12th Littoral Combat Team (12LCT) is a littoral combat team based at Camp Hansen, in Okinawa, Japan. Previously designated 1st Battalion, 4th Marines - an infantry

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

- of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

and based at

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by O ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. In January 2025, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines was deactivated. Its elements were subsequently reorganized into the 12th Littoral Combat Team and reestablished on March 3, 2025 as part of the

12th Marine Littoral Regiment The 12th Marine Littoral Regiment is a Littoral regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Camp Smedley Butler, Okinawa Island, Okinawa, Japan. Nicknamed "Thunder and Steel," the regiment falls un ...

, which operates under the

3rd Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division is a division (military), division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry division ...

Subordinate units

* Headquarters and Service Company *A Company *B Company *C Company *MMSL Battery

Mission

Conducts reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, employs and enables multi-domain fires, and establishes expeditionary sites in order to support the maritime campaign across the competition continuum.

History

Formation

The battalion was originally activated in April 1911 as the 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. The battalion first saw combat in November 1916 in the

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...

, where 1st Lieutenant Ernest Williams was awarded the battalion's first

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

. The mission in the Dominican Republic was to protect foreign lives and property and to provide the "muscle" for a military government whose strategic goal was to bring stability to the troubled island republic. In 1924, the battalion returned to its home base in

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

. During 1926 to 1927 the battalion guarded mail in a variety of outposts throughout the Western U.S. The period from February 1927 to November 1941 was the timeframe for the deployment of the battalion in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, which would leave an enduring mark on its history. This service in

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

earned the battalion the title "

China Marines The term China Marines, originally referred to the United States Marines of the 4th Marine Regiment, who were stationed in Shanghai, China from 1927 to 1941 to protect American citizens and their property in the Shanghai International Settleme ...

" and started the practice of using the Chinese dragon in different official and unofficial logos and mast heads. In November 1941 the battalion along with the entire 4th Marines deployed from China to the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

World War II

The outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

found the battalion serving as part of the U.S. Forces defending the Philippines. Ordered to the strategic island of

Corregidor Corregidor (, , ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of Cavite City and thus the province of Cavite. It is located west of Manila, the nation's capi ...

, the battalion fiercely defended their assigned sectors against overwhelming enemy forces. In the end, General Jonathan M. Wainwright,

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

, ordered the battalion to surrender, in an effort to save lives against the hopeless situation. After the surrender, the battalion ceased to exist. As prisoners the men would endure torture and incredible hardships. On 7 August 1942 the 1st Raider Battalion, assigned to the 1st Marine Division, landed on Tulagi in the

British Solomon Islands The British Solomon Islands Protectorate was first established in June 1893, when Captain Herbert Gibson of declared the southern Solomon Islands a British protectorate.''Commonwealth and Colonial Law'' by Kenneth Roberts-Wray, London, S ...

as the opening phases of the

Guadalcanal campaign The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by the United States, was an Allies of World War II, Allied offensive against forces of the Empire of Japan in the Solomon Islands during th ...

commenced. After Tulagi was captured, the Raiders were moved to Guadalcanal to defend Henderson Field. One of their most notable engagements was the "

Battle of Edson's Ridge The Battle of Edson's Ridge, also known as the Battle of the Bloody Ridge, Battle of Raiders Ridge, and Battle of the Ridge, was a land battle of the Pacific War, Pacific campaign of World War II between Imperial Japanese Army and Allies of Wo ...

", where the 1st Raiders scored a major victory over Japanese forces. For their heroic combat leadership, Colonel Merritt Edson and Major Kenneth Bailey were both awarded the Medal of Honor, the latter posthumously. On 1 February 1944 a new 1st Battalion, 4th Marines was activated by the redesignation of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion to 1st Battalion, 4th Marines. For the remainder of World War II the battalion would fight at two of the bloodiest campaigns in the Pacific,

Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...

and

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

. Corporal Richard E. Bush was awarded the Medal of Honor for his gallant actions on Okinawa. Of note, the 4th Marines, adopted the motto, "Hold High the Torch" during this period. This legendary phrase served as a symbolic pledge to the warriors of the old 4th Marines who were captured at Corregidor. From 1945 to 1952 the battalion would go through a series of deactivations and reactivations both overseas and in the U.S. The most notable service during this period was in China during 1946 where the battalion, belonging to the 6th Marine Division, participated in the occupation of North China. The battalion was deactivated in November 1947 and remained so until 1952. The battalion would spend the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

stationed in Camp Nara, Japan. In 1955, the battalion was transferred to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii and would serve in the 1st Marine Brigade.

