang 52 91 2 On 13 January 1971 Operation Keystone Robin Charlie began with the standing down of the initial units supporting the division The redeployment accelerated in mid February but then slowed when HMH 463 HML 167 HMM 263 and MASS 3 were retained to support Operation Lam Son 719 52 220 Throughout April the remaining Division units transferred bases and tactical areas of responsibility to the Americal Division 52 235 8 On 14 April 1971 the 3rd Marine Amphibious Brigade was activated at Camp Jay K Brooks and III Marine Amphibious Force transferred all remaining Marine forces to it 52 238 On 30 April President Richard Nixon welcomed the division back to Camp Pendleton and awarded it a second Presidential Unit Citation for its service in South Vietnam 52 242 The division lost 7 012 men killed in action in South Vietnam 53 In 1975 the division supported the resettlement of South Vietnamese refugees by providing food and temporary shelter at Camp Pendleton for Vietnamese refugees as they arrived in the United States 54 Desert Shield and Desert Storm Edit See also Battle of Khafji In 1990 the 1st Marine Division formed the nucleus of the massive force sent to the Middle East in response to Iraq s invasion of Kuwait During Operation Desert Shield the division supported I Marine Expeditionary Force I MEF in the defense of Saudi Arabia from the Iraqi threat In 1991 the division went on the offensive as part of U S Marine Forces Central Command MARCENT 55 with the rest of Coalition Forces in Operation Desert Storm The 1st Marine Division destroyed around 60 Iraqi tanks near the Burgan oil field without suffering any losses 56 1st Marine Division Task Force Ripper RCT 7 M60A1 RISE Passive Patton tanks destroyed about 100 Iraqi tanks and armored personnel carriers including about 50 top of the line Soviet T 72 tanks 57 These efforts were instrumental in the liberation of Kuwait from Iraqi forces 1992 Los Angeles riots Edit On 2 May 1992 the 1st Marine Division took part of Operation Garden Plot to help local and state law enforcement as well as the California Army National Guard in quelling the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles County California It was part of the 3 500 federal military force sent to Los Angeles The Marine Corps contingent included the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion commanded by Marine Corps General John F Kelly As part of the Joint Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Los Angeles Marines took up positions in Compton and Long Beach to prevent further rioting and disorder No rioters or civilians were killed or injured by the Marines nor did the Marines themselves suffer any casualties On 10 May six days after the riots ended Marines formally withdrew from the city and returned to Camp Pendleton 58 1990s humanitarian relief Edit Letter by Gen Mattis distributed throughout division before the 2003 invasion of Iraq Immediately following the Persian Gulf War the division sent units to assist in relief efforts following a typhoon in Bangladesh Operation Sea Angel and the eruption of volcano Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines Operation Fiery Vigil 2 In December 1992 Operation Restore Hope bringing relief to famine stricken Somalia kicked off with the early morning amphibious landing of Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit which was supported by 2nd Battalion 9th Marines More than 15 000 metric tons of food was successfully distributed from 398 different food sites in the city during the operation The final phase of the operation involved the transition from a U S peacemaking force to a United Nations peacekeeping force U S Marine involvement in Operation Restore Hope officially ended on 27 April 1993 when the humanitarian relief sector of Mogadishu was handed over to Pakistani Armed Forces 2 Iraq War Edit The 1st Marine Division then under the command of Major General James Mattis was one of the two major U S land forces that participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq as the land component of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force In December 2002 Mattis was quoted as saying The President the National Command Authority and the American people need speed The sooner we get it over with the better Our overriding principle will be speed speed speed 59 Initially the division fought through the Rumaila oil fields feinted an attack towards Basrah 60 then moved north on Iraq Highway 1 to An Nasariyah a moderate sized Shi ite dominated city with