1st Battalion 5th Marines

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1st Battalion 5th Marines
1/5 Insignia
Active	July 13, 1914
Country	United States
Branch	USMC
Type	Light Infantry
Role	Locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver
Part of	5th Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Nickname	"Geronimo"
Motto	"Make peace or die"
Battles/wars	World War I * Battle of Belleau Wood * Meuse-Argonne Offensive * Battle of Château-Thierry * Battle of Soissons World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal * Battle of Cape Gloucester * Battle of Peleliu * Battle of Okinawa Korean War * Battle of Pusan Perimeter * Battle of Inchon * Battle of Chosin Reservoir Vietnam War * Operation Union I & II * Operation Swift * Battle of Hue Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom * 2003 invasion of Iraq * Operation Vigilant Resolve

1st Battalion 5th Marines (1/5) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Pendleton, California consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the command of the 5th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division.

1 Subordinate units
2 History
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Subordinate units

Alpha Company
Bravo Company
Charlie Company
Weapons Company

[edit] History

[edit] World War I

1st Battalion, 5th Marines was first organized on June 8, 1917 as the United States prepared for World War I. The battalion was composed of four companies; the 17th, 49th, 66th and 67th^[1]. Six days later, the battalion, manned by Spanish-American War and Boxer Rebellion veterans along with a large number of raw recruits, set sail for France. 1/5 participated in campaigns and battles such as Belleau Wood, Vierzy, Château-Thierry, Pont-a-Mousson, Limey Sector, Fleury, Muese Argonne, Blanc Mont, St. Mihiel, Leffincourt and Soissons. The French government recognized the fighting ability of the young Battalion by presenting it the Croix De Guerre along with the Fourragere and changing the name of a French landmark, Belleau Wood, to "Bois de la Brigade de Marine" or Wood of the Marine Brigade".

In August 1919, the battalion was deactivated following World War I and less than two years later, in July 1920, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines was reactivated. For the next several years, men of the 3rd Battalion served in the Caribbean and at home, guarding the US Mail.

In March 1927, the 3rd Battalion deployed to Nicaragua to help stabilize the government against overthrow attempts by rebel forces. For the next six years, they aided the Nicaraguan government until peace was finally restored. 1/5 was deactivated in January 1933.

Shortly thereafter it was re-activated in September 1934 in Quantico, Virginia and served in the Caribbean theatre until the outbreak of World War II.

[edit] World War II

In November 1934, the 1st Battalion was reactivated for the fourth time, only to be deactivated in March 1935. Shortly before World War II in April of 1940, 1st Battalion was again reactivated. The fighting in World War II found the Marines of 1st Battalion at Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Peleliu, and Okinawa. In April 1946, their mission accomplished, 1st Battalion was disbanded and most of the Pacific Veterans returned to civilian life. See also Marine Raiders.

[edit] Korean War

During October of 1949, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines was reactivated in Camp Pendleton, California. During August 1950, the Battalion deployed to fight the Communist force invading the Republic of Korea. Names such as the Pusan Perimeter, Inchon, Seoul and Chosin Reservoir were added to the Battalion's battle vocabulary. At the close of hostilities, the 1st Battalion returned to the United States, settling at Camp Pendleton.

[edit] Vietnam War

From June 1966 to March 1971, 1/5 was deployed to Vietnam. The battalion participated in action around Chu Lai, Danang, Quang Nam, Khe Sahn, An Hoa. The unit was deactivated in June 1974 but once again was quickly reactivated in March 1975.. The battalion played a major role in the battle of Hue City during February 1968. Engaging the enemy in the famous Citadel on the north side of the Perfume River, the battalion became known as the "Citadel Battalion".

[edit] Operation Desert Storm and the 1990s

Marines from A/1/5 engage insurgents in Fallujah during Operation Vigilant Resolve on April 7, 2004.

In August, 1990, the Battalion answered the country's call and deployed to the Middle East in Support of Operation Desert Shield. In February 1991 the battalion took part in combat operations in Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm.

[edit] Global War on Terror

1st Battalion has been serving in Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion was deployed for the 2003 invasion of Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein and again in early 2004 for security and stabilization operations in western Iraq. In March 2004 the battalion, this time attached to the 1st Marine Regiment along with several other units, participated in Operation Vigilant Resolve which was part of one of the biggest battles in Iraq thus far. They were deployed a third time in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, one of only two Marine Corps infantry battalions to do so at the time, in the city of Ar Ramadi, capital of the restive Al Anbar province between March and October of 2005.