3rd Battalion 24th Marines
Encyclopedia
3rd Battalion 24th Marines (3/24) is a reserve infantry
battalion in the United States Marine Corps
located throughout the Midwestern United States
consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the 24th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.
. The mission of locating, closing with, and destroying the enemy with fire and maneuver and repelling the enemy's assault with fire and close combat lies with the "grunts
". Marine infantry battalions often have limited organic equipment outside of small arms (maneuvering by foot as light infantry
, and must be supplemented with additional trucks to become motorized infantry or Amphibious Assault Vehicle
s to become mechanized infantry
).
, and a headquarters company. The rifle company has three or four rifle platoons and a weapons platoon with medium machineguns and mortar
s. The weapons company includes a heavy machinegun
platoon, a mortar
platoon, and an assault platoon. Sometimes, the commander will mix these into Combined Anti-Armor Team
s. The headquarters company includes all command, administration
, intelligence
, operations
, logistics
, and communication Marines and equipment, as well as the battalion's Surveillance and Target Acquisition
teams (which include scout snipers
).
, North Carolina
, as Headquarters Company, 3d Separate Battalion.
During 1943 the Battalion was relocated to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
, California
and redesignated, 3rd Battalion 24th Marine Regiment, and assigned to the 4th Marine Division. During 1944 the Battalion was deployed to the Marshall Islands
and participated in the Battle of Kwajalein
, Battle of Saipan
, Battle of Tinian
, Roi Namur, and Battle of Iwo Jima
. The battalion commander of 3/24 during this period was Lieutenant Colonel Alexander A. Vandegrift, Jr. (son of Commandant of the Marine Corps Alexander Vandegrift
) until he was severely wounded on Iwo Jima. Captain William T. Ketcham's Company I, 3/24, landed on Iwo Jima the first day with 133 Marines in the three rifle platoons. Only nine of these men remained when the remnants of the company reembarked on the 35th day of the battle. Relocated during 1945 to Maui
, Territory of Hawaii
and then relocated to Camp Pendleton, California the Battalion was deactivated on October 31, 1945.
The battalion was reactivated on July 1, 1962 at New Orleans, Louisiana
, and assigned to the 4th Marine Division, USMCR. During 1967 the Battalion headquarters was relocated to Missouri
.
3/24 was activated with the entire 24th Marine Regiment on November 13, 1990 for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. During the first week of December, 1990, the command element of 24th Marines went to Camp Pendleton. 3/24 flew to Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. Weapons firing and chemical warfare training were emphasized at Camp Lejeune. The regiment, (minus 1/24 who were deployed to Okinawa) then flew into Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia 1 January, 1991. By January 1991, the 24th Marines had assumed the rear area security mission for I MEF. Lieutenant General Walter Boomer, Commanding General of I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), assigned the 24th Marine Regiment the mission to defend the sprawling Al Jubayl Vital Area and other key points from Iraqi military and terrorist attacks. Al Jubayl was the port of entry for the prepositioned supplies that were linked with the 7th MEB in August of 1990. The Al Jubayl command post, known as the "Police Station," was under the command of Major General John Hopkins. Colonel Germann (24th Marine Regiment Commanding Officer) deployed his regiment in platoon and company defensive positions along a 200-mile line from Dhahran to Al Mishab, shifting them as requirements changed.
Companies from 3/24 deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from October - November 1994 in support of Operation Sea Signal
(Joint Task Force 160) to provide refugee camp security at Camp Alpha, Camp Bravo, Camp Golf, Camp Mike and Camp X-Ray. 3/24 also served as a Quick Reaction Force to quell any refugee uprisings, built refugee housing camp facilities, escorted refugees for medical treatment, distributed food and supplies, and conducted perimeter security.
