1st Marine Division (United States)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| 1st Marine Division | |
|---|---|
 1st Marine Division insignia |
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| Active | February 1, 1941 - present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Type | Infantry division |
| Role | Locate close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver and repel the enemy's assault by fire and close combat |
| Size | 19,000 |
| Part of | I Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton |
| Nickname | "The Old Breed" "Blue Diamond" |
| Motto | No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy |
| Colors | Marine Corps Colors |
| March | "Waltzing Matilda" |
| Mascot | Bulldog |
| Engagements | World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal * Battle of Peleliu * Battle of Cape Gloucester * Battle of Okinawa Korean War * Battles of Inchon/Seoul * Battle of Chosin Reservoir Vietnam War * Tet Offensive Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom * Operation Vigilant Resolve * Operation Phantom Fury |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
MajGen Thomas D. Waldhauser |
| Notable commanders |
Holland Smith Alexander Vandegrift William H. Rupertus Richard F. Natonski James Mattis |
The 1st Marine Division is the oldest, largest (active duty), and most decorated division in the United States Marine Corps representing a combat-ready force of more than 19,000 men and women. It is one of 3 active duty divisions in the Marine Corps today and is a multi-role, expeditionary ground combat force. Nicknamed "The Old Breed", it provides the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) and is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.
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[edit] Mission
The division is employed as the ground combat element (GCE) of I MEF 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[1].
[edit] Subordinate units
The 1st Marine Division is currently composed of :
- Headquarters Battalion;
- 1st Marine Regiment
- 5th Marine Regiment
- 7th Marine Regiment
- 11th Marine Regiment
- 1st Combat Engineer Battalion
- 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
- 1st Reconnaissance Battalion
- 1st Tank Battalion
- 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion
- 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
[edit] History
The division's regiments were in existence as early as March 8, 1911, when the 1st Marine Regiment was formed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba[1]. They saw action throughout the Caribbean during World War I.[citation needed] The 5th Marines were created in Vera Cruz, Mexico on July 13, 1914[1] and participated in 15 major engagements during World War I, including Belleau Wood, Chateau Thierry, and St. Mihiel. On August 7, 1917,[1] 7th Marines were activated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and spent the duration of World War I in Cuba and were disbanded after the war[1]. The 11th Marines was formed in January 1918 at Quantico, Va., as a light artillery regiment. The regiment went to France as an infantry unit, providing a machine gun company and a guard company. Decommissioned and reactivated twice between world wars, the regiment was re-formed in 1940 as a full-fledged artillery unit[1].
[edit] World War II
The 1st Marine Division was activated aboard the USS Texas on February 1, 1941[2]. The division landed on the island of Guadalcanal, part of the Solomon Islands, on August 7, 1942 and would fight in the Battle of Guadalcanal until relieved at 1400 on December 9, 1942 by Alexander Patch's Americal Division.[3][4]. 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[5]. Others were awarded for the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa[1].
Following the Battle of Guadalcanal, the division's Marines were sent to Melbourne, Australia to rest and refit.[6] 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.[7]
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 December 26, 1943[8] and fought on New Britain until February of 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.[9]
The next battle for the 1st Marine Division would be the bloodiest yet at the Battle of Peleliu. They landed on September 15, 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 of four days - a fight like Tarawa. Rough but fast. Then we can go back to a rest area."[10] 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.[11] The division fought on Peleliu for one month before being relieved.[12] 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.[13] 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. [14]
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 April 1, 1945 as part of the III Amphibious Corps. Their initial mission was to clear the northern half of the island which they were able to do with relative ease. The Army's XXIV Corps met much stiffer resistance and in late April the division was moved south where they relieved the 27th Infantry Division. The division fought on Okinawa until June 21, 1945 when the island was declared secure. They slugged it out with the Japanese 32nd Army at such places as Sugarloaf Hill and Shuri Castle. Fighting on Okinawa cost the division 1,155 killed in action.
[edit] Korean War
Following the end of World War II and the postwar draw down of forces, by 1950 the division only possessed the strength of a reinforced regimental combat team[15] The division would be assembled on the battle field and would participate in the amphibious assault at Inchon under the orders of General MacArthur[16]. "The Old Breed" was the unit chosen to lead the Inchon landing on September 15, 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 in a city the size of Omaha 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 put ashore at Wonsan. As part of X Corps under the command of Edward Almond the division was ordered to push north towards the Yalu River as fast as possible.[17] 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.[18] The 1st Marine Division was attacked by seven Chinese divisions on November 27, 1950. They fought their way out of the Chosin Reservoir against seven Communist Chinese 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 Chinese 9th Army was rendered ineffective as they suffered an estimated 37,500 casualties trying to stop the Marines' march out of the "Frozen Chosin". [19] Battles between April and September earned the division its sixth PUC. During the Korean War the division suffered combat casualties of 4,004 dead and 25,864 wounded.