Vietnam War

In the spring of 1965 the battalion deployed to combat in

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

. From 1965 to 1969 the battalion engaged in numerous conventional and counter-insurgency operations in the I Corps. Some of the major operations that 1/4 was involved in were

Operation Prairie Operation Prairie was a U.S. military operation in Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam that sought to eliminate People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Over the course of late 1965 and early 1966 the Viet ...

, Operation Beacon Hill, Operation Prairie IV, Operation Deckhouse IV, Operation Kentucky, Operation Purple Martin and

Operation Napoleon/Saline Operation Napoleon/Saline was a multi-Battalion operation conducted by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army along the Cửa Việt River south of the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone, DMZ in Quảng Trị Province. The operation ...

would be fought from places such as the

Rockpile Rockpile were a British rock band of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Noted for their strong pub rock, rockabilly and power pop influences, they were a foundational influence on new wave. The band consisted of Dave Edmunds (vocals, guitar), ...

, Camp Carroll,

Con Thien Con Thien (Vietnamese: Cồn Tiên, meaning the "Hill of Angels") was a military base that started out as a U.S. Army Special Forces camp before transitioning to a United States Marine Corps combat base. It was located near the Vietnamese De ...

and

Ca Lu Combat Base Ca Lu Combat Base (Vietnamese: ''Cà Lu'') was an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and United States Marine Corps base located on Highway or Route 9, near Krông Klang, Đa Krông District, western Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam. ...

. Corporal

Larry Maxam Larry Leonard Maxam (January 9, 1948 – February 2, 1968) was a United States Marine Corps, United States Marine who posthumous recognition, posthumously received the United States' highest military honor — the Medal of Honor — for her ...

and Private First Class Douglas Dickey both heroically gave their lives in Vietnam and were posthumously awarded the

for their brave actions. In November 1969 the battalion was redeployed to Okinawa and would also serve off the coast of Vietnam. The battalion participated in the rescue of the

SS Mayaguez SS ''Mayaguez '' was a U.S.- flagged container ship that is best known for its 12 May 1975 seizure by Khmer Rouge forces of Cambodia, which resulted in a confrontation with the United States at the close of the Vietnam War. Service history ...

in May 1975.

1980s

In 1977 the battalion moved to Twentynine Palms, CA and remained there until 1989. In 1988, after receiving Amphibious Assault Boat training at NSW Coronado, members of Bravo Company 1/4 from MCAGCC (Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center) 29 Palms, were deployed from May 1988 to Okinawa, Japan for additional helicopter "fast rope" ship insertion training, before being deployed to the Persian Gulf aboard the , and the MSB Hercules as members of III MEF/CMAGTF 3-88 during the Iran/Iraq War, in support of the Largest naval convoy operation since World War II, code named

Operation Earnest Will Operation Earnest Will (24 July 1987 – 26 September 1988) was an American military protection of Kuwaiti-owned tankers from Iranian attacks in 1987 and 1988, three years into the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War. It was the largest na ...

, which earned the members of Bravo Company 1/4 the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Bravo Company 1/4 returned to 29 Palms in December 1988, and 1st Battalion, 4th Marines 29 Palms were redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines 7th MEB (Marine Expeditionary Force), 29 Palms.

1990s

The battalion's history during the 1990s and into the 21st century was highlighted by expeditionary operations in support of national objectives in Southwest Asia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia and drug interdiction operations along the U.S. border. In January 1989 1st Battalion, 4th Marines were assigned to 1st Marines at Camp Horno, aboard Camp Pendleton. In August 1990 the battalion deployed aboard ship to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation

Desert Shield , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

Desert Storm , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

Afghanistan and Iraq

The

September 11 terrorist attacks The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...

led to the

United States invasion of Afghanistan Shortly after the September 11 attacks in 2001, the United States declared the war on terror and subsequently led a multinational military operation against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The stated goal was to dismantle al-Qaeda, which had exe ...

