U.S. 4th Marine Regiment

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4th Marine Regiment
4th Marine's insignia
Active	1914 -
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Type	Infantry regiment
Role	Locate close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver
Nickname	China Marines
Motto	Oldest Proudest
Battles/wars	World War II * Battle of Corregidor * Battle of Okinawa Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm

The 4th Marine regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps that is based on Camp Schwab in Okinawa, Japan. They are an organic part of the 3rd Marine Division and the III Marine Expeditionary Force.

1 Mission
2 Current Units
3 History
- 3.1 Early years
4 Honors and Awards
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Mission

4th Marines primary mission is to locate and destroy the enemy within the Pacific Theater, and provide a means of force projection. However it is not limited to this theater, that is its main area of operations. 4th Marines also lends humanitarian aid where directed.

[edit] Current Units

Currently each of the Regiment's three battalions are part of other Marine infantry regiments in the 1st Marine Division. The regiment in turn hosts battalions stationed in the United States and Hawaii for training in jungle warfare.

[edit] History

[edit] Early years

The 4th Marine Regiment was first activated on April 16, 1914, in Puget Sound, Washington, under the command of Colonel Joseph A. Pendleton. This activation was a direct result of deteriorating relations between the United States and Mexico. On April 21, President Woodrow Wilson ordered U.S. Naval Forces to Vera Cruz. Shortly after activation, 4th Marines embarked upon the USS South Dakota (ACR-9) headed for San Francisco. Upon their arrival they received four companies which would become attached to the regiment. These were the 31st, 32nd, 34th and 35th companies. The regiment then sailed for Mexico. On April 28, 4th Marines arrived in Acapulco Harbor. Reinforcements subsequently arrived in Mzatlan a week and half later. The regiment continued to maintain a presence in Mexican waters patrolling the shore through May and June. However by the end of June no landing had been deemed necessary and tensions had eased between Mexico and the United States. Shortly thereafter 4th Marines withdrew from Mexican waters and concluded their first Latin American expedition. The regiment returned to San Diego, California to establish its new home base. Between this time and February of 1916 the regiment conducted several missions of force projection off the coast of Mexico. None had required the Marines to actually disembark as diplomatic relations were subsequently smoothed over upon their arrival or shortly thereafter.

The Dominican Republic broke out in civil war in the spring of 1916. American forces were sent to quell the danger posed to Americans and other foreigners there. As the Americans came ashore the rebels withdrew from Santo Domingo, the capital, to Santiago where they had established another rival government. American forces called for reinforcements and 4th Marines was called into action. They left San Diego on June 6 for New Orleans. Three days later they boarded the USS Hancock for the Dominican Republic.,