1st Battalion 10th Marines

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1st Battalion 10th Marines
1/10 Insignia
Active	November 1, 1940 - November 18, 1947 - December 1, 1948 - present
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Type	Artillery
Role	Provide fires in support of 2nd Marine Division
Part of	10th Marine Regiment 2nd Marine Division
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Motto	"First in the World"
Battles/wars	World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal * Battle of Saipan * Battle of Tinian * Battle of Okinawa Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom * 2003 invasion of Iraq
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Peter J. Keating

1st Battalion 10th Marines (1/10) is an artillery battalion comprised of four firing batteries and a headquarters battery. The battalion is stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and its primary weapon system is the M198 Howitzer with a maximum effective range of 30km. They are currently transitioning to the M777 lightweight howitzer.

1 Mission
2 Current units
3 History
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Mission

Provide direct support artillery for the 2nd Marine Division in time of conflict. That support may come in the traditional fashion of artillery support to maneuver forces, or by providing batteries to serve as provisional rifle companies. They also have the secondary mission of being the primary providers of Civilian Military Operations (CMO). CMO is defined as the activities of the commander that establish, maintain, influence, or exploit relations between military organizations, Government and civilian organizations and the civilian populace.

[edit] Current units

Headquarters Battery
Battery A
Battery B
Battery C
Battery F

[edit] History

[edit] World War II

Activated on November 1, 1940 at San Diego, California, as the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines (1/1)0 and were assigned to the 2nd Marine Brigade, Fleet Marine Force. On February 1, 1941, the 2nd Marine Brigade was renamed the 2nd Marine Division.

During January 1942, 1/10 was deployed to American Samoa and detached from the 2nd Marine Division. In November 1942, they were redeployed to Guadalcanal and attached to the 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force; and in December 1942, reassigned to the 9th Marines.

The 1st Battalion 10th Marines participated in the following World War II campaigns:

and subsequently in the occupation of Japan from September 1945 to June 1946.

During July 1946, 1/10 was relocated to MCB Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; then deactivated on November 18, 1947.

They were then reactivated on December 1, 1948 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina as the 1st Battalion, 10th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force.

[edit] 1960s-1980s

1/10 deployed to Cuba in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis from October to December 1962.

In the late-1970s and early-1980s, the battalion was deployed to Europe for participation in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exercises.

In 1983, Charlie Battery was deployed to Beirut, Lebanon. They lost a number of members in the October 1983 barracks bombing.

During the 1980's, the battalion became a Cold Weather trained unit, conducting training at Fort Drum, New York and above the Arctic Circle. They also transitioned to the 155mm Howitzer during this time period.