1st Reconnaissance Battalion
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| 1st Reconnaissance Battalion | |
|---|---|
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| Active | since 1937 |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | USMC |
| Role | Reconnaissance |
| Part of | 1st Marine Division I Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton |
| Motto | "Celer, Silens, Mortalis" "Swift, Silent, Deadly" |
| Engagements | World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Iraqi Freedom * 2003 invasion of Iraq * Operation Vigilant Resolve |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
LtCol M.J. Mooney |
1st Reconnaissance Battalion (1st Recon Bn) is a reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps. It falls under the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). 1st Recon Bn was recently reactivated, on July 5, 2000 as part of Marine Corps Commandant General James L. Jones’ mission to revitalize Marine Corps reconnaissance. Their scope of missions is broad and currently changing due to Force Reconnaissance units making a move to - Marine Corps Special Operations Command. 1st Reconnaissance Battalion currently consists of three Reconnaissance companies: Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie, with a supporting Headquarters Company. Delta company which used to fall under 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, now falls under the direct command of the I MEF commander.
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[edit] Mission
- Plan, coordinate, and conduct amphibious reconnaissance, ground reconnaissance and surveillance to observe, identify, and report enemy activity, and collect other information of military significance.
- Conduct specialized terrain reconnaissance to include: hydrography, beaches, roads, bridges, routes, urban areas, helicopter landing zones, airborne drop zones, aircraft forward operating sites, and mounted reconnaissance missions.
- When properly task organized with other forces, equipment or personnel, assist in specialized engineer, radio, mobile, and other unique reconnaissance missions.
- Infiltrate mission areas by necessary means to include: surface, subsurface and airborne operations.
- Conduct counter reconnaissance.
- Conduct Initial Terminal Guidance (ITG) for helicopters, landing craft, parachutists, air-delivery, and re-supply.
- Designate and engage selected targets with organic weapons and force fires to support battlespace shaping. This includes designation and terminal guidance of precision-guided munitions.
- Conduct post-strike reconnaissance to determine and report battle damage on a specified target or area.
- Conduct limited scale raids and ambushes.
[edit] Training
Potential Reconnaissance Marines in the past were screened by the receiving reconnaissance battalion and were subsequently assigned to a pre-basic reconnaissance course (Pre-BRC) program which were known as "Recon Indoc Platoon" or "Recon Training Platoon". However, due to changes made recently, Marines who wish to join the reconnaissance community must first complete the School of Infantry's Rifleman (0311) course prior to being assigned to the "MART" (Marines Awaiting Recon Training) platoon. The Marines then continue to the Basic Reconnaissance Course at the Reconnaissance Center of Excellence at School of Infantry, West aboard Camp Pendleton California.
While at this school prospective reconnaissance Marines, called "ropers" for the distinguishing sling ropes they are required to wear, receive training on mission planning, advanced patrolling, advanced radio communications, advanced land navigation, reconnaissance and surveillance techniques, calling for artillery and close air support, small boat operations, and clandestine operations.
Upon successful completion of the BRC the Marines receive the MOS designator "0321" or Reconnaissance man. They then attend S.E.R.E School, United States Army Airborne School, and Combatant Diver school.
In addition to these core courses Recon Marines will have the opportunity to attend Sniper School, Military Free Fall school, Ranger school, and H.R.S.T. master school, and Pathfinder school as slots become available.
[edit] History
[edit] World War II
1st Recon Bn participated in the following WWII campaigns:
[edit] Korean War
[edit] Vietnam War
[edit] Operations Between Vietnam and 1990
[edit] Persian Gulf War & the 1990s
In 1991, the battalion participated in Operation Desert Storm. They were deactivated in 1992, replaced by 1st Recon Company, which was then overstaffed and redesignated 1st Recon Battalion again in 2000, with only 50 unfilled billets on its first day.
[edit] Global War on Terror
1st Recon Battalion deployed to Kuwait and participated in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
1st Recon Battalion re-deployed to Al Anbar province in Iraq February 2004, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
1st Recon Battalion re-deployed to Al Anbar province in Iraq September 2005, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
1st Recon Battalion re-deployed to Al Anbar province in Iraq March 2007, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In January 2006, the battalion was in the national news for leading Operation Green Trident, which discovered over ten metric tons of insurgent munitions, hidden in caches throughout a large area south of Fallujah in the Euphrates River Valley.
Marines of 1st Recon have told military reporters that about 90% of their time in Operation Iraqi Freedom has been spent in mounted patrols, using their Humvees.
[edit] Honors
[edit] Medal of Honor recipients
- SSgt Jimmie E. Howard, Vietnam War.
- PFC Ralph H. Johnson, Vietnam War.
[edit] Navy Cross recipients
- Capt Brent Morel, Killed in Action April 7, 2004. Al Anbar IZ. Operation Iraqi Freedom
- Sgt Willie Copeland, Operation Iraqi Freedom [1]
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ Hettena, Seth. "Utah Marine receives Navy Cross for heroism", Associated Press, April 25, 2005. (URL accessed May 10, 2006)
[edit] References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.
- Web
- 1st Recon Bn website
- 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, GlobalSecurity.org. (URL accessed April 15, 2006)
- Redding, Daniel J. 1st Recon Battalion retraces techniques before returning to Iraq",Marine Corps News, April 22, 2005.
- Redding, Daniel J. "All about amphib", Marine Corps News", June 2, 2005.
- 1st Recon Battalion Association
[edit] Further reading
- Generation Kill by Evan Wright
- One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer by Nathaniel Fick.
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