1st Battalion, 5th Marines (1/5) is an
infantryInfantrymen 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 CorpsThe 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...
based out of
Marine Corps Base Camp PendletonMarine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia 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...
consisting of approximately 800 Marines and
sailorsThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Nicknamed
Geronimo, it falls under the command of the 5th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division. The battalion was formed in
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in 1914 and has served in every major conflict that the United States has been involved in since then.
Subordinate units
- Alpha Company
- Bravo Company
- Charlie Company
- Weapons 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...
- Headquarters and Service Company
A Headquarters and Service Company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher in the United States Marine Corps. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as H&S...
History
On 13 July 1914, the battalion was formed at
Vera CruzVeracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
, Mexico, and sailed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for service in the Caribbean theatre. The battalion was disbanded upon their return to
Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, on 24 December 1914.
World War I
On 25 May 1917, the battalion was activated and deployed to France on 1 June 1917. 1/5 participated in the following
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
campaigns:
AisneThe Third Battle of the Aisne was a battle of the German Spring Offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Force could arrive completely in France. It was one of a series of desperate offensives, known as the Kaiserschlacht,...
,
Aisen-MarneThe Second Battle of the Marne , or Battle of Reims was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by France overwhelmed the Germans, inflicting severe casualties...
,
St. MihielThe Battle of Saint-Mihiel was a World War I battle fought between September 12–15, 1918, involving the American Expeditionary Force and 48,000 French troops under the command of U.S. general John J. Pershing against German positions...
,
Meuse-ArgonneThe Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
, Toulon-Troyon,
Chateau-ThierryThe Battle of Château-Thierry was fought on 18 July 1918 and was one of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Force under General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing...
, Marabache, and Limey. From December 1918 to July 1919, the battalion participated in the occupation of the
German RhinelandHistorically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
. It then re-deployed to
Marine Corps Base QuanticoMarine Corps Base Quantico, sometimes abbreviated MCB Quantico, is a major United States Marine Corps training base located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly in southern Prince William County, northern Stafford County, and southeastern Fauquier County...
,
VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and de-activated in August 1919.
In July 1920 the battalion re-activated to provide security for the
U.S. MailThe United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
. In March 1927, the Battalion deployed to help
stabilize the governmentThe United States occupation of Nicaragua was part of the larger conflict known as the Banana Wars. The formal occupation began in 1912, although several other operations were conducted before the full scale invasion. United States military interventions in Nicaragua were intended to prevent the...
against overthrow attempts by rebel forces. For the next six years, they aided the Nicaraguan government until peace was finally restored. 1/5 was deactivated in January 1933. Shortly thereafter the battalion was re-activated in September 1934 in Quantico, Virginia and served in the Caribbean theatre until the outbreak of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
World War II
In November 1934, the 1st Battalion was reactivated for the fourth time, only to be deactivated in March 1935. Shortly before
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in April 1940, 1st Battalion was again reactivated. The fighting in World War II found the Marines of 1st Battalion at Guadalcanal,
New GuineaNew Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
,
PeleliuThe Battle of Peleliu, codenamed Operation Stalemate II, was fought between the United States and the Empire of Japan in the Pacific Theater of World War II, from September–November 1944 on the island of Peleliu, present-day Palau. U.S...
, and
OkinawaThe Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
. In April 1946, their mission accomplished, 1st Battalion was disbanded and most of the Pacific veterans returned to civilian life.
Korean War
During October 1949, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines was reactivated in Camp Pendleton, California. During August 1950, the Battalion deployed to fight the Communist force invading the
Republic of KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Names such as the Pusan Perimeter,
InchonThe Battle of Inchon was an amphibious invasion and battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations . The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 naval vessels, and led to the recapture of the South Korean capital Seoul two...
,
SeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and
Chosin ReservoirThe Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign ,Official Chinese sources refer to this battle as the Second Phase Campaign Eastern Sector . The Western Sector is the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River. was a decisive battle in the Korean War...
were added to the Battalion's battle vocabulary. At the close of hostilities, the 1st Battalion returned to the United States, settling at Camp Pendleton.
Vietnam War
From June 1966 to March 1971, 1/5 was deployed to
VietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. The battalion participated in action around
Chu LaiChu Lai is a sea port, urban and industrial area in Dung Quat Bay, Núi Thành district, Quang Nam province of Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai Airport.-Vietnam War:...
, Danang, Quang Nam, Que Son Valley, An Hoa. The unit was deactivated in June 1974 but once again was quickly reactivated in March 1975. The battalion played a major role in the Battle of Hue City during February 1968. Engaging the enemy in the famous Citadel on the north side of the
Perfume RiverThe Perfume River is a river that crosses the city of Huế, in the central Vietnamese province of Thừa Thiên Huế.-Etymology:In the autumn, flowers from orchards upriver from Huế fall into the water, giving the river a perfume-like aroma....