important strategic significance as a major road junction and proximity to nearby Talil Airfield The division then fought its way to Baghdad and pushed further to secure Tikrit by forming Task Force Tripoli after the fall of Baghdad The division covered 808 kilometers in 17 days of sustained combat 61 the deepest penetrating ground operation in Marine Corps history After the invasion the division settled in to conduct security and stabilization operations in Baghdad Tikrit and then in south central Iraq from May to October 2003 For actions during the war as part of I MEF the division was awarded its 9th Presidential Unit Citation 2 The division returned to Iraq in February 2004 and took control of the Al Anbar province in western Iraq it was the lead unit in Operation Vigilant Resolve and Operation Phantom Fury in 2004 During February and March 2005 the division was relieved by the 2nd Marine Division concluding the largest relief in place in the history of the Marine Corps 2 In 2006 the division again deployed to Iraq as the ground combat element for I MEF in the Al Anbar province It returned to MCB Camp Pendleton in early 2007 citation needed Afghanistan War Edit Battalions from the 1st Marine Division have been regularly deployed to Afghanistan since 2008 In 2010 1st Marine Division Forward deployed to Helmand province Afghanistan as part of the more than 30 000 troops into the country While in Afghanistan the Division served as the ground combat element for Task Force Leatherneck leading a multinational coalition and working alongside Afghan National Security Forces 62 Insignia EditOriginally termed a battle blaze the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 1st Marine Division was designed by Lt Col Merrill Twining Division D 3 in February 1943 while the division was stationed in Victoria Australia 63 The blue diamond with the Southern Cross is similar to the Flag of Victoria The red numeral one in the middle denotes the division s first action on Guadalcanal A commercial firm in Melbourne first produced the shoulder patch with every Marine issued two of them 64 that was sewn on his battle jacket The 2nd Marine Division originally had a similar battle blaze of the same design with a red snake in the shape of a 2 also reading GUADALCANAL 65 Marine Corps shoulder sleeve insignia were officially authorized on 15 March 1943 66 Some in the division who served on Guadalcanal wore their battle blaze on the right shoulder to distinguish themselves from replacements who had not been on The Canal citation needed Unit awards EditA unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation The 1st Marine Division has been presented with the following awards 67 Streamer Award Year s Additional Info Presidential Unit Citation Streamer with one Silver and three Bronze Stars 1942 1944 1945 1950 1950 1951 1966 1967 1967 1968 2003 Guadalcanal Peleliu Ngesebus Okinawa Korea Vietnam Iraq Joint Meritorious Unit Award Streamer 1992 1993 Somalia Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with one Bronze Star 1952 1953 1990 1991 Korea Southwest Asia Mexican Service Streamer April November 1914 Vera Cruz Dominican Campaign Streamer June December 1916 Haitian Campaign Streamer with one Bronze Star August 1915 August 1934 Marine Corps Expeditionary Streamer World War I Victory Streamer with one Bronze Star American Defense Service Streamer with one Bronze Star 1941 World War II Asiatic Pacific Campaign Streamer with one Silver and one Bronze Star Guadalcanal Eastern New Guinea New Britain Peleliu Okinawa World War II Victory Streamer 1941 1945 Pacific War Navy Occupation Service Streamer with ASIA China Service Streamer with one Bronze Star September 1946 June 1947 North China National Defense Service Streamer with three Bronze Stars 1950 1954 1961 1974 1990 1995 2001 present Korean War Vietnam War Gulf War War on Terrorism Korean Service Streamer with two Silver Stars 1950 1953 Inchon Seoul Chosin Reservoir East Central Front Western Front Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer 1992 1993 Somalia Vietnam Service Streamer with two Silver and three Bronze Stars July 1965 April 1971 April December 1975 Chu Lai Da Nang Dong Ha Qui Nhon Huế Phu Bai Quang Tri Operation New Arrival Southwest Asia Service Streamer with two Bronze Stars September 1990 February 1991 Desert Shield Desert Storm Iraq Campaign Streamer March 2004 March 2005 March 2006 February 2007 Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Streamer March May 2003 Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer 