3rd Battalion, 6th Marines
3rd Battalion 6th Marines | |
---|---|
2nd Marine Division | |
Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune |
Nickname(s) | "Teufel Hunden" (Devil Dogs) |
Motto(s) | “Discipline” |
Engagements | World War I
|
Commanders | |
Current commander | LtCol Mark P. Paige |
3rd Battalion, 6th Marines (3/6) is an
Subordinate units
- H&S Company
- India Company
- Kilo Company
- Lima Company
- Weapons Company
History
World War I
3rd Battalion 6th Marines was activated on August 14, 1917, at
3/6 was reactivated June 14, 1922, at Quantico, Virginia, as the 3rd Battalion, 6th Regiment and assigned to the 4th Brigade. They participated in maneuvers at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, June–July 1922 and attached to the Marine Corps Expeditionary Force. They were shortly thereafter deactivated August 10, 1922, at Quantico, Virginia
Again reactivated June 12, 1924, at Santo Domingo,
World War II
3/6 was again reactivated on November 1, 1940, in San Diego, California, as the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines and assigned to the 2nd Marine Brigade. In the spring of 1941 they deployed to
Deployed during October–November 1942 to
Post-World War II
3/6 was again brought back on October 17, 1949, on board USS Fremont and assigned to the 2nd Marine Division. The battalion relocated during August 1950 to Camp Pendleton, California and once again were deactivated September 11, 1950. 3/6 was quickly reactivated September 12, 1950, at
1958-2000
- Participated in the Landings in Lebanon, July–October 1958
- Participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, October–December 1962
- Participated in Operation Power Pack, Dominican Republic, April–May 1965
- Participated in reinforcement of naval base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, October–November 1979
- 1982 3/6 Became the First Reorganized Rifle Bn. (SOC) Special Operations Capable in The Marine Corps.
- Kilo company participated in Operation Just Cause, Panama, December 1989-January 1990
- Participated in Southwest Asia, December 1990-April 1991
- Participated in , January–March 1994
- Participated preparations for Operation Uphold Democracy, Haiti, July–August 1994
- Participated in Operation Sea Signal, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, January–March 1995
- Participated in Southwest Asia, February–March 1998
Global War on Terror
The battalion participated in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan & Pakistan from November 2001 until February 2002. During this time they assisted in the capture and defense of Kandahar Airfield and as well as the defense of the American Embassy in Kabul in December 2001.
From the summer of 2002 to March 2004, the battalion functioned as the Marine Corps Anti-Terrorism Battalion known as the 4th MEB deploying forces in support of Combined Joint Task Force-180 to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Joint Task Force-GTMO in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa in Djibouti.
In March 2004 the battalion resumed their function as an infantry battalion and deployed to eastern Afghanistan from April 2004 to December 2004 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
In August 2005, 3/6 made their first deployment to
Marines from the battalion also took part in
In January 2007, 3/6 deployed to the Al Anbar province at Camp Habbaniyah; operating from western Ramadi to eastern/southern Fallujah. They returned from a 7-month deployment on August 12, 2007,
In April 2008, 3/6 deployed to the Al Anbar province at Camp Baharia; near Fallujah, under
Operation Enduring Freedom
In January 2010, 3/6 deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During this time the battalion participated in Operation Moshtarak, securing and operating in the north of Marjah. They returned from this deployment in August 2010. In June 2011, 3/6 re-deployed again to Marjah and its surrounding areas.[1]
In December 2014, 3/6 deployed to the Mediterranean in support of the 24th MEU. They returned from this deployment in June 2015.
Operation Inherent Resolve
In February 2017, 3/6 deployed again on the 24th MEU. A platoon from each company deployed to Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in order to clear IS militants from Ar Raqqah, Syria.
Battalion Indian head patch
During
General Lejeune himself gave a somewhat different history as to the origin of the patch in his 1930 autobiography "The Reminiscences of a Marine." He states; "There was no inferiority complex about the Second Division. We knew that we were second to none, but also that we were better than any! So we adopted the star and Indian head as Division Insignia, the Indian head representing its fighting ability, and the star its spirit or espirit de corps. It was, I think, the First Division of the A.E.F. (
"We carried the idea out, too, to its logical conclusion by providing a different background for each regiment, each Battalion, and each separate detachment."
The Sixth Marine Regiment used the same design in a diamond shape instead of a shield. The color of the background on which the star was placed shows the battalion: black, headquarters; green, supply; purple, machine-gun company; red,
Notable former members
- Joseph F. Dunford, Jr.
- Daniel Daly
Honors & awards
The unit has received the following awards:[2]
- Presidential Unit CitationStreamer
- Tarawa 1943
- Operation Moshtarak, Marjah 2010
- bronze stars
- Dominican Republic1965
- Panama1989-1990
- Southwest Asia1990-1991
- Afghanistan 2001-2002
- Husaybah/Fallujah 2007
- Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer with two bronze star
- Guantanamo Bay 1979, 1985–1987
- LF5F Med. Deployment 1999-2000
- silver star
- Army of Occupation of Germany streamer
- Marine Corps Expeditionary streamer with two bronze stars
- Yangtze Service streamer
- American Defense Service streamer with one bronze star
- European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign streamer
- Asiatic-Pacific campaign streamer with one silver and one bronze star
- World War II Victory streamer
- Navy Occupation Service streamer with "Asia" and "Europe"
- National Defense Service streamer with two bronze stars
- Southwest Asia Service streamer with two bronze stars
- Armed Forces Expeditionary streamer with two bronze stars
- Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze stars
- Iraq Campaign Medal with four bronze stars
- Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- French Croix de Guerre with two palms and one gilt star
- French Fourragère
See also
References
- ^ 3/6 arrives in Helmand province; prepare to integrate with ANA
- ^ "Honors & Lineage". Retrieved 31 December 2018.
Sources
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
Bibliography
- Henry, Mark R. (1999). US Marine Corps in World War I 1917-18. New York: Osprey Publishing Company. ISBN 1-85532-852-6.