[edit] Vietnam War
In 1965, the 7th Marine Regiment participated in Operations Starlite and Piranha, the first major engagements for American ground troops in South Vietnam.[20]. March 1966 saw 1st Marine Division Headquarters established at Chu Lai.[citation needed] By June, the entire Division was in South Vietnam, its zone of operation—the southern two provinces of I Corps—Quang Tin and Quang Ngai.[citation needed] Between March and October 1966 to May 1967, the division conducted 44 named operations. During the 1968 Tet Offensive, the division was involved in fierce fighting with both Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army elements. It was successful in beating back enemy assaults in its operation areas. The division received it 7th Presidential Unit Citation for service from 29 March 1966 to 15 September 1967 and an 8th one for the period 16 September 1967 to 31 October 1968.[citation needed]
After six hard years of combat, 1st Marine Division returned home to Camp Pendleton in 1971. In 1975, the division supported the evacuation of Saigon by providing food and temporary shelter at Camp Pendleton for Vietnamese refugees as they arrived in the United States.
[edit] Desert Shield/Storm
In 1990, the 1st Marine Division formed the nucleus of the massive force sent to Southwest Asia 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 with the rest of Coalition Forces in Operation Desert Storm. In 100 hours of ground offensive combat, the 1st Marine Division helped to liberate Kuwait, smashing the Iraqi Army in the process[1].
[edit] 1990s
Immediately following the Persian Gulf conflict, 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)[1]. 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 April 27, 1993, when the humanitarian relief sector of Mogadishu was handed over to Pakistani forces[1].
[edit] 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. The division was the land component of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. Prior to the war in December of 2002, MajGen 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[21]." Initially, the division fought through the Rumaila oil fields, feinted an attack towards Basrah[22] then moved north on Highway 1 to An Nasariyah - a moderate-sized, Shi'ite dominated city with important strategic significance as a major road junction and its proximity to nearby Talil Airfield. They then fought their way to Baghdad and pushed further to secure Tikrit by forming Task Force Tripoli after the fall of Baghdad. The division would cover 808 kilometers in 17 days of sustained combat[23], 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[1].
The division deployed back to Iraq in February 2004 and took control of the Al Anbar province in western Iraq. They were 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[1].
As of early 2006, the division is once again in Iraq as the ground combat element for I MEF in the Al Anbar province.[citation needed]
[edit] 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:
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Presidential Unit Citation with two silver stars |
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Joint Meritorious Unit Award |
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Navy Unit Commendation with one bronze star |
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Mexican Service Medal |
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Dominican Campaign Medal |
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Haitian Campaign Medal with one bronze star |
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Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal |
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World War I Victory Medal with one bronze star |
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American Defense Service Medal with one bronze star |
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Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver Star and one bronze star |
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World War II Victory Medal |
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Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia clasp |
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China Service Medal |
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National Defense Service Medal with two bronze stars |
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Korean Service Medal with two silver stars |
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Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
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Vietnam Service Medal with two silver stars and three bronze stars |
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Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars |
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Korean Presidential Unit Citation |
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Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Streamer |
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Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Action Medal |
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Iraq Campaign Medal |
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Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal |
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Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
[edit] See also
- With the Old Breed
- The Pacific (miniseries)
- History of the United States Marine Corps
- List of United States Marine Corps divisions
- Organization of the United States Marine Corps
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l History of the 1st Marine Division. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved on 2007-11-21.
- ^ Lowery, M. Trent (January 28, 2008). 1st Marine Division welcomes veterans for 67th anniversary. Marine Corps News. United States Marine Corps. Retrieved on 2008-02-08.
- ^ Frank (1990), p.522
- ^ Cronin (1951), p. 47
- ^ Frank Guadalcanal, p. 522.
- ^ Leckie Helmet for my Pillow, p.147-208.
- ^ Roger Clarke’s Waltzing Matilda Home-Page. Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd.
- ^ 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. Retrieved on 2008-05-06.
- ^ Turner (1997), p.25-6
- ^ Sloane (2005), p.65
- ^ Hastings (2007), p116
- ^ Sledge (1990), p151
- ^ Sledge (1990), p.96,127-158
- ^ Sledge (1990), p155
- ^ Chapin Fire Brigade, p.5
- ^ Simmons US Marines History, p. 200
- ^ Halberstam, The Coldest Winter, pp. 432-433
- ^ Fehrenbach This Kind of War, p.243.
- ^ Russ, Breakout, pp. 433-434
- ^ Simmons US Marines History, p. 225
- ^ Warren American Spartans, p. 426.
- ^ Warren American Spartans, p. 425.
- ^ Reynolds Basrah, Baghdad and Beyond, p. 170.
[edit] References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.
- Bibliography
- 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 1-57488-335-8.
- 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 978-140130-052-4.
- Hastings, Max (2007). Retribution - The Battle for Japan, 1944-45. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-030726-351-3.
- Leckie, Robert (2001). Helmet for my Pillow. Simon & Schuster Inc.. ISBN 0-74341-307-5.
- 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
- Russ, Martin (1999). Breakout - The Chosin Reservoir Campaign, Korea 1950. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14029-259-4.
- Simmons, Edwin H. (2003). The United States Marines: A History, Fourth Edition. 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 0743260090.
- 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. Retrieved on 2006-07-04..
[edit] External links
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