In 1997, 24th Marine Regiment began deploying reinforced companies to Panama
. Their mission was to provide security for the Panama Canal
. Companies of 3/24 and individual augments deployed to Panama providing OpTempo relief until the canal came under full Panamanian control in 1999. Major General Ray Smith, Commanding General II MEF, saw the deployment as offering great opportunities for both the reserve and the Marine Corps as a whole. "It reinforces the total-force commitment of the reserves. It gives the active duty Marines here a good feeling about their reserve counterparts," said Smith, "and further, this representative unit is a better manned... company than anything we've seen out here, except for the MEUs [Marine Expeditionary Units], in the time I've been here."
During January, 2004, the Battalion was activated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Battalion was deployed to four different Forward Operating Bases in the Sunni Triangle area of Western Iraq
with the 1st Marine Division under I Marine Expeditionary Force. The battalion was spread out between FOB Abu Ghraib, Camp Fallujah and Al Taqaddum where the battalion was headquartered during the deployment. Elements of 3/24 participated in the First Battle of Fallujah, the Battle of Najaf (2004)
, and saw combat in Haditha
and the Triangle of Death (Iraq). In January, 2005, the battalion demobilized in St. Louis, Missouri
.
In 2006, approximately 400 members of 3/24 augmented 1st Battalion 24th Marines
and deployed to Fallujah, Iraq. 1/24 took heavy casualties in what was later called The Third Battle of Fallujah, suffering 22 Marines killed in action with another 331 wounded, including 41 amputees. Due to their relentless aggression, toward the end of their deployment attacks had decreased dramatically. 1/24 was able to turn over the majority of the city to the Fallujah
Police and Iraqi Army
.
3/24 again deployed to Iraq in September 2009 with the 2nd Marine Division under the II Marine Expeditionary Force. Organized as a Task Force, 3/24 was supported by attachments from 25th Marine Regiment and 4th Tank Battalion
. During their time in Iraq they were responsible for providing military police and convoy security along with training Iraqi forces as TFMP (Task Force Military Police). 3/24 was spread out over 500 miles with elements at Al-Qa'im, Ar Rutba
, Al Asad Airbase, Al Taqaddum, and Combat Outposts on the Iraq border with Jordan
and the Iraq border with Syria
. Among other missions, Kilo Company was a helo-borne Quick Reaction Force, while Weapons, India, and Lima companies conducted convoys and patrols in the Fallujah
and Ramadi
areas of operation. The battalion returned home February 2010. 3/24 has the distinction of being the last Marine Corps
combat unit to leave Iraq.
200 Marines from 3/24 were deployed to Afghanistan
in 2010. They were deployed throughout Helmand Province
as Military Transition Teams and security detachments.
In June, 2010, 3/24 deployed to Boston
, MA, as the Ground Combat Element of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force
(SPMAGTF)- Marine Week Boston.
In May, 2011, 3/24 deployed with 4th Force Reconnaissance Company to the Ukraine
/Black Sea
in support of NATO Partnership for Peace
Exercise Seabreeze 11. Participating countries included Ukraine
, Georgia
, Germany
, Republic of Macedonia
, Moldova
, Sweden
, Algeria
, Azerbaijan
, Belgium
, Denmark
, Turkey
and United Kingdom
. Training consisted of combat firing, counter piracy training operations, non-combatant evacuation operations, amphibious assault, airborne operations, and board, search and seizure training aboard ship.
received the Medal of Honor for actions during the battle
of Kwajalein Atoll (Marshall Islands) in 1944.
First Lieutenant John V. Power received the Medal of Honor for actions during the landing and battle of
Roi-Namur Island, 1944.
Private First Class James R. Zarillo received the Navy Cross
for actions during the battle
of Kwajalein Atoll (Marshall Islands) in 1944.
Private First Class Louis W. Trafton from India Company, 3/24, received the Navy Cross
for actions during the battle of Saipan in 1944.
First Lieutenant Wray C. Lewis received the Navy Cross
for actions during the battle of Saipan in 1944.
Captain William Ketcham received the Navy Cross
for actions during the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.
Warrant Officer Ira Davidson received the Navy Cross
for actions during the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.