2001 present Korea Presidential Unit Citation Streamer Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Streamer Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions StreamerSee also Edit 19th Naval Construction Battalion Plaque as the third Battalion 17th Marines with the 1st Marine Division Seabee Museum Archives History of the United States Marine Corps List of 1st Marine Division Commanders List of United States Marine Corps divisions Organization of the United States Marine Corps 17th Marine Regiment 19th Naval Construction Battalion With the Old Breed The Pacific miniseries Generation KillReferences Edit This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps Specific Sanborn James K 12 September 2015 Former Cyber Commander Takes Over 1st Marine Division MarineCorpsTimes com Retrieved 20 September 2018 a b c d e f History of the 1st Marine Division United States Marine Corps Archived from the original on 11 June 2009 Retrieved 21 November 2007 Accessed 9 June 2009 10 June 2009 1st Marine Division Lineage http www 1stmardiv marines mil About Lineage Retrieved 6 May 2017 1st Marine Division Honors http www 1stmardiv marines mil About Honors Retrieved 6 May 2017 Lowery M Trent 28 January 2008 1st Marine Division welcomes veterans for 67th anniversary Marine Corps News United States Marine Corps Lane 2004 p 44 It would be replaced by the 2nd Marine Regiment from San Diego sailing with the USS Wasp a b Lane 2004 p 51 Rottman 2002 p 27 Lane 2004 p 57 Lane 2004 p 60 Lane 2004 p 63 a b Frank 1990 p 522 Cronin 1951 p 47 Leckie Helmet for my Pillow p 147 208 Roger Clarke Roger Clarke s Waltzing Matilda Home Page Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd Archived from the original on 11 December 2006 Retrieved 3 December 2006 Shaw Henry I Kane Douglas T 1963 History of U S Marine Corps Operations in World War II Volume II Isolation of Rabaul Headquarters Marine Corps Archived from the original on 8 August 2007 Retrieved 6 May 2008 Turner 1997 p 25 6 Sloane 2005 p 65 Hastings 2007 p 116 Sledge 1990 p 151 Sledge 1990 p 96 127 158 Sledge 1990 p 155 Seabee Museum Archives Port Hueneme CA 93043 17th Special NCB p 29 1 World War II Database World War II Database 16th Field Depot 17th Special Seabee Museum Peleliu Shore Party Group Jessup John E 1989 A Chronology of Conflict and Resolution 1945 1985 New York Greenwood Press ISBN 0 313 24308 5 a b Frank Benis Henry I Saw Jr 1968 Volume V Victory and Occupation History of U S Marine Corps Operations in World War II Historical Branch G 3 Division Headquarters U S Marine Corps Archived from the original on 12 September 2007 Retrieved 26 April 2009 Sledge 2002 pp xx xxi Chapin 2000 p 5 Simmons 2003 p 200 Halberstam 2008 p 432 33 Fehrenbach 1963 p 233 Russ 1999 p 433 34 USMC 1st Division Casualties from 8 Oct to 24 December 1950 were 604 KIA 114 WIA 192 MIA 3 485 WIA 7 338 Non Battle casualties US Marine Operations on Korea Vol 3 pp 381 382 a b Brief History of the Marine Corps in the Korean War United States of America Korean War Commemoration Marine Corps History and Museums Division Archived from the original on 16 July 2007 Retrieved 22 April 2009 Ballenger 2000 p 5 File 2828 1st Marine Regiment Headquarters Battalion Command Diary koreanwar org December 1953 Retrieved 9 January 2021 Headquarters Headquarters Battalion 1st Marine Division Reinf FMF c o FPO San Francisco California COMMAND DIARY FOR DECEMBER 1953 Map of Korea AMS Series L751 L 50 000 1 SUMMARY This report covers the activities of Headquarters Battalion from 1 December to 31 December 1953 the Division Command Post was located at TONGGU Korea CS083788 and operated thereat Korean War Memorials in Pictures Remembering UN Participation 60 Years Later PDF p 89 Simmons US Marines History p 225 a b Johnson Charles 1978 U S Marines in Vietnam The Landing and the Buildup 1965 Marine Corps Vietnam Operational Historical Series Marine Corps Association ISBN 978 0 89839 259 3 a b c Shulimson Jack 1982 U S Marines in Vietnam An Expanding War 1966 PDF History and Museums Division Headquarters U S Marine Corps This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Simmons US Marines History p 229 Presidential Unit Citation Awarded the 1st Marine Division Reinforced Fleet Marine Force Pacific Archived from the original on 10 January 2016 Retrieved 30 March 2009 a b c d e f Telfer Gary 1984 U S Marines in Vietnam Fighting the North Vietnamese 1967 History and Museums Division Headquarters U S Marine Corps ISBN 978 1494285449 