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3rd Marine Regiment (United States)

The 3rd Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii. They fall under the 3rd Marine Division and the III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Current units

The regiment comprises three infantry battalions, and one headquarters company. Also, because of the geographic isolation, an artillery battalion (1/12) also falls under the regiment, as well as a Combat Assault Company:

Name
Headquarters Company 3rd Marines
1st Battalion 3rd Marines
2nd Battalion 3rd Marines
3rd Battalion 3rd Marines
1st Battalion 12th Marines
Combat Assault Company

History

Early years

Originally formed as the 3rd Provisional Regiment, they were activated on December 20, 1916 from assets of the 1st Marine Regiment in the Dominican Republic. They were attached to the 2nd Brigade and deactivated on August 1, 1922.

World War II

The 3rd Marine Regiment was reactivated on June 16, 1942, at New River, North Carolina, as part of the World War II military expansion. They deployed to American Samoa on September 14, 1942 and were attached to the 2nd Marine Brigade. The regiment redeployed to New Zealand on May 23, 1943 and were reassigned to the 3rd Marine Division at that time. The regiment fought at Bougainville and Guam. Four Medals of Honor were awarded to members of 3rd Marines for actions during this period. Following World War II, the regiment was ordered to China to aid in the disarming of Japanese units and to assist the Nationalist government in the occupation of Northern China in an effort to deny land to the communists.

Vietnam War

3rd Marines was one of the first Marine units into South Vietnam when it provided security for the Da Nang Air Base in early 1965. Ultimately, 3d Marines was to participate in 48 major operations in the Republic of Vietnam.

Following the retrograde of forces from Vietnam, the regiment was initially relocated to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and assigned to the 5th Marine Amphibious Brigade. During April 1971, the regiment became part of the 1st Marine Division. Two months later, the regiment was moved to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, to assume the role of the ground combat component of the 1st Marine Brigade.

1980s & 1990s

3rd Marines was one of the first combat forces to deploy to Saudi Arabia in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. The regiment, which became known as Task Force Taro in honor of the state and people of Hawaii, became the first American unit to be engaged by Iraqi artillery, rocket and missile fire on January 18, 1991. They countered the Iraqi supporting attacks by conducting artillery raids into Kuwait as the first ground offensive actions of the war. Task force Taro was instrumental in the recapture of Khafji, was the first unit to advance into Kuwait, conducted the only heliborne assault of the war and secured the Marine Corp’s final objective of the war, Kuwait International Airport.

Following the cease-fire on February 28, 1991, the regiment redeployed to Saudi Arabia and subsequently completed its strategic redeployment to Hawaii two months later.

2000s

The 3rd Marines has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the Global War on Terror. One of their officers, Stephen J. Boada won the Silver Star for actions there. He became the first Marine in the regiment and in Hawaii to be awarded one of the major awards for valor since the Vietnam War. An NCO from 1st Battalion 3rd Marines, Cpl Kristopher Kane, was later awarded a Silver Star for actions during the Second Battle of Fallujah.