Lance Corporal William Spencer from India Company, 3/24, was awarded the Silver Star
for action in Fallujah, Iraq, (attached to 1/24) in 2006.
Corporal Joshua Bleill from Kilo, 3/24, is a double-amputee from wounds sustained in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2006. He is now a PR spokesman for the Indianapolis Colts
and authored a book titled "One Step at a Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage, Hope and a New Life in the NFL."
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalion in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
located throughout the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the 24th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.
Current units
| Name | Location |
|---|---|
| Headquarters and Services Company | Bridgeton, Missouri Bridgeton, Missouri Bridgeton is a city in northwestern St. Louis County, Missouri, serving as a suburb and transport hub within Greater St. Louis. The population at the 2010 census was 11,550. Portions of Lambert-Saint Louis International Airport are within Bridgeton.-Location:... |
| India Company | Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home... |
| Kilo Company | Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute, Indiana Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and... |
| Lima Company | Johnson City, Tennessee Johnson City, Tennessee Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County... |
| Weapons Company | Springfield, Missouri Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of... |
Mission
Provide a well-trained and credible force, capable of rapidly mobilizing to augment or reinforce active duty Marine Corps forces participating in missions ranging from humanitarian/peacekeeping operations to major conflicts, in time of war, national emergency or contingency operations and during in peacetime to provided operation tempo relief for active forces throughout the spectrum of operations including Joint and Combined Operations. Infantry battalions are the heart and soul of the ground combat elementGround combat element
In the United States Marine Corps, the Ground combat element is the land force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides power projection and force for the MAGTF.-Role within the MAGTF:...
. The mission of locating, closing with, and destroying the enemy with fire and maneuver and repelling the enemy's assault with fire and close combat lies with the "grunts
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
". Marine infantry battalions often have limited organic equipment outside of small arms (maneuvering by foot as light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
, and must be supplemented with additional trucks to become motorized infantry or Amphibious Assault Vehicle
Amphibious Assault Vehicle
The Assault Amphibious Vehicle —official designation AAV-7A1 is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems .The AAV-7A1 is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps...
s to become mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
).
Organization
A Marine infantry battalion is organized into three rifle companies, a weapons companyWeapons company
A weapons company, sometimes called a manoeuvre support company is a company-sized military unit attached to an infantry battalion to support the rifle companies of the battalion...
, and a headquarters company. The rifle company has three or four rifle platoons and a weapons platoon with medium machineguns and mortar
M224 Mortar
The M224 60 mm Lightweight Mortar is a smooth bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for close-in support of ground troops.-Description:The M224 system is composed of the*M225 Cannon *M170 Bipod...
s. The weapons company includes a heavy machinegun
Mk 19 grenade launcher
The Mk 19 Grenade Launcher is a 40 mm belt-fed automatic grenade launcher or grenade machine gun that entered U.S. military service during the Cold War, first seeing action during the Vietnam War and remaining in service today.-Overview:...
platoon, a mortar
M252 Mortar
The M252 81 mm medium weight mortar is an American smooth bore, muzzle-loading, high-angle-of-fire weapon used for long-range indirect fire support to light infantry, air assault, and airborne units across the entire front of a battalion zone of influence. In the U.S. Army and U.S...
platoon, and an assault platoon. Sometimes, the commander will mix these into Combined Anti-Armor Team
Combined Anti-Armor Team
A Combined Anti-Armor Team is a concept of operations in the United States Marine Corps where a platoon in a weapons company is employed to combat armored vehicles with heavy machine guns and TOW missiles, in addition to providing security for convoys...
s. The headquarters company includes all command, administration
Military administration
Military administration identifies both the techniques and systems used by military departments, agencies, and Armed Services involved in the management of the armed forces...
, intelligence
Intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in different ways, including the abilities for abstract thought, understanding, communication, reasoning, learning, planning, emotional intelligence and problem solving....
