1st Battalion 4th Marines
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| 1st Battalion 4th Marines | |
|---|---|
 1/4 Insignia |
|
| Active | August 1, 1922 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Type | Light infantry |
| Role | Locate, close with and destroy the enemy with fire and maneuver |
| Part of | 1st Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton |
| Nickname | "The China Marines" |
| Motto | Whatever it Takes |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Corregidor Vietnam War Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom |
1st Battalion 4th Marines (1/4) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the 1st Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division.
Contents |
[edit] Current units
- Headquarters and Service Company
- Alpha Company
- Bravo Company
- Charlie Company
- Weapons Company
[edit] History
[edit] Early years
Although originally activated in April 1911 as part of the 4th Marine Regiment, the battalion considers August 1, 1922 as its official birthday. This was when it was first addressed as the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, in the Dominican Republic. From September 1924 to January 1927, the battalion was based in San Diego, California. During that period elements of the battalion were assigned to guard the U.S. mail. From February 1927 to November 1941, the battalion served in China, where it was first addressed as “The China Marines,” and began using the Chinese dragon in different official and unofficial logos and mastheads. During November 1941, the battalion, with the entire 4th Marine Regiment, deployed from China to the Philippines.
[edit] World War II
World War II found the battalion stationed at Olangapo. Ordered to Corregidor, the battalion helped defend that strategic island from December 1941 to May 1942. The battalion was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, but was also forced to burn its colors and surrender.
On February 1, 1944, a new 1/4 was activated by the redesignation of the 1st Raider Battalion. For the remainder of World War II, the battalion fought at two of the bloodiest campaigns in the Pacific, the Battle of Guam and the Battle of Okinawa. The battalion was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for Guam and Navy Presidential Unit Commendation for Okinawa. After the war, the battalion was part of the occupation forces in Japan. The battalion served in China in 1946. It spent the Korean War stationed in Japan. In 1955 it was transferred to Hawaii and stayed there until May 1965.
[edit] Vietnam War
In May 1965, 1/4 deployed to the Republic of Vietnam. During four years there, they fought in practically every Marine area of responsibility. As a result of its actions during operations such as Starlight and Hastings, the battalion shared with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines and 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines in the award of the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm for “outstanding bravery.”
From October 1969 to 1977, the battalion served on Okinawa and participated in the rescue of SS Mayaguez and the Southeast Asia emergency evacuations. On May 12, 1975, a Khmer Rouge gunboat seized an American ship, the SS Mayaguez in the Gulf of Thailand and detained its crew. Elements of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, and the 9th Marine Regiment, were flown to an advanced staging of a joint US Task Force. They conducted a helo assault on the Cambodian island of Koh Tang where the Mayaguez was being held. United States Air Force helicopters landed Marines of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines on Koh Tang Island off the Cambodian coast where the crew was believed to be held. Marines from Company D, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines boarded the Mayaguez only to find it deserted. The Khmer Rouge released the Mayaguez crew who were picked up by a U.S. destroyer at sea. On 15 May, with the recovery of the ship and its crew, the Marines withdrew from Koh Tank Island. The American forces sustained total casualties of 15 killed, 3 missing in action (later declared dead), 49 wounded, and 23 other personnel killed in a related helicopter crash. Khymer Rouge casualties were unknown.
[edit] Medal of Honor recipient
Corporal Larry L. Maxam was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on 2 February 1968 while participating in Operation Kentucky. Cpl Maxam single-handedly defended half of the perimeter of Cam Lo District Headquarters, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam against heavy enemy attack.
[edit] Post Vietnam years
From 1977 to 1989, 1/4 was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. In January 1989, they were transferred to the 1st Marine Division at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Following the August 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines was engaged in Western Pacific commitments as Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and was rushed into the Persian Gulf to assist in tactical operations that became Operation Desert Shield. During that time the unit assisted in Iraq-bound shipping interdiction while land-based units organized and began receiving shipborne supplies. The unit remained in-theater until December 1990, when it was ordered to the Philippine Islands for repairs to its amphibious ships. The unit redeployed to the Persian Gulf in January 1991 for Operation Desert Storm and remained until March, returning to MCB Camp Pendleton after ten months afloat.
As part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 1993, the battalion participated in three real world operations. Operation Restore Hope provided humanitarian relief to the people of Somalia. After this the battalion moved off the coast of Somalia where they were tasked with providing several on-call missions, including TRAP, NEO, and airfield seizure. All these missions were in support of the United States Liaison Office relocation from Mogadishu to Nairobi, Kenya.
[edit] Global War on Terror
The battalion became the ground combat element of 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit in July 2001. The 13th MEU earned its Special Operations Capable (SOC) certification in November, after completing the SOC Exercise early in the predeployment cycle. 1st Battalion, 4th Marines deployed with the 13th MEU a month and a half ahead of its scheduled mid-January departure date in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
[edit] Operation Iraqi Freedom
In January of 2003 1st Battalion, 4th Marines deployed as part of Amphibious Task Force West directly to Kuwait to stage for Operation Iraqi Freedom, which commenced on March 20th. The battalion fought engagements near An Nasiriyah, Al Shatrah, and Al Kut, on its push toward Baghdad. In executing the Nahr Diyala River crossing as part of the assault on Baghdad, 1/4 executed the first amphibious assault in the Marine Corps since the Korean War. After Baghdad was captured, 1/4 relocated to Al Hillah, where it remained until it returned to Camp Pendleton.
In May 2004 1/4 departed aboard the USS Belleau Wood as part of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. In July, the battalion began conducting operations near the Iraqi cities of An Najaf and Ad Diwaniyah. In August 1/4 engaged in battalion level combat in Najaf, including the battle for the Wadi al-Salaam cemetery and several engagements with Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Militia. The battalion also participated in operations in Kufa in August, and Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah in November.
[edit] Other assignments
In September 2006, the battalion participated in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi. Following Special Operations Capable qualification, BLT 1/4 deployed aboard the USS Peleliu, the USS Germantown, and the USS Ogden in February 2006.