, the battalion became known as the "Citadel Battalion".
Gulf War and the 1990s
From 1987-89, The battalion supported
Operation Prime ChanceOperation Prime Chance was a United States Special Operations Command operation intended to protect U.S.-flagged oil tankers from Iranian attack during the Iran–Iraq War. The operation took place roughly at the same time as Operation Earnest Will , the largely Navy effort to escort the tankers...
in the
Persian GulfThe Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. In August, 1990, the battalion returned to the
Southwest AsiaWestern Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
in support of Operation Desert Shield, and subsequently took part in combat operations in
KuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
during Operation Desert Storm. The battalion formed the left half of the mechanized Task Force Ripper, along with
3rd Battalion, 7th MarinesThe 3rd Battalion 7th Marine Regiment is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and consist of approximately 800 Marines. The battalion falls under the command of the 7th Marine Regiment and the 1st...
, Alpha Company
1st Tank BattalionThe 1st Tank Battalion is an armor battalion of the United States Marine Corps which is based out of the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California...
, Alpha Company
3rd Tank BattalionThe 3rd Tank Battalion was an armor battalion of the United States Marine Corps.-World War II:The 3rd Tank Battalion was formed during World War II on 16 September 1942. Each of the three regimental combat teams of the 3rd Marine Division had their own tank company and a scout car platoon...
, HQ 7th Marines and Delta Company,
3rd Light Armored Infantry Battalion3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion ' is a mechanized infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon system is the LAV-25 and they are part of the 1st Marine Division and I Marine Expeditionary Force...
. They were supported by Alpha and Delta Companies of the
3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion is one of two active duty assault amphibian battalions in the United States Marine Corps. The battalion's primary weapon system is the Amphibious Assault Vehicle or AAV...
,
1st Combat Engineer Battalion1st Combat Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps. The unit, nicknamed "The Super Breed", is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and falls under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary...
and a platoon from Charlie Company,
1st Reconnaissance Battalion1st Reconnaissance Battalion is a reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps. It falls under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force ....
. The task force was commanded by Colonel
Carlton W. Fulford, Jr.Carlton W. Fulford, Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as Deputy Commander in Chief, United States European Command from 2000 to 2002.-Biography:Carlton Fulford, Jr...
and saw considerable combat as it pushed into Kuwait, seized Al Jaber Airfield and consolidated with other Marine forces at
Kuwait International AirportKuwait International Airport is located in Farwaniyah, Kuwait, south of Kuwait City. It serves as hub for Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways. A portion of the airport complex is designated as Al Mubarak Air Base, which contains the headquarters of the Kuwait Air Force, as well as the Kuwait Air...
of 27 February 1991. Following the cease fire, the task force backloaded to Manifeh Bay and departed Saudi Arabia on 8 March. The battalion returned to Camp Pendleton the following day.
Global War on Terror
The battalion deployed to Kuwait in 2003 to become part of the
invasionThe 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
force that ousted
Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
. They returned again to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2004 for security and stabilization operations in Al Anbar Province. In March 2004, the battalion, this time attached to the 1st Marine Regiment along with several other units, participated in
Operation Vigilant ResolveAs part of the occupation of Iraq, the First Battle of Fallujah, codenamed Operation Vigilant Resolve, was an unsuccessful attempt by the United States Military to capture the city of Fallujah in April 2004....
in the restive city of
FallujahFallujah 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....
. They were deployed a third time in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, one of only two Marine Corps infantry battalions to do so at the time, in the city of Ar Ramadi, capital of Al Anbar Province between March and October 2005.
1/5 deployed to
AfghanistanAfghanistan , 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...
from May to December 2009 as part of
Task Force LeatherneckTask Force Leatherneck or MEB-Afghanistan is a a Marine Air-Ground Task Force currently operating in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The name was originally given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during its 2009-10 for Operation Enduring Freedom as part of Regional Command South...
and conducted combat operations in the
Nawa-I-Barakzayi DistrictNāwa-I-Barakzāyi District is an administrative district in Helmand Province, Afghanistan located south of the provincial capital of Lashkar Gah along the Helmand River. It is bordered by the districts of Lashkar Gah, Nad Ali, Garmsir, and Rig, as well as the provinces of Nimruz and Kandahar...
of Helmand province.
1/5 was once more deployed to Afghanistan in early 2011 in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom.
Notable former members
- Walter Stauffer McIlhenny
- Baldomero Lopez
Baldomero Lopez was a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for smothering a hand grenade with his own body during the Inchon Landing on September 15, 1950.-Biography:Lopez was born on August 23, 1925, in Tampa,...
- Eric Anthony Gondek
See also