, operations
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
, logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
, and communication Marines and equipment, as well as the battalion's Surveillance and Target Acquisition
STA sniper (USMC)
A Scout Sniper Platoon is a United States Marine Corps unit used primarily for information-gathering. Taking out hard targets and enemy personnel is not their main priority, although it is a secondary option...
teams (which include scout snipers
Scout Sniper
Scout Sniper is a secondary MOS designator of U.S. Marine Corps infantrymen and reconnaissance Marines that have successfully graduated from a USMC Scout Sniper School. Scout Snipers provide close reconnaissance and surveillance to the infantry battalion...
).
History
Activated on February 1, 1943 at Marine Corps Base Camp LejeuneMarine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is a United States military training facility in North Carolina. The base's of beaches make it a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports allows for fast deployments.The main base is supplemented by five satellite...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, as Headquarters Company, 3d Separate Battalion.
During 1943 the Battalion was relocated to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and redesignated, 3rd Battalion 24th Marine Regiment, and assigned to the 4th Marine Division. During 1944 the Battalion was deployed to the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
and participated in the Battle of Kwajalein
Battle of Kwajalein
The Battle of Kwajalein was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought from 31 January-3 February 1944, on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Employing the hard-learned lessons of the battle of Tarawa, the United States launched a successful twin assault on the main islands of...
, Battle of Saipan
Battle of Saipan
The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June-9 July 1944. The Allied invasion fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on 5 June 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was...
, Battle of Tinian
Battle of Tinian
The Battle of Tinian was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Tinian in the Mariana Islands from 24 July 1944 to 1 August 1944.-Background:...
, Roi Namur, and Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
. The battalion commander of 3/24 during this period was Lieutenant Colonel Alexander A. Vandegrift, Jr. (son of Commandant of the Marine Corps Alexander Vandegrift
Alexander Vandegrift
Alexander Archer Vandegrift, KBE, CB was a General in the United States Marine Corps. He commanded the 1st Marine Division to victory in its first ground offensive of World War II — Battle of Guadalcanal. For his actions during the Solomon Islands campaign, he received the Medal of Honor...
) until he was severely wounded on Iwo Jima. Captain William T. Ketcham's Company I, 3/24, landed on Iwo Jima the first day with 133 Marines in the three rifle platoons. Only nine of these men remained when the remnants of the company reembarked on the 35th day of the battle. Relocated during 1945 to Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, Territory of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and then relocated to Camp Pendleton, California the Battalion was deactivated on October 31, 1945.
The battalion was reactivated on July 1, 1962 at New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and assigned to the 4th Marine Division, USMCR. During 1967 the Battalion headquarters was relocated to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
3/24 was activated with the entire 24th Marine Regiment on November 13, 1990 for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. During the first week of December, 1990, the command element of 24th Marines went to Camp Pendleton. 3/24 flew to Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. Weapons firing and chemical warfare training were emphasized at Camp Lejeune. The regiment, (minus 1/24 who were deployed to Okinawa) then flew into Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia 1 January, 1991. By January 1991, the 24th Marines had assumed the rear area security mission for I MEF. Lieutenant General Walter Boomer, Commanding General of I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), assigned the 24th Marine Regiment the mission to defend the sprawling Al Jubayl Vital Area and other key points from Iraqi military and terrorist attacks. Al Jubayl was the port of entry for the prepositioned supplies that were linked with the 7th MEB in August of 1990. The Al Jubayl command post, known as the "Police Station," was under the command of Major General John Hopkins. Colonel Germann (24th Marine Regiment Commanding Officer) deployed his regiment in platoon and company defensive positions along a 200-mile line from Dhahran to Al Mishab, shifting them as requirements changed.
Companies from 3/24 deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from October - November 1994 in support of Operation Sea Signal
Operation Sea Signal
Operation Sea Signal was a United States Military humanitarian operation in the Caribbean in response to an influx of Cuban and Haitian migrants attempting to gain asylum in the United States. As a result, the migrants became refugees at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The operation took place from...
