4th Assault Amphibian Battalion

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion


caption= 4th AAV's Insignia
dates= August 19, 1943 - present
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=USMC
type= Mechanized battalion
role= Amphibious assault
size=
command_structure=4th Marine Division
Marine Forces Reserve
current_commander=
garrison=Tampa Bay, Florida
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname= 4th Tracks
patron=
motto= YATYAS
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= World War II
* Battle of Kwajalein
* Battle of Guam
* Battle of Okinawa
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

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.

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.

Current units

History

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.

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 1970s and 1980s.

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

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 February 2003. On March 18, 2003 - hours after President George W. 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.

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

ee also

* List of United States Marine Corps battalions
* Organization of the United States Marine Corps

Notes

References

:Marine Corps

;Web
* [http://www.marforres.usmc.mil/4thmardiv/4thAAV/ 4th AAV's official website]

External links

* [http://unitpages.military.com/unitpages/unit.do?id=844617 4th AAV Battalion's unit page on military.com]