The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9) is an infantry
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
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 ...
. Formed during World War I it served until the early 1990s when it was redesignated as
3rd Battalion, 4th Marines
3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed "Thundering Third". Nicknamed "Darkside," it is based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, and consist ...
(3/4) during a realignment and renumbering of the Marine Corps' infantry battalions, following the deactivation of the 9th Marine Regiment. The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines was initially a subordinate unit of the
9th Marine Regiment,
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 wit ...
, but was later operationally transferred to the
1st Marine Division as a subordinate unit of the
7th Marine Regiment where it remained until its redesignation as 3/4.
3/9 was reactivated under the 2nd Marine Division in May 2008 as the Marines expanded as a result of the continuing
War on Terror
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...
.
Current units
The battalion comprised four
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and m ...
companies, one weapons company and a headquarters and service company:
* Headquarters & Service Company
* India Company
* Kilo Company
* Lima Company
* Mike Company
* Weapons Company
History
On 20 November 1917, at Marine Barracks, Quantico, Virginia, the 3rd battalion 9th Marine Regiment was organized. With the end of hostilities, the need for the battalion evaporated, so the entire regiment embarked 10 April 1919 aboard USS ''Hancock'' for Philadelphia, where it arrived and unloaded 25 April. The same day, the unit officially disbanded.
World War II
3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment was reactivated on 12 February 1942, at
Camp Elliot,
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
, California as part of the
2nd Marine Division. The battalion was formed by a nucleus of officers and Marines from the
2nd Marine Regiment
The 2nd Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expeditionary Force.
C ...
. In September 1942, the battalion was relocated to
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 Oc ...
and reassigned to the
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 wit ...
. The battalion was initially deployed to Cape Paerata, New Zealand in February 1943 and then moved to
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the se ...
in July of that year.
3/9 participated in the following campaigns during World War Two:
Bougainville, Northern Solomons,
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic ce ...
, and
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...
. At Iwo Jima, 3/9 had the distinction of making the only battalion size unsupported, non-illuminated night attack against the Japanese in the
Pacific War. Attesting to the ferocity of combat on Iwo Jima, all 22 of the battalion's officers who landed on D-Day were killed or wounded by the end of the battle. For their service at Iwo Jima, the battalion received the Presidential Unit Citation. The battalion was disbanded on 31 October 1945.
Laotian crisis of 1962
On 19 May 1962 the
Battalion Landing Team 3/9 Marines began flying in to
Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base
Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base (Udorn RTAFB) is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base, the home of 23rd Wing Air Command. It is in the city of Udon Thani in northeastern Thailand and is the main airport serving the city and province.
The RTAF 2 ...
from
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populatio ...
as part of a buildup of US forces in Thailand in response to the worsening situation of the
Royal Lao Government
The Royal Lao Government was the ruling authority in the Kingdom of Laos from 1947 until the communist seizure of power in December 1975 and the proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic. The Franco-Lao Treaty of 1953 gave Laos full ...
in the
Laotian Civil War. The Marines were then moved north to the town of
Nong Khai
Nong Khai ( th, เทศบาลเมืองหนองคาย, ) is a city in northeast Thailand. It is the capital of Nong Khai province. Nong Khai city is located in Mueang Nong Khai district.
Nong Khai lies on the Mekong River, near ...
where they conducted field training exercises with the Royal Thai Army and civic action with Thai civilians. On 1 July with the situation in Laos stabilizing the Marines were flown from Udorn to the Philippines and then on to Okinawa.
Vietnam War
3/9 became the first battalion-sized ground combat unit to be deployed to Vietnam when they landed on 8 March 1965 in Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. Over the course of the next four and a half years, the battalion operated from
Da Nang
Nang or DanangSee also Danang Dragons ( ; vi, Đà Nẵng, ) is a class-1 municipality and the fifth-largest city in Vietnam by municipal population. It lies on the coast of the East Sea of Vietnam at the mouth of the Hàn River, and is o ...
,
An Hoa
An, AN, aN, or an may refer to:
Businesses and organizations
* Airlinair (IATA airline code AN)
* Alleanza Nazionale, a former political party in Italy
* AnimeNEXT, an annual anime convention located in New Jersey
* Anime North, a Canadian ...
and
Quảng Trị
Quảng Trị () is a district-level town in Quảng Trị Province in the North Central Coast region of Vietnam. It is second of two municipalities in the province after the provincial capital Đông Hà.
History
The Sino-Vietnamese name Qu� ...
and participated in over 40 combat operations, including
Operation Double Eagle,
Operation Buffalo and
Operation Dewey Canyon. The battalion
redeployed on 13 August 1969, after four years of continuous combat operations.
