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1st Battalion 1st Marines (1/1) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Pendleton, California consisting of anywhere from 800 to 2,000 Marines and Sailors, but the number fluctuates depending on the Battalion's mission. They fall under the command of the 1st Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division.

1st Battalion 1st Marines was activated on March 1, 1941 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A month later they redeployed to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina but were quickly deactivated on June 18, 1941.

1/1 was reactivated on February 7, 1942 at New River, North Carolina. After a few months of training they were deployed to Wellington, New Zealand in July 1942. During the War in the Pacific the battalion fought in the following campaigns:

Following the end of the war 1/1 returned to MCB Camp Pendleton in September 1945 and were deactivated on October 31, 1947.

Following the outbreak of the Korean War, 1/1 was reactivated at MCB Camp Pendleton on August 9, 1950. Later that month they deployed to Kobe, Japan and from there took part in the amphibious landing during the Battle of Inchon. In October, the Marines were withdrawn from the Seoul area and moved to the east coast of Korea landing at Wosnan in late October. From there 1st Battalion 1st Marines participated in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. They pushed as far north as Koto-ri, spending much of the battle defending their perimeter in this vicinity.

The battalion spent much of the remainder of the war defending the thirty-eighth parallel.[2] All told, it fought in the Korean War from September 1950 through July 1953.

Following the war, the battalion participated in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone from July 1953 to April 1955.

1/1 deployed to Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam in August 1965, under the command of LtCol Redford Sears, and were reassigned to the 3rd Marine Division. They remained in Vietnam until May 1971, serving in or around Da Nang, Đông Hà, Con Thien, Quảng Trị, Huế, Phu Bai and Khe Sanh. They returned to Camp Pendleton, California in May 1971. They were again deactivated on May 28, 1974, but quickly reinstated on October 15, 1975.

The 1st Battalion, 1st Marines deployed from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in December 1990 to Saudi Arabia in part of a call to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in Operation Desert Shield. In the coming months, Regimental Combat Team 1 became Task Force Papa Bear, along with Companies Bravo and Charlie of the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion; 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines; 1st Tank Battalion; 1st Combat Engineer Battalion and 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion.[3] After the start of Operation Desert Storm in February 1991, the Mechanized Battalion saw considerable combat as it crossed into Kuwait and fought a pitched armored battle at Al Burquan, and consolidated at Kuwait International Airport on February 27, 1991. After completing a search of a downed OV-10 reconnaissance aircraft on March 10, the battalion backloaded on April 24 to Camp Pendleton.

On September 11, 2001, the Marines of 1/1 were deployed on a WestPac (a deployment in an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) making rounds in the Western Pacific) as part of the 15th MEU.[4] Specifically, they were in Darwin, Australia on port leave. The Marines were recalled early from leave, shipped out, and began preparing for the first major combat operations since the first Gulf War. The flotilla sped to the Persian Gulf and was the first MEU to land in Afghanistan. Later, the 26th MEU would join them and assist in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Among 1/1's missions in Afghanistan was to assist in securing an airstrip outside Kandahar, Afghanistan and establish Camp Rhino. The Marine battalion performed security operations around the area in support of the Northern Alliance's removal of the Taliban from power. The battalion also performed operations in Northern Pakistan.[5] The Marines returned to the United States in early March 2002.

1/1 also deployed to Afghanistan in July 2012 until December 8th in which they operated throughout Helmand Province. Following the attack on Camp Leather Neck they were extend until December 8th 2012 when they returned to Camp Pendleton.

The unit deployed in support of OIF I, assisted the local police and performed security operations in southern Iraq, mainly Um Qasar and Basra, co-located with British units there.[6] After 2 weeks, the unit left the country, finished their West-PAC deployment and returned to Camp Pendleton.

Later, as part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit on the first Naval Expeditionary Strike Group-1 (ESG 1), they deployed in early 2005 to the western Pacific. During this deployment, they provided aid for the tsunami that hit Indonesia and Sri Lanka. After 3 weeks of assistance, the MEU headed for the Persian Gulf. There, they provided safety and security operations in Babil province south of Baghdad. Their forward operating base was Camp Falcon near Al-Mahmoudiyah and they spent 1 month there. The combat units performed continuous foot and vehicle patrols in the area, finding weapons caches and unearthing IEDs. One Marine was wounded in action during this deployment.

1/1 handed off the territory to 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (3ACR), which, after staying for many months, endured much less violence and conflict. A PBS documentary on the unit, Warriors, by Ed Robbins, documents this unit's deployment.[7]

The unit returned to Camp Pendleton in mid-2005 and prepared again to deploy in 6 months. They departed Camp Pendleton beginning on January 21, 2006. They were operating in Fallujah but in March, C Company along with MAP 3 Wpns Company began operations in the area around Abu Ghraib prison which is located about 20 miles (32 km) west of Baghdad.[8][9][10] After two and a half months, Charlie Company returned to the Camp Fallujah area and the entire battalion was re-united in Karmah. C Company later moved to Saqlawiyah to replace 1st Battalion, 25th Marines. The battalion completed their deployment and returned to Camp Pendleton in mid-August 2006. 1/1 suffered 17 KIA'S on this deployment and more than 50 wounded.

1/1 deployed back to Al Anbar Province in mid-July 2007 to areas around Habbaniyah, Iraq.[11] They were relieved by 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines on 6 February 2008.[12]

In June 2012, after 11 years, 1/1 returned to Afghanistan to operate in Helmand Province as part of Regimental Combat Team 6 as part of the counter insurgency effort operating around the town of Agha Ahmad, Khanashin, Kajaki, and the Nawa district and around Camp Leatherneck

 

Robert H. Barrow, served as Commanding Officer of A Company during the Korean War, later became 27th Commandant of the Marine Corps

Jim Beaver, actor

Raymond Gilbert Davis, Medal of Honor recipient, general who served in the Pacific, Korean, and Vietnam Wars.

Adam Driver, actor, served in 81mm Mortar Section.

Nathaniel Fick, wrote One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer, an autobiography about the Global War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan

Robert Neller, served as Commanding Officer of A Company for the battalion's Western Pacific deployment of Spring and Summer of 1982, later became 37th Commandant of the Marine Corps in 2015

Everett P. Pope, Medal of Honor recipient, Battle of Peleliu

James McCain, son of senator John McCain

G. Michael Hopf, bestselling author of THE NEW WORLD series. Hopf was a Sergeant with Weapons Company from 1991-1994.