4th Assault Amphibian Battalion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

4th Assault Amphibian Battalion

4th AAV's Insignia
Active August 19, 1943 - present
Country United States
Branch USMC
Type Mechanized battalion
Role Amphibious assault
Part of 4th Marine Division
Marine Forces Reserve
Garrison/HQ Tampa Bay, Florida
Nickname 4th Tracks
Motto YATYAS
Engagements World War II
* Battle of Kwajalein
* Battle of Guam
* Battle of Okinawa
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom

4th Assault Amphibian Battalion is a mechanized battalion of the United States Marine Corps reserve. Their primary weapon system is the Amphibious Assault Vehicle and they are part of the 4th Marine Division and the Marine Forces Reserve. The unit is based out of the Tampa Bay, Florida with subordinate units in Virginia, Mississippi and Texas.

Contents

[edit] Mission

To land the surface assault elements of the landing force and their equipment in a single lift from assault shipping during amphibious operations to inland objectives.

To conduct mechanized operations and related combat support in subsequent operations ashore.

[edit] Current units

Name Location
Alpha Company Norfolk, Virginia
Alpha Company (3rd Platoon) Gulfport, Mississippi
Bravo Company Jacksonville, Florida
Bravo Company (3rd Platoon) Galveston, Texas

[edit] History

[edit] 1943 - 1945

Activated on August 19, 1943 at Camp Pendleton, California, as the 4th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, Division Special Troops, 4th Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force.

Reassigned during January 1944 to Corps Troops, Amphibious Corps, and deployed to the Pacific area.

Reassigned during April 1944 to Corps Troops, 3rd Amphibious Corps, and participated in the following campaigns in World War II:

- Battle of Kwajalein
- Battle of Guam
- Battle of Okinawa

Redesignated on September 8, 1944 as the 4th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific Troops, 3rd Amphibious Corps.

Detached on November 11, 1944 from the 3rd Amphibious Corps.

Redesignated on July 15, 1945 as the 4th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, 2nd Amphibian Tractor Group (Provisional), Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, and deployed to Guam, Marianas Islands.

Redesignated on September 30,1945 as the 4th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific.

Redeployed during October 1945 to Camp Pendleton, California and deactivated on November 26, 1945.

[edit] 1962 - 2000

Reactivated on July 1, 1962 at Tampa, Florida as the 4th Amphibian Tractor Battalion, Force Troops, Fleet Marine Force, United States Marine Corps Reserve

Redesignated on October 1, 1976 as the 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, United States Marine Corps Reserve

Participated in training exercises throughout the 1970's and 1980's.

Participated in southwest Asia, Desert Shield, and Desert Storm as augmentation force to our sister Assault Amphibian Battalions.

[edit] 2000 - Present

4th AAVBn have provided augmentation to its sister Assault Amphibian Battalions during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. These battalions were in the 1st Marine Division and 3rd Marine Division. 4th AAV Bn was activated in the month of January 2003, and deployed to the Middle East in the month of February, 2003. On March 18, 2003 - hours after President Bush's speech and aerial attacks on the country, all convoys were staged to push to Baghdad. Weeks later, Bravo Company (-) reservists were the first to set foot in Baghdad. Although destroyed bridges were an obstacle to many units, B(-) ability to cross the major rivers were an integral part to the overall mission.


4th AAV Bn have deployed company sized elements in support of Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, 4th AAV Bn was deployed to the Gulf Coast in support of rescue and recovery operations.

[edit] Honors

Presidential Unit Citation - WORLD WAR II
Presidential Unit Citation - OKINAWA 1945
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer with Three Bronze Stars
WORLD WAR II Victory Streamer

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.
Web

[edit] External links