3rd Battalion 4th Marines

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines


caption= 3/4 insignia
dates=*May 1, 1941 - May 6, 1942
* February 1, 1944 - October 1, 1947
* November 28, 1952 - present
country= United States
allegiance=
branch= USMC
type= U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Battalion
role=
size=
command_structure= 7th Marine Regiment
1st Marine Division (Rein)
current_commander=
notable_commanders=Alexander Vandegrift
garrison= Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=Thundering Third
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=The water buffalo of Southeast Asia
battles= World War II
* Battle of Corregidor
* Battle of Bougainville
* Battle of Guam
* Battle of Okinawa
Vietnam War
Operation Iraqi Freedom
* Operation Vigilant Resolve
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. It's nickname is "Thundering Third". They are based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and consist of approximately 1,000 Marines. They fall under the command of the 7th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division (Rein).

ubordinate units

* Headquarters and Service Company
* India Company
* Kilo Company
* Lima Company
* Weapons Company

History

World War II

Activated on May 1, 1941 at Cavite, Philippine Islands as First Separate Marine Battalion, Navy Yard, Cavite. Relocated during December 1941 to Corregidor, Philippine Islands. Redesignated January 1, 1942 to the Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Corregidor, Philippine Island. The 4th Marine Regiment participated in the Battle of Corregidor from January to May 1942. The unit was captured by enemy forces on May 6, 1942. After this 4th Marines temporarily ceased to exist.

Vietnam War

The battalion deployed during April 1965 to the Republic of Vietnam and was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division. They re-deployed during December 1965 to March 1966 to Camp Schwab, Okinawa. They were deployed back to Vietnam and participated in action from April to December 1965 and March 1966 to November 1969.

The first Marine unit in combat in Panama during Operation Just Cause was India Company, 3/4. They landed in Panana on April 6, 1988 and by April 10 were engaged in combat with clandestine units from Cuba. Some might have been from the 7th Company of the Panamanian Defense Forces, a special ops unit known as the "Macho de Monte" or men of the mountain.

The 1990s

1996-1997 saw the battalion participate in Operation Hunter Warrior (Sea Dragon). The objective of the operation was to test experimental gear, weapons and other equipment essential to a Marine Rifle Squad. In 1998 the battalion was transferred from Camp Pendleton, CA to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in 29 Palms, CA.

Global War on Terrorism

3/4 deployed to Kuwait in January 2003 and went on to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They were the first U.S. Marine unit to enter Baghdad. This battalion was shown in the famous scene of the statue of Saddam in Firdos Square being pulled down. The battalion redeployed to Iraq in March 2004 and subsequently took part in Operation Vigilant Resolve while attached to the 1st Marine Regiment. They subsequently deployed again to Iraq in January 2005 and then again in September 2006. The battalion deployed in early 2008 with the dual missions of carrying out combat operations to supervising the Iraqi peacekeeping effort. The battalion became the first U.S. military unit to reach 5 straight Iraq deployments and returned from their deployment in early September 2008. [cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/09/03/MNG1NKUN0M1.DTL
title=SFGate.com article
accessdate=2006-09-21] [cite web|url=http://www.marines.mil/units/mciwest/29palms/Pages/34,CLB-7returnfirsthundredservicemembers.aspx
title=3/4, CLB-7 return first hundred service members
accessdate=2008-09-13]

3/4 Medal of Honor recipients

* Robert J. Modrzejewski
* John J. McGinty III
* Donald E. Ballard

ee also

* Operation Vigilant Resolve
* Organization of the United States Marine Corps
* List of United States Marine Corps battalions

Notes

References

:Marine Corps

;Bibliography
*cite book
last =Condit
first =Kenneth W.
authorlink =
coauthors = Turnbladh, Edwin T.
title = Hold High the Torch - A History of the 4th Marines
publisher = Historical Branch, Headquarters Marine Corps
year = 1960
location = Washington D.C.
pages =
id =

;Web
* [http://www.29palms.usmc.mil/fmf/3-4/default.asp 3/4's official website]
* cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/09/03/MNG1NKUN0M1.DTL
title=Marine battalion heads to Iraq for fourth time. Tears flow as loved ones bid goodbye to unit members in Twentynine Palms
publisher=SFGate.com
accessdate=2006-09-21