(Joint Task Force 160) to provide refugee camp security at Camp Alpha, Camp Bravo, Camp Golf, Camp Mike and Camp X-Ray. 3/24 also served as a Quick Reaction Force to quell any refugee uprisings, built refugee housing camp facilities, escorted refugees for medical treatment, distributed food and supplies, and conducted perimeter security.
In 1997, 24th Marine Regiment began deploying reinforced companies to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. Their mission was to provide security for the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
. Companies of 3/24 and individual augments deployed to Panama providing OpTempo relief until the canal came under full Panamanian control in 1999. Major General Ray Smith, Commanding General II MEF, saw the deployment as offering great opportunities for both the reserve and the Marine Corps as a whole. "It reinforces the total-force commitment of the reserves. It gives the active duty Marines here a good feeling about their reserve counterparts," said Smith, "and further, this representative unit is a better manned... company than anything we've seen out here, except for the MEUs [Marine Expeditionary Units], in the time I've been here."
During January, 2004, the Battalion was activated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Battalion was deployed to four different Forward Operating Bases in the Sunni Triangle area of Western Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
with the 1st Marine Division under I Marine Expeditionary Force. The battalion was spread out between FOB Abu Ghraib, Camp Fallujah and Al Taqaddum where the battalion was headquartered during the deployment. Elements of 3/24 participated in the First Battle of Fallujah, the Battle of Najaf (2004)
Battle of Najaf (2004)
The Battle of Najaf was fought between United States and Iraqi forces on one side and the Islamist Mahdi Army of Muqtada al-Sadr on the other in the Iraqi city of Najaf in August 2004.-Background:...
, and saw combat in Haditha
Haditha
Haditha is a city in the western Iraqi Al Anbar Governorate, about 240 km northwest of Baghdad. It is a farming town situated on the Euphrates River at . Its population of around 100,000 people is predominantly Sunni Muslim Arabs...
and the Triangle of Death (Iraq). In January, 2005, the battalion demobilized in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
In 2006, approximately 400 members of 3/24 augmented 1st Battalion 24th Marines
1st Battalion 24th Marines
1st Battalion, 24th Marines is a reserve infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps located throughout Michigan and Ohio consisting of approximately 1,000 Marines and Sailors...
and deployed to Fallujah, Iraq. 1/24 took heavy casualties in what was later called The Third Battle of Fallujah, suffering 22 Marines killed in action with another 331 wounded, including 41 amputees. Due to their relentless aggression, toward the end of their deployment attacks had decreased dramatically. 1/24 was able to turn over the majority of the city to the Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
Police and Iraqi Army
Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Army is the land component of the Iraqi military, active in various forms since being formed by the British during their mandate over the country after World War I....
.
3/24 again deployed to Iraq in September 2009 with the 2nd Marine Division under the II Marine Expeditionary Force. Organized as a Task Force, 3/24 was supported by attachments from 25th Marine Regiment and 4th Tank Battalion
4th Tank Battalion
4th Tank Battalion is an armored battalion of the United States Marine Corps reserve. Their primary weapon system is the M1-A1 Abrams main battle tank and they are part of the 4th Marine Division and Marine Forces Reserve...
. During their time in Iraq they were responsible for providing military police and convoy security along with training Iraqi forces as TFMP (Task Force Military Police). 3/24 was spread out over 500 miles with elements at Al-Qa'im, Ar Rutba
Ar Rutba
Ar Rutbah is an Iraqi town in western Al Anbar province. The population is approximately 55,000. It occupies a strategic location on the Amman-Baghdad road, and the Mosul-Haifa pipeline...
, Al Asad Airbase, Al Taqaddum, and Combat Outposts on the Iraq border with Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
and the Iraq border with Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. Among other missions, Kilo Company was a helo-borne Quick Reaction Force, while Weapons, India, and Lima companies conducted convoys and patrols in the Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
and Ramadi
Ramadi
Ramadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.-History:Ramadi is located in a fertile, irrigated, alluvial plain.The Ottoman Empire founded Ramadi in 1869...
areas of operation. The battalion returned home February 2010. 3/24 has the distinction of being the last Marine Corps
Marine corps
A marine is a member of a force that specializes in expeditionary operations such as amphibious assault and occupation. The marines traditionally have strong links with the country's navy...
combat unit to leave Iraq.
