Third Battalion, Fifth Marines along with the 5th Marine Regiment, was first organized on 8 June, 1917 as the United States prepared for World War I. Six days later, the Battalion, manned by Spanish War and Boxer Rebellion veterans along with a large number of raw recruits, set sail for France. Campaigns and battles such as Bois de Belleau, Vierzy, Chateau Theirry, Pont-a-Mousson, Limey Sector, Fleury, Muese Argonne, Blano Mont, St Michiei, Leffincourt and Soissons proved to the world that the Battalion knew how to fight.
The French Government recognized the fighting ability of the young Battalion by presenting it the Crois De 'Guerre along with the Fourragere and changing the name of a French landmark, Belleau Wood, to "Bois de la Brigade de Marine" or Wood of the Marine Brigade". In August 1919 the Battalion was deactivated following World War I and less than two years later, in May 1921, the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines was reactivated. For the next several years, men of the 3rd Battalion served in the Caribbean and at home, guarding the U.S. Mail.
In March 1927, the 3rd Battalion deployed to Nicaragua to help stabilize the government against overthrow attempts by rebel forces. For the next six years, the Battalion aided the Nicaraguan Government until peace was finally restored. The victory won, the 3rd Battalion was once again disbanded on January 1933.
In November 1934, the 3rd Battalion was reactivated for the fourth time, only to be deactivated in March 1935. Shortly before World War II in April of 1940, 3rd Battalion was again reactivated. The fighting in World War II found the Marines of 3rd Battalion at Guadalcanal, New Guinea, Peleliu, and Okinawa. In April 1946, their mission accomplished, 3rd Battalion was disbanded and most of the Pacific Veterans returned to civilian life.
During October of 1949, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines was activated in Guam. During August 1950, the Battalion deployed to fight the Communist force invading the Republic of Korea. Names such as the Pusan Perimeter, Inchon, Seoul and Chosin Reservoir were added to the Battalion's battle vocabulary. At the close of hostilities, the 3rd Battalion returned to the United States, settling at Camp Pendleton as part of the free world forces poised for deployment anywhere their fighting experience was needed.
From June 1966 to March 1971, the 3rd Battalion was again in the heat of battle, this time in Vietnam. New names found their way into me Battalion's history: Chu-Lai, DaNang, Quang Nam, Que Son, An Hoa and Ross Combat Base became engraved in the memories of a different generation of Marines.
On 1 December, 1990, the Battalion answered the country's call and deployed to the Middle East in Support of Operation Desert Shield as a Battalion Landing Team, with the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade. As part of the largest amphibious task force assembled since Vietnam, and augmented with reserves from 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion and 4th Tank Battalion, 3rd Battalion distinguished itself in combat operations in Al Wafrah, Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. Enroute home from hostilities, 3rd Battalion participated in Operation Sea Angel, moving critical food and supplies to the cyclone ravaged country of Bangladesh.
3rd Battalion has been serving in Southwest Asia in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Battalion was deployed in 2003 for the push to Baghdad to oust Saddam Hussein. The Battalion was again deployed in 2004 to capture the city of Fallujah from insurgent’s control. In November 2004, the Battalion, along with several other units, participated in Operation Phantom Fury and was part of one of the biggest battles in Iraq thus far.
3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, because of its pride and professionalism in combat, has accumulated seventy-seven decorations; which solidify its battle tested colors. 3rd Battalion continually trains to maintain combat readiness in the event their nation requires their combat services.