. In March 2002, as part of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Capable, the battalion served as a reserve force, for

Operation Anaconda Operation Anaconda or the Battle of Shah-i-Kot was a military operation that took place in early March 2002 as part of the War in Afghanistan. CIA paramilitary officers, working with their allies, attempted to destroy al-Qaeda and Taliban force ...

, and others, in support of the initial combat operations in Afghanistan. In March 2003 the battalion was part of the initial ground invasion in support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

. The battalion fought its way through Iraq conducting combat operations in the cities of An Nasiriyah,

Al Kut Kūt (), officially Al-Kut, also spelled Kutulamare, Kut al-Imara, or Kut Al Amara is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about south east of Baghdad, and the capital of the Wasit Governorate. the estimated populat ...

, Ah Numinayah, Abu Garaf, Hasan Al Hamzah (where Bravo Company lost Private First Class, Juan G. Garza), Ah Shatrah, Saddam City (Later Revolution City and Sadar City), Qalat Sakar,

Al Hillah Hillah ( ''al-Ḥillah''), also spelled Hilla, is a city in central Iraq. On the Hilla branch of the Euphrates River, it is south of Baghdad. The population was estimated to be about 455,700 in 2018. It is the capital of Babylon Province and is s ...

, Al Hayy, and

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

. In May 2004, the battalion with the

11th Marine Expeditionary Unit The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (11th MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently 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 p ...

, the battalion again returned to combat in Iraq for a 9-month deployment, which was highlighted by a major victory against insurgent forces in Najaf, after the fighting at Najaf cemetery, Bravo Company guarded Abu Ghanrib prison and supported

Operation Phantom Fury The Second Battle of Fallujah, initially codenamed Operation Phantom Fury, Operation al-Fajr (, ) was an American-led offensive of the Iraq War that began on 7 November 2004 and lasted about six weeks. A joint military effort of the United ...

. In 2005 elements of the battalion supported

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

disaster relief efforts in Mississippi and Louisiana. After the Hurricane relief, in 2006, the battalion deployed on the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of the Western Pacific Deployment and conducted training in Kuwait in support of OEF 6–7. From 2007 to 2009 the battalion conducted two more tours in Iraq, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. In spring of 2007 the battalion deployed to the Iraqi province of

Al Anbar Al Anbar Governorate (; ''muḥāfaẓat al-’Anbār''), or Anbar Province, is the largest governorate in Iraq by area. Encompassing much of the country's western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The population ...

conducting operations in Al Qaim region, centered around the cities of Husaybah, Rawa,

Anah Anah or Ana (, ), formerly also known as Anna, is an Iraqi town on the Euphrates approximately midway between the Gulf of Alexandretta and the Persian Gulf. Anah lies from west to east on the right bank along a bend of the river just before it tu ...

. The battalion conducted thousands of mounted and dismounted combat infantry patrols, ensuring that the population was able to conduct business, travel and move around freely in a secure environment. In addition, the battalion was also tasked with training the Iraqi National Police and Iraqi National Army on counter-insurgency tactics and techniques. In the fall of 2008, the battalion again deployed to Iraq province of Al Anbar, conducting combat and counter-insurgency operations in the war-torn city of

Fallujah Fallujah ( ) is a city in Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq. Situated on the Euphrates, Euphrates River, it is located roughly to the west of the capital city of Baghdad and from the neighboring city of Ramadi. The city is located in the region ...

and outlying districts. The battalion was one of the last infantry battalions of Marines to conduct combat operations in Iraq. In May 2010 the battalion attached to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of the Western Pacific deployment. During this deployment, the battalion executed the first anti-piracy in the Marine Corps in over 200 years by capturing the pirated motor vessel, Magellan Star. Additionally, the battalion supported humanitarian relief operations in response to the

2010 Pakistan floods The floods in Pakistan began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab (Pakistani province), Punjab and, Balochistan, Pakistan, Balochistan regions of Pakistan, which affected the Indus Riv ...

