Military unit
The
Combat Assault Battalion
was a mechanized battalion of the
United States Marine Corps
and subordinate element of the
3rd Marine Division
and the
III Marine Expeditionary Force
. The unit was last based at
Camp Schwab
,
Okinawa
,
Japan
.
Mission
[
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Subordinate units
[
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]
- Headquarters and Services Company
- Combat Engineer Company
- Light Armored Reconnaissance Company
- Assault Amphibian Vehicle Company
History
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World War II
[
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The 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion was activated February 16, 1942 at
New River
,
North Carolina
as part of the
1st Marine Division
.
[1]
The battalion relocated in May 1942 to
Wellington, New Zealand
and participated in the following World War II campaigns:
The battalion was decommissioned on November 17, 1945 at
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
,
California
.
[1]
Less than a year later that battalion was reactivated on May 1, 1946 at MCB Camp Pendleton
Korean War
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The battalion participated in the
Korean War
from the
Pusan Perimeter
in operations from
Inchon
to Seoul,
Chosin Reservoir
, East to Central Front, and the Western Front. Following the war they participated in the defense of the
Korean Demilitarized Zone
from August 1953 to March 1955. They were relocated during March 1955 to Camp McGill, Japan.
Vietnam War
[
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]
The battalion was reassigned March 16, 1965 to the
3d Marine Division
and relocated to
Camp Hansen
,
Okinawa
.
Company A was deployed to
South Vietnam
on 7 May 1965 and was attached to the
4th Marine Regiment
at
Chu Lai Base Area
. Company B deployed to South Vietnam on 8 July and was attached to the
9th Marine Regiment
at
Danang
. On 16 July 1965 the remainder of the battalion loaded aboard
USS
Carter Hall
for deployment to South Vietnam, offloading at
Red Beach Base Area
on 21 July 1965.
[2]
The battalion engaged in combat operations from July 1965 through July 1969.
In April 1967 the battalion was moved to
C?a Vi?t Base
and under the name
Operation Napoleon
together with the
1st Battalion, 3rd Marines
was tasked with keeping waterways around the base open.
[3]
: 37
Operation Napoleon/Saline concluded on 9 December 1968.
[3]
: 445
They
relocated
during July 1969 to
Camp Schwab
, Okinawa. On April 1, 1976 the battalion was re-designated as the 1st Tracked Vehicle Battalion with two companies of
M60A1
(RISE Passive) Tanks and two companies of
AAV-7
's as well as 1 Company
TOW
.
1980s and 1990s
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]
On November 10, 1988 the battalion was redesignated as the 1st Armored Assault Battalion. On September 30, 1992 it was redesignated as the Combat Support Group and finally became Combat Assault Battalion on October 5, 1994.
Deactivation
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Combat Assault Battalion was deactivated October 12, 2018 with the Battalion assets divided between the rest of the
3d Marine Division
. Most of the Battalion's assets including AAVs and
LAV-25
mechanized vehicles were transferred to
4th Marine Regiment
. The Battalion's Combat Engineer Company was reallocated to other Marine units, including
3rd Marine Regiment
and
1st Combat Engineer Battalion
.
[4]
Unit awards
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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 appropriate ribbon of the awarded unit citation. The Battalion's flag is decorated with the appropriate streamers. Combat Assault Battalion, and those units for which it carries lineage and honors, was awarded the following:
Streamer
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Award
|
Year(s)
|
Additional Info
|
|
Presidential Unit Citation Streamer
with one
Silver
and one
Bronze Star
|
1942, 1944, 1945, 1950, 1951, 1965?1967, 1968
|
Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Okinawa, Korea,
Vietnam War
|
|
Navy Unit Commendation Streamer
with two Bronze Stars
|
1952?1953, 1968, 2002?2003
|
Korea, Vietnam, Western Pacific
|
|
Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer
with one Bronze Star
|
1967?1968, 1968
|
Vietnam War
|
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Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer
with one Silver Star and one Bronze Star
|
1942?1945
|
Guadalcanal, Finschhafen, New Britain, Peleliu, Okinawa
|
|
World War II Victory Streamer
|
1942?1945
|
Pacific War
|
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Navy Occupation Service Streamer
with "ASIA"
|
|
|
|
National Defense Service Streamer
with three Bronze Stars
|
1950?1954, 1961?1974, 1990?1995, 2001?present
|
Korean War
,
Vietnam War
,
Gulf War
,
War on Terrorism
|
|
Korean Service Streamer
with two Silver Stars
|
August 1950 - March 1955
|
Pusan Perimeter, Inchon-Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East-Central Front, Western Front, Defense of the Demilitarized Zone
|
|
Vietnam Service Streamer
with two Silver Stars
|
July 1965 - July 1969
|
Da Nang, Cua Viet
|
|
Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer
|
2001?present
|
|
|
Korea Presidential Unit Citation Streamer
|
|
|
|
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Streamer
|
|
|
See also
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Notes
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]
External links
[
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]
This article incorporates
public domain material
from websites or documents of the
United States Marine Corps
.
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Leadership
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Major
commands
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Auxiliary
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Structure
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Personnel
and training
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Uniforms
and equipment
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History
and traditions
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