III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the

Marine Air-Ground Task Force Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined a ...

of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) to amphibious assault and high-intensity combat. It maintains a forward presence in Japan and

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

to support the

Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan The , more commonly known as the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty in English and as the or just in Japanese, is a treaty that permits the presence of U.S. military bases on Japanese soil, and commits the two nations to defend each other if one or th ...

(1960) and other alliance relationships of the United States. III MEF also conducts combined operations and training throughout the region in support of the National Security Strategy for Theater Security Cooperation. The

Marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...

and

sailors A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...

of III MEF engage in more than 65 combined, bilateral and multilateral training exercises annually throughout the Asia-Pacific region, in countries including treaty allies Japan,

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

, the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, and Australia. These exercises build partner capacity, develop and maintain strong regional alliances and military-to-military contacts. These exercises prepare III MEF to conduct operations ranging from major

combat operations Combat operations area - process is undertaken by armed forces during military campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements to facilitate the setting of objectives, direction of combat, and assessment of the operation plan's success. Th ...

to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. III MEF has played a significant role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions throughout the region. The MEF assisted the relief efforts led by the Government of Japan during

Operation Tomodachi was a United States Armed Forces (especially U.S. Forces Japan) assistance operation to support Japan in disaster relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The operation took place from 12 March to 4 May 2011; involved 24,000 U ...

after the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six mi ...

. III MEF also conducted HA/DR missions in

in October 2011, the

in October 2010, and Indonesia in October 2009.III MEF Lineage and Honors, USMC History Division Most recently in response to the resulting

humanitarian crisis A humanitarian crisis (or sometimes humanitarian disaster) is defined as a singular event or a series of events that are threatening in terms of health, safety or well-being of a community or large group of people. It may be an internal or extern ...

from Typhoon Haiyan which struck the Philippines in 2013, III MEF activated as Joint Task Force 505 to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in support of the Philippine government.DoD News, "Joint Task Force 505 Activates for Operation Damayan" More than 2,495 tons of relief supplies were delivered, and over 21,000 people were evacuated.Lum and Margesson, "Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster"

Mission

Commanded by a

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

with its headquarters at

Camp Courtney is a U.S. Marine Base located in Uruma City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the larger Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler and home to the III Marine Expeditionary Force, 3rd Marine Division, and 3d MEB Headquarters. It is name ...

, III MEF's mission is to provide forward based and deployed forces to the commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, to conduct Phase 0 engagement and theater security cooperation events, support contingencies and emergent requirements, and prepare to rapidly execute existing operations plans in support of the theater and national military strategies. III MEF is organized as a

Marine Air Ground Task Force Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined ar ...

(MAGTF) to provide a rapidly deployable, flexible self-contained fighting force. The Marines combine air, ground, and logistics forces to operate as a coherent, self-sufficient force. Each mission dictates the MAGTF's scale and structure, giving the Marine Corps the flexibility to respond to any crisis and making a "force in readiness." A MEF is the largest of all MAGTFs.

History

III Marine Expeditionary Force was activated as I Amphibious Corps 1 October 1942 in Camp Elliott, San Diego, California. Later that month, they were deployed to Noumea, New Caledonia. The unit was redesignated as III Amphibious Corps 15 April 1944. III Amphibious Corps was deactivated on 10 June 1946. III Marine Expeditionary Force was activated 6 May 1965 at Da Nang,

Republic of Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of t ...

. III MEF was re-designated to III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) 7 May 1965. III Marine Amphibious Force deployed to

Okinawa is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

April 1971. III MAF was redesignated to III Marine Expeditionary Force 5 February 1988.

World War II

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, III MEF was known as I Marine Amphibious Corps. It was renamed III Amphibious Corps on 15 April 1944, and took part in fighting against the Japanese Empire in the Pacific theater during World War II. It fought in some of the bloodiest battles, including the

Solomon Islands campaign The Solomon Islands campaign was a major campaign of the Pacific War of World War II. The campaign began with Japanese landings and occupation of several areas in the British Solomon Islands and Bougainville, in the Territory of New Guinea, ...

, the

Mariana and Palau Islands campaign The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November 1944 du ...

and the

Volcano and Ryukyu Islands campaign The Volcano and Ryūkyū Islands campaign was a series of battles and engagements between Allied forces and Imperial Japanese forces in the Pacific Ocean campaign of World War II between January and June 1945. The campaign took place in the ...

(namely the Battle of Okinawa). III Amphibious Corps redeployed to Tientsin, China, in September 1945, where it participated in the occupation of Northern China until June 1946. III Amphibious Corps was deactivated on 10 June 1946. III MAF Hq 123 ENHANCED

Vietnam War

III MEF was reactivated 6 May 1965 in Da Nang,

under Major General William R. Collins. 7 May 1965, III MEF was re-designated as III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) and consisted of the

1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). It is th ...