. In 2012 the battalion deployed to Okinawa, Japan as the ground combat element for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. The battalion successfully completed operations throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Highlights of this tour included exercises in Thailand, Korea and the Philippines. In February 2013, the battalion attached to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. In the spring of 2015 1/4 deployed in support of Marine Rotational Forces-Darwin to

Darwin, Northern Territory Darwin ( Larrakia: ') is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. The city has nearly 53% of the Northern Territory's population, with 139,902 at the 2021 census. It is the smallest, wettest, and most northerly of the Australi ...

, Australia. This deployment was the first reinforced Marine Battalion deployment to Australia. 1/4 is the Battalion Landing Team attached to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit augmented with attachments including a tank platoon, artillery battery, LARCompany, AAV Platoon, and CEB platoon. In March 2017, the battalion was deployed to Syria to provide artillery support with their

M777 howitzer The M777 howitzer is a British towed 155 mm artillery piece in the howitzer class. It is used by the ground forces of Australia, Canada, Colombia, India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and the United States. It was first used in combat during the Wa ...

s for forces seeking to eject

ISIL The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signif ...

forces from

Raqqa Raqqa (, also , Kurdish language, Kurdish: ''Reqa'') is a city in Syria on the North bank of the Euphrates River, about east of Aleppo. It is located east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam. The Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine city and b ...

. In late July 2020, personnel from the unit, attached to 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, were training with their

Amphibious Assault Vehicle The Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAVP-7A1 (formerly known as Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel-7 abbr. LVTP-7)—is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by BAE Systems Platforms & Services (prev ...

s near

San Clemente Island San Clemente Island (Tongva: ''Kinkipar''; Spanish: ''Isla de San Clemente'') is the southernmost of the Channel Islands of California. It is owned and operated by the United States Navy, and is a part of Los Angeles County. It is administer ...

off the coast of

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

. A mishap resulted in the loss of eight Marines and one Sailor. In October of that same year, the commanding general of

1st 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 i ...

, Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl, relieved the commanding officer of the unit, Lt. Col. Michael J. Regner, because of a "loss in trust and confidence in his ability to command" as a result of that accident. In January 2021, Battalion Landing Team 1/4, as part of the 15th MEU provided security ashore in Somalia and quick reaction force support from the sea during the execution of USAFRICOM Operation OCTAVE QUARTZ.

Redesignation as a Littoral Combat Team

On January 10, 2025 the battalion was redesignated as 12th Littoral Combat Team, 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division.

Medal of Honor recipients

Dominican Republic recipients

*Brigadier General Roswell Winans received the

for his actions in Guayacanas on 3 July 1916. First Sergeant Winans, at that time, drove back entrenched enemy forces during the line of march. *First Lieutenant

Ernest Calvin Williams Ernest Calvin Williams (August 2, 1887 – July 31, 1940) was a United States Marine Corps officer who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on November 29, 1916, during the Battle of San Francisco de Macoris. Then 1st Lt Williams, lead ...

received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the U.S. occupation of the Dominican Republic on 29 November 1916. Williams over took a prison against hostile forces at San Francisco de Macoris while commanding only a dozen men.

World War II recipients

*Corporal Richard E. Bush received the

for his actions during the

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa Island, Okinawa by United States Army and United States Marine Corps forces against the Imperial Japanese Army during the Pacific War, Impe ...

, 16 April 1945. *Major Kenneth D. Bailey received the Medal of Honor posthumously for heroic conduct during action during the

Battle of Guadalcanal The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by the United States, was an Allied offensive against forces of the Empire of Japan in the Solomon Islands during the Pacific Theater of W ...

in the

Solomon Islands Solomon Islands, also known simply as the Solomons,John Prados, ''Islands of Destiny'', Dutton Caliber, 2012, p,20 and passim is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 1000 smaller islands in Melanesia, part of Oceania, t ...

. For extraordinary courage and heroic conduct above and beyond the call of duty as

commanding officer The commanding officer (CO) or commander, or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually give ...

of Company C during the enemy Japanese attack on Henderson Field. *Major General Merritt A. Edson for extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands on the night of 13–14 September 1942.

Vietnam War recipients

*Corporal Larry L. Maxam was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on 2 February 1968 while participating in Operation Kentucky. Cpl Maxam single-handedly defended half of the perimeter of Cam Lo District Headquarters, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam against heavy enemy attack. *Private First Class Douglas E. Dickey received the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions while participating in Operation Beacon Hill 1, 26 March 1967. PFC Dickey threw himself upon a grenade, absorbing with his body the full and complete force of the explosion.