200 Marines from 3/24 were deployed to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 2010. They were deployed throughout Helmand Province
Helmand Province
Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....
as Military Transition Teams and security detachments.
In June, 2010, 3/24 deployed to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, MA, as the Ground Combat Element of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force
Marine Air-Ground Task Force
The Marine Air-Ground Task Force 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 arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
(SPMAGTF)- Marine Week Boston.
In May, 2011, 3/24 deployed with 4th Force Reconnaissance Company to the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
/Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
in support of NATO Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 22 States are members...
Exercise Seabreeze 11. Participating countries included Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, Moldova
Moldova
Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova is a landlocked state in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the West and Ukraine to the North, East and South. It declared itself an independent state with the same boundaries as the preceding Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1991, as part...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Training consisted of combat firing, counter piracy training operations, non-combatant evacuation operations, amphibious assault, airborne operations, and board, search and seizure training aboard ship.
Unit Awards
- Presidential Unit CitationPresidential Unit Citation (US)The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...
Navy Unit CommendationNavy Unit CommendationThe Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
with one Bronze Star
National Defense Medal with two Bronze Stars
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalThe Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal is a service decoration of the Second World War which was awarded to any member of the United States military who served in the Pacific Theater from 1941 to 1945 and was created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was...
with four Bronze Stars
World War II Victory MedalWorld War II Victory MedalThe World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
Southwest Asia Service MedalSouthwest Asia Service MedalThe Southwest Asia Service Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by order of President George H.W. Bush on March 12, 1991. The award is intended to recognize those military service members who performed duty during the years of the Persian Gulf War...
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal is a United States armed forces military award created by George W. Bush on March 12, 2003 by Executive Order 13289. It recognizes those military service members who have deployed overseas in direct service to the War on Terror from September 11,...
Global War on Terrorism Service MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
Iraq Campaign MedalIraq Campaign MedalThe Iraq Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States armed forces which was created by Executive Order 13363 of President George W. Bush on November 29, 2004. The Iraq Campaign Medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry....
with three Bronze Stars
Afghanistan Campaign MedalAfghanistan Campaign MedalThe Afghanistan Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13363 of President George W. Bush on November 29, 2004. The Afghanistan Campaign Medal was designed by the U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry....
with one Bronze Star
Notable Members
Private Richard K. SorensonRichard K. Sorenson
Richard Keith Sorenson was a United States Marine who, as a private, received the Medal of Honor during World War II for his heroism during the Marine landing on Kwajalein Atoll on the night of February 1,-February 2, 1944. He threw himself on an exploding Japanese grenade to save the lives of...
received the Medal of Honor for actions during the battle
of Kwajalein Atoll (Marshall Islands) in 1944.
First Lieutenant John V. Power received the Medal of Honor for actions during the landing and battle of
Roi-Namur Island, 1944.
Private First Class James R. Zarillo received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for actions during the battle
of Kwajalein Atoll (Marshall Islands) in 1944.
Private First Class Louis W. Trafton from India Company, 3/24, received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for actions during the battle of Saipan in 1944.
First Lieutenant Wray C. Lewis received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for actions during the battle of Saipan in 1944.
Captain William Ketcham received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for actions during the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.
Warrant Officer Ira Davidson received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for actions during the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.
Lance Corporal William Spencer from India Company, 3/24, was awarded the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
for action in Fallujah, Iraq, (attached to 1/24) in 2006.
Corporal Joshua Bleill from Kilo, 3/24, is a double-amputee from wounds sustained in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2006. He is now a PR spokesman for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and authored a book titled "One Step at a Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage, Hope and a New Life in the NFL."
See also
- List of United States Marine Corps battalions
- Organization of the United States Marine CorpsOrganization of the United States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy . The most senior Marine officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for...