3rd Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry divisions in the Marine Corps and together with th ...

and the

1st Marine Aircraft Wing The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan. A ...

. The III MAF's area of operations was in the northern I Corps Tactical Zone. III MAF participated in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

from May 1965 – April 1971 operating from Quang Tri, Thua Thien, Quang Nam, Quang Tin, and Quang Ngai. III MAF deployed to Camp Courtney, Okinawa in April 1971.

1990s–2010s

Since III MAF was redesignated to III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) 5 February 1988, they have participated in many different operations. These operations include the Persian Gulf War's

Operation Desert Shield The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

, as well as

Operation Provide Comfort Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations initiated by the United States and other Coalition nations of the Persian Gulf War, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurdish refugees fleeing their homes in northern I ...

Southwest Asia Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes Ana ...

and

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...

from Sept. 1990 – April 1991 and May–June 1991. III MEF elements have also played a vital role in

Operation Sea Angel Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

from May–June 1991; Operation Fiery Vigil in the

June 1991;

Operation Restore Hope The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative (code-named Operation Restore Hope), U ...

and

Operation Continue Hope The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative (code-named Operation Restore Hope), U ...

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...

from December 1992 to March 1994. III MEF elements have also had a significant impact on the Iraq War's Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as the Global War on Terrorism's

Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...

. One of the biggest roles III MEF plays in the Asia-Pacific region is humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR). III MEF elements participated in

Operation Unified Assistance Operation Unified Assistance was the American military's humanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. On 28 December 2004, elements of the Combined Support Force were deployed to U-Tapao International Airport in Thailand ...

in response to the

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater exp ...

disaster in Southeast Asia from December 2004 to February 2005. III MEF has also assisted with the

2005 Kashmir earthquake The 2005 Kashmir earthquake occurred at on 8 October in Pakistani-administered Azad Kashmir. It was centred near the city of Muzaffarabad, and also affected nearby Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some areas of Indian-administered Jammu an ...

response from October 2005 to March 2006;

Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

mudslide response in March and April 2006; 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake response in May and June 2006; Legazpi

typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...

recovery in March 2007; 2007 Solomon Islands earthquake and

response in April 2007;

Operation Sea Angel II Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

from November to December 2007; Operation Caring Response in

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...

from May and June 2008;

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

typhoon relief in August 2009; Philippine typhoon and Indonesian earthquake relief in October 2009; Philippine typhoon relief in October 2010;

in May 2011; Thailand flood relief from October through November 2011; and Philippine typhoon relief in December 2012 and again in November 2013.Manning, "Constant Vigilance readies Kinser, community for disaster response"

Structure

III US Marine Expeditionary Force - Organization 2021

III Marine Expeditionary Force, together with

I Marine Expeditionary Force The I Marine Expeditionary Force ("I" pronounced "One") is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group. It is ...

, makes up Marine Forces, Pacific.

Units

* Ground combat element:

* Aviation combat element:

* Logistics combat element: 3rd Marine Logistics Group * Command element: III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group (MIG) ** III MEF Support Battalion ** 3rd Intelligence Battalion ** 3rd Radio Battalion ** 7th Communication Battalion ** 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) *

3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade is a United States Marine Corps unit that is the "middleweight" crises response force of choice in the Pacific Area of Operation. It is the Marine Corps’ only permanently forward-deployed Brigade sized Marin ...

31st Marine Expeditionary Unit The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 Marines and ...

III MEF Band

As the Eastern Hemisphere’s sole musical representative of the United States Marine Corps, the III MEF Band enjoys a busy schedule filled with performances across Okinawa and throughout the Far East each year. The band capitalizes on this unique position by making it a priority to present community outreach performances and participating in international military band festivals in South Korea, Tokyo, and Kumamoto, Japan. Consisting of musicians trained in a variety of musical styles, the III MEF Band is able to provide a number of small ensembles for civilian events, including brass and woodwind quintets, jazz combo, rock band, and brass band. The band was awarded the title of ''2018 Marine Corps Band of the Year'' in February 2018. The following comprises the leadership of the band: * Officer in Charge/Band Director – CWO3 DeMarius Jackson * Bandmaster – Master Gunnery Sergeant J. Michael Stanley *Instrument Repair Technician – Gunnery Sergeant Neil Loaiza *Enlisted Conductor – Staff Sergeant Wayne Geary * Drum Major – Gunnery Sergeant Robert Brooks *Small Ensemble Leader – Gunnery Sergeant Michael Newell Uniquely, the band has its own mascot, which helps represent the band when on parade. The history of the use of a mascot dates back to 1974, when the Commanding General of the

presented a

Golden Retriever The Golden Retriever is a Scottish breed of retriever dog of medium size. It is characterised by a gentle and affectionate nature and a striking golden coat. It is commonly kept as a pet and is among the most frequently registered breeds ...

to the 1st MAW Band. Since then, four mascots have served the III MEF Band. Since November of 2012, Sgt Chopper V has continued this unique tradition.