Notable members

William R. Higgins William Richard Higgins (January 15, 1945 – July 31, 1989) was a United States Marine Corps Colonel (United States), colonel who was captured in Lebanon in 1988 while serving on a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission. He was held hosta ...

, B Company Commander during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

* Seth W. Moulton, U.S. Representative for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District; 2020 Democratic Presidential Primary candidate *

Karl Marlantes Karl Arthur Marlantes (born December 24, 1944) is an American author and Vietnam War veteran. He has written four books: '' Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War'' (2010), ''What It Is Like to Go to War'' (2011), ''Deep River'' (20 ...

, Author and Navy Cross recipient *

Randy Orton Randal Keith Orton (born April 1, 1980) is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. He has been signed to WWE since 2000, where he performs on the SmackDown (WWE brand), SmackDown brand. Orton is widely regarded as one of t ...

, Professional Wrestler and Actor

Sergeants Major of the Marine Corps

* The 9th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Leland D. Crawford (retired) served in 1st Battalion 4th Marines, Alpha Company, from June 1967 to June 1968 in Republic of Vietnam. * The 12th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Harold G. Overstreet (retired) served in 1st Battalion 4th Marines, Bravo and Charlie Company, from March 1981 to August 1983 onboard MCAGCC Twenty-nine Palms California. * The 13th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Lewis G. Lee (retired) served in 1st Battalion 4th Marines, Alpha Company, from August 1968 to June 1969 in Republic of Vietnam. * The 17th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps

Micheal Barrett Micheal P. "Mike" Barrett (born April 5, 1963) is a retired United States Marine who served as the 17th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, succeeding Carlton W. Kent on June 9, 2011. As the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Barrett was the hi ...

served in 1st Battalion 4th Marines, Bravo Company, from November 1981 to August 1984 onboard MCAGCC Twenty-nine Palms, California.

Gallery

1st_Battalion_4th_Marines_Insignia.png, Insignia for 1st Battalion, 4th Marines

Battalion honors

During its history, the 1st Battalion 4th Marines has received these honors. * United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon

Presidential Unit Citation-3 Bronze Stars * Presidential Unit Citation (Army)-1 Bronze Oak Leaf * Joint Meritorious Unit Citation * Navy/Marine Unit Citation-2 Bronze Stars * Navy/Marine Meritorious Unit Citation-1 Bronze Star * Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal * Yangtze Service Streamer-1 Bronze star *

China Service Medal The China Service Medal was a service medal awarded to U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel. The medal was instituted by Navy Department General Order No. 176 on 1 July 1942. The medal recognized service in and around China befo ...

-1 Bronze Star * American Defense-1 Bronze Star * Asiatic-Pacific Service-1

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

, 2 Bronze Stars * World War II Victory * Navy Occupation-Asia Device *

National Defense National security, or national defence (national defense in American English), is the security and defence of a sovereign state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government. Originally conceived ...

-2 Bronze Stars * Korean Service *

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John F. Kennedy. The medal is awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who, a ...

* Vietnam Service * South West Asia-3 Bronze Stars *

Humanitarian Service Medal The Humanitarian Service Medal (HSM) is a military service medal of the United States Armed Forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under . The medal may be awarded to members of the United States military (incl ...

Philippine Defense Medal The Philippine Defense Medal is a military award and decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which is awarded to recognize the initial resistance against Japanese invasion between 8 December 1941 and 15 June 1942. The award was first created ...

-1 Bronze Star *

Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation The Philippine Presidential Unit citation BadgeThe AFP Adjutant General, ''Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1997, OTAG, p. 65. is a unit decoration of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to certain units of the United States ...

Vietnam Gallantry Cross The Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross also known as the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross or Vietnam Cross of Gallantry () is a military decoration of the former Government of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam). The medal was created on August 15, 1 ...

Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions * Kuwait Liberation (Saudi Arabia) * Kuwait Liberation (Kuwait)

Notes

References

;Bibliography *

External links

1st Battalion, 4th Marines official website

1st Battalion 4th Marines Fan Page

1st Battalion 4th Marines 3rd Division Veterans Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:12th Littoral Combat Team Military units and formations of the United States Marine Corps