1917 - 1919
ACTIVATED 1 JUNE 1917 AT PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AS THE 3D BATTALLION, 5TH REGIMENT
DEPLOYED DURING JUNE-JULY 1917 TO FRANCE
PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR I OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGNS
AISNE
AISNE-MARNE
ST. MIHIEL
MEUSE-ARGONNE
PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR I DEFENSIVE CAMPAIGNS
TOULON-TROYON
CHATEAU-THIERRY
MARBACHE
LIMEY
PARTICIPATED FROM DECEMBER 1918 TO JULY 1919 IN THE OCCUPATION OF THE GERMAN RHINELAND RELOCATED DURING AUGUST 1919 TO QUANTICO, VIRGINIA
DEACTIVATED 13 AUGUST 1919 AT QUANTICO, VIRGINIA
1921 - 1930
REACTIVATED 17 MAY 1921 AT QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AS THE 3D BATTALION, 5TH REGIMENT, 4TH BRIGADE DEPLOYED DURING AUGUST-SEPTEMBER1921 TO BALBOA, CANAL ZONE
RELOCATED DURING SEPTEMBER 1921 TO QUANTICO, VIRGINIA
ELEMENTS OF THE BATTALION PARTICIPATED IN MAIL GUARD DUTY IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES, NOVEMBER 1921 - MAY 1927
DEPLOYED DURING FEBRUARY-MARCH 1927 TO NICARAGUA
DEACTIVATED 12 APRIL 1930 IN NICARAGUA
1940 - 1946
REACTIVATED 1 APRIL 1949 AT QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AS THE 3D BATTALION 5TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE BRIGADE, FLEET MARINE FORCE DEPLOYED DURING SEPTEMBER 1940 TO GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA
REDESIGNATED 1 FEBRUARY 1941 AS THE 3D BATTALION, 5TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE RELOCATED DURING APRIL 1941 TO QUANTICO, VIRGINIA
RELOCATED DURING SEPTEMBER 1941 TO NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA
DEPLOYED DURING MAY-JUNE 1942 TO WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II CAMPAIGNS
GUADALCANAL
NEW GUINEA
NEW BRITIAN
PELELIU
OKINAWA
DEPLOYED DURING SEPTEMBER 1945 TO TANGKU, CHINA
DEACTIVATED 15 APRIL 1946 IN CHINA
1949 - 1959
REACTIVATED 15 OCTOBER 1949 ON GUAM AS THE 3D BATTALION, 5TH MARINES, 1ST MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE RELOCATED DURING JANUARY 1950 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA
DEPLOYED DURING AUGUST 1950 TO KOREA
PARTICIPATED IN THE KOREAN WAR, AUGUST 1950 - JULY 1953, OPERATING FROM
PUSAN PERIMETER
INCHON-SEOUL
CHOSIN RESERVOIR
EAST CENTRAL FRONT
WESTERN FRONT
PARTICIPATED IN THE DEFENSE OF THE KOREAN DEMILITARIZED ZONE,
JULY 1953 FEBRUARY 1955
RELOCATED DURING MARCH 1955 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA
1960 - 1996
REDEPLOYED DURING FEBRUARY 1960 TO CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, AND ASSIGNED TO
THE 3D MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE RELOCATED DURING JANUARY 1961 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, AND REASSIGNED TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE RELOCATED DURING MARCH 1966 TO CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA
DEPLOYED DURING MAY-JUNE 1966 TO THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM AS PART OF THE SPECIAL LANDING FORCE
PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR IN VIETNAM, JUNE 1966 - MARCH 1971, OPERATING FROM
CHU LAI
DA NANG
QUANG NAM
THAU THIEN
ROSS COMBAT BASE
AN HOA
RELOCATED DURING MARCH-APRIL 1971 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA
PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTALION ROTATION BETWEEN THE 3D MARINE DIVISION ON OKINAWA AND DIVISIONS STATIONED IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THE 1980s
PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM, SOUTHWEST ASIA, JANUARY-APRIL 1991
PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION SEA ANGEL, BANGLADESH, MAY 1991
2000 - 2006
PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTALION ROTATION BETWEEN THE 3D MARINE DIVISION ON OKINAWA AND DIVISIONS STATIONED IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THE 1980s
PARTICIPATED IN THE BATTALION ROTATION DURING 2002 BEFORE DEPLOYMENT TO IRAQ
PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM AND MARCH TO BAGHDAD, SOUTHWEST ASIA, JANUARY 2003 TO AUGUST 2003
PARTICIPATED IN OIF II AND BATTLE OF FALLUJAH, SOUTHWEST ASIA, AUGUST 2004 TO APRIL 2005