This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain a b c d e f g h i j Shulimson Jack 1997 U S Marines in Vietnam 1968 The Defining Year History and Museums Division Headquarters U S Marine Corps ISBN 0160491258 This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Remarks on Presenting the Presidential Unit Citation to the First Marines Reinforced Retrieved 30 March 2009 a b c Smith Charles 1988 U S Marines in Vietnam High Mobility and Standdown 1969 History and Museums Division Headquarters U S Marine Corps ISBN 978 1494287627 This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Brian Thomas Gallagher 7 June 2019 He Enlisted at 14 Went to Vietnam at 15 and Died a Month Later The New York Times a b c d e f Cosmas Graham 1988 U S Marines in Vietnam Vietnamization and Redeployment 1970 1971 PDF History and Museums Division Headquarters U S Marine Corps ISBN 978 1482384123 This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain CDR Kenneth Davis US Navy ret and associates of the Coffelt Database of Vietnam casualties FallOfSaigon 2008 AFTER ACTION REPORT 17 April 7 May 1975 Retrieved 14 March 2008 U S Marines in the Persian Gulf 1990 1991 With the I Marine Expeditionary Force in Desert Shield and Desert Storm Col Charles J Quilter Jr USMC Reserve U S Marine Corps Washington DC 1993 Blitzkrieg in the Gulf by Yves Debay Moore p A01 Stephen Braun and Jim Newton 10 May 1992 U S Army Marine Troops Withdraw From Los Angeles Disorder Police officers reportedly demoralized by public bickering over their readiness and performance National Guard units to remain for a while Los Angeles Times Warren American Spartans p 426 Warren American Spartans p 425 Reynolds Basrah Baghdad and Beyond p 170 1stmardiv 1stmardiv marines Retrieved 4 March 2022 p 20 Rottman Gordon L US Marine Corps Pacific Theatre of Operations 2004 Osprey Publishing p Rill James C A Narrative History of the 11th Marines 2003 Merriam Press p 32 Thompson James G Complete Guide to United States Marine Corps Medals Badges and Insignia World War II to Present Medals of America Press 2003 Rottman Gordon L amp Chappell Mike US Marine Corps 1941 1945 Osprey Publishing p 54 Lineage and Honors of the 1st Marine Division Retrieved 23 November 2018 BibliographyBallenger Lee 2000 The Outpost War U S Marines in Korea Vol 1 1952 Washington D C Potomac Books ISBN 1 57488 373 9 Chapin John C 2000 Fire Brigade U S Marines in the Pusan Perimeter Washington D C Marine Corps Historical Center Cronin Francis D Capt 1951 Under the Southern Cross The Saga of the Americal Division Washington D C Combat Forces Press Fehrenbach T R 1963 This Kind of War Dulles Virginia Brassey s Inc ISBN 1 57488 334 8 Frank Richard 1990 Guadalcanal The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle New York Random House ISBN 0 394 58875 4 Halberstam David 2007 The Coldest Winter America and the Korean War New York Hyperion ISBN 978 1 4013 0052 4 Hastings Max 2007 Retribution The Battle for Japan 1944 45 New York Alfred A Knopf ISBN 978 0 307 26351 3 Lane Kerry 2004 Guadalcanal Marine Jackson University Press of Mississippi ISBN 1 57806 664 6 Leckie Robert 2001 Helmet for my Pillow Simon amp Schuster Inc ISBN 0 7434 1307 5 Reynolds Nicholas E 2005 Basrah Baghdad and Beyond The U S Marine Corps in the Second Iraq War Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 717 4 Rottman Gordon L US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1941 43 Osprey Publishing 2004 Russ Martin 1999 Breakout The Chosin Reservoir Campaign Korea 1950 Penguin Books ISBN 0 14 029259 4 Simmons Edwin H 2003 The United States Marines A History Fourth ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 790 5 Sloan Bill 2005 Brotherhood of Heroes The Marines at Peleliu 1944 The Bloodiest Battle of the Pacific War Simon amp Schuster ISBN 0 7432 6009 0 Turner David 1997 First Marine Division Paducah Kentucky Turner Publishing Company ISBN 1 56311 244 2 Warren James A 2005 American Spartans The U S Marines A Combat History from Iwo Jima to Iraq New York Pocket Books WebJohnstone Major John H USMC 1968 Brief History of the 1st Marines Historical Branch United States Marine Corps Archived from the original on 18 June 2006 Retrieved 4 July 2006 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1st Marine Division United States 1st Marine Division s official website Profile at Marines magazine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1st Marine Division amp oldid 1130139439, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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