Kilo and India companies were deployed to
Bien Hoa Air Base
Bien Hoa Air Base (Vietnamese language, Vietnamese: ''Sân bay Biên Hòa'') is a Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) military airfield located in South-Central southern Vietnam about from Ho Chi Minh City, across the Dong Nai river in the northe ...
to provide ground support, for
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 ...
(MAG-12) in May 1972. They remained at Bien Hoa until January 1973.
Kilo Co.3/9 was deployed to Bien Hoa Vietnam from Okinawa on 22 May 1972, India Co. 3/9 relieved Kilo Co. on 26 August 1972 and remained at Bien Hoa until 3 Feb 1973. The last U.S. Marine killed in action before the war ended at 08:00 on 28 January 1973 (local) was PFC Mark Miller who was killed on 26 January 1973, listed as a member of MGAG-12, he was in fact a member of India Company 3/9 on temporary assignment to MAG-12.
3/9 was the Battalion on Float at the time of Operation Frequent Wind, on
Mount Fuji
, or Fugaku, located on the island of Honshū, is the highest mountain in Japan, with a summit elevation of . It is the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia (after Mount Kerinci on the island of Sumatra), and seventh-highes ...
, Japan doing cold weather training went the call came. They had to be flown back to Okinawa and loaded onto USS ''Denver'' and were involved with the evacuation of the VIP's and refugees until the very end.
The 1980s and 1990s
During 1986 though 1987 3/9 was commanded by LtCol
James L Jones who later became the
Commandant of the Marine Corps
The commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) is normally the highest-ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Joint Chiefs of Staff: composition; functions. The CMC reports directly to the sec ...
,
NATO Commander
''NATO Commander'' is a strategy video game designed by Sid Meier for the Atari 8-bit family and published in 1983 by MicroProse. Ports to the Apple II, and Commodore 64 were released the following year.
The player takes the role of the Supreme A ...
, and the
National Security Adviser.
During 1986 the battalion participated in the filming of
Heartbreak Ridge in
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 ...
, California and
Hamburger Hill while deployed to the Philippines. From March 1990 to April 1990 3/9 was deployed to Honduras, to train the Honduras Military to fight against Rebels from
Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean Sea, Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to ...
and
El Salvador
El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by ...
. During this time they were detached to the CIA who had a Base close to that border region. They were sent on patrols and participated when fired upon and they would defuse land mines placed around friendly villages who supported the Honduron Military.
Participated in
Operation Desert Shield
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
between August 1990 and January 1991.
Participated in
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 ...
between January 1991 and March 1991. There they participated in the
Battle of Kuwait International Airport
The Battle of Kuwait International Airport occurred on February 27, 1991, during the 1st Gulf War. It was a tank battle between the United States (as part of the Coalition of the Gulf War) and Iraq. Despite being a very large battle it is oft ...
.
Participated in
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 ...
between 1992 and 1993.
Deactivated on 2 September 1994 and redesignated
3rd Battalion 4th Marines
3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Nicknamed "Thundering Third". Nicknamed "Darkside," it is based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, and consi ...
.
2000s
On 7 December 2006,
Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...
released a message stating that 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines would be reactivated during 2008 as part of the continuing
Global War on Terror
The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...
.
On 20 May 2008, 3/9 was reactivated at
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune () is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( Wilmingt ...
,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia a ...
under the
2nd Marine Division.
In July 2009, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They came home within 3 months due to troop withdrawals in Iraq.
In December 2010, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While in Marjah, Helmand province the following Marines died 23 April 2011 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan: LCPL Dominic Ciaramitaro and SGT Sean Callahan.
The Marines and Sailors of 3/9 successfully fought the Taliban out of an area twice the size of what the previous secure areas of Marjah had been. The Marine and Sailors of 3rd battalion, 9th Marine Regiment returned to America in early July 2011.
In October 2012, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines deployed to Marjah, Helmand, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor is the highest
military decoration
Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a med ...
awarded by the United States. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself "... conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States ...".
The following table contains the names of the men who were recipients of the Medal of Honor while serving in 3/9. They are listed in accordance to the "Date of Action" in which the MoH citation was made.
Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines has been presented with the following awards:
Notable former members
*
Joe Fulks, served in Headquarters Company during World War II
*
Cody Nickson, served in Lima Company during OIF and STA during OEF
*
Steven Jacobson, served in Weapons Company during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield
See also
*
List of United States Marine Corps battalions
This is a list of current United States Marine Corps battalions, sorted by the mission they perform.
__TOC__
Active units
Ground Combat Element battalions
The ground combat element (GCE) consists of those combat and combat support units whose ...
*
Organization of the United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior Marine commissioned officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recr ...
References
;Notes
;Web
Official 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines website
;Bibliography
*
*
{{2ndMarDiv
Infantry battalions of the United States Marine Corps
Inactive units of the United States Marine Corps