Gallery

Locations and units

Japan

Okinawa

* Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler *

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 3,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and other units, and has been a U.S. military ai ...

* III Marine Expeditionary Force Command Element (III MEF CE) * III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (III MHG) *III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters and Service Company (III MEF HQSVC) *

(3rd MEB) *

(3rd MarDiv) *

(1st MAW) * 3rd Marine Logistics Group (3rd MLG) *

(31st MEU)

Honshu

Camp Fuji Combined Arms Training Center (CATC) Camp Fuji is an installation of the United States Marine Corps next to the Japan Ground Self Defense Force JGSDF Camp Takigahara ( ja, 滝ヶ原駐屯地). It is located near the city of Gotemba in Shizuoka ...

Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni is a United States Marine Corps air station located in the Nishiki river delta, southeast of Iwakuni Station in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. History The Japanese government bought a large portion of what is today MCAS Iw ...

Marine Aircraft Group 12 Marine Aircraft Group 12 (MAG-12) is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing fighter and assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), itself an integral part of th ...

* Combat Logistics Company 36

United States

Hawaii

* Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay *

3rd Marine Regiment The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment is a regiment of the United States Marine Corps that is optimized for littoral maneuver in the Indo-Pacific Theater. Based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the regiment falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Divi ...

Marine Aircraft Group 24 Marine Aircraft Group 24 (MAG-24) is a United States Marine Corps aviation unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay. MAG-24 is subordinate to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF). Mission Pr ...

Combat Logistics Battalion 3 3d Littoral Logistics Battalion (3d LLB) is a logistics battalion in the United States Marine Corps. They are headquartered at Marine Corps Base Hawaii and fall under the command of 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment and the 3rd Marine Division (3d Ma ...

* Combat Logistics Company 33 * Combat Logistics Company 35

South Korea

* Camp Mujuk

List of commanders

Awards and decorations

Notable former members

* William R. Collins, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1965 * Robert E. Cushman Jr., commanding general in the Vietnam War 1967–1969 * Leo J. Dulacki, served as chief of staff in the Vietnam War 1969–1970 *

Roy Geiger General Roy Stanley Geiger (January 25, 1885 – January 23, 1947) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War I and World War II. In World War II, he became the first Marine Corps general to lead a field army. Geig ...

, commanding general in World War II * Carl W. Hoffman, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1974–1975 * William G. Joslyn served as chief of staff in the Vietnam War 1970–1971 *

Keith B. McCutcheon Keith Barr McCutcheon (August 10, 1915 – July 13, 1971) was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps, Marine Corps General (United States), four-star general and aviator seeing combat in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam Wa ...

, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1970–1971 * Herman Nickerson Jr., commanding general in the Vietnam War 1960–1970 *

Earl S. Piper Earl Sanford Piper (February 14, 1905 – July 7, 1979) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. A veteran of the Nicaraguan Campaign, Piper distinguished himself under fire and receive ...

, served as logistics officer in North China 1945–1946 * Jonas M. Platt, served as chief of staff in the Vietnam War 1965–1966 * Herman Poggemeyer Jr., commanding general in the Vietnam War 1973–1974 * Donn J. Robertson, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1970–1972 * Michael P. Ryan, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1973 * Lawrence F. Snowden, served as operations officer in the Vietnam War 1966–1967 * Rathvon M. Tompkins, served as deputy commander in the Vietnam War 1968 * William J. Van Ryzin, served as deputy commander in the Vietnam War 1968 * Lewis William Walt, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1965–1967 * Herbert L. Wilkerson, served as operations officer in the Vietnam War 1970 * Carl A. Youngdale, served as deputy commander in the Vietnam War 1968–1969

Gallery

File:III MEF LOGO.jpg, File:USMC III Phib Corps Large.png

Notes

;Citations ;References used * * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:003 03 1942 establishments in the United States 1946 in the United States 1965 establishments in the United States Corps of the United States Marine Corps Military units and formations disestablished in 1946 Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations established in 1965

Mission

History

World War II

Vietnam War

1990s–2010s

Structure

Units

III MEF Band

Gallery

Locations and units

Japan

Okinawa

Honshu

United States

Hawaii

South Korea

List of commanders

Awards and decorations

Notable former members

Gallery

See also

Notes

External links