III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the

Marine Air-Ground Task Force Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) 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 a ...

of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...

. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and

disaster relief Emergency management or disaster management is the managerial function charged with creating the framework within which communities reduce vulnerability to hazards and cope with disasters. Emergency management, despite its name, does not actual ...

(HA/DR) to

amphibious assault Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conducted u ...

and high-intensity combat. It maintains a forward presence in

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

and

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

to support the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan (1960) and other alliance relationships of the United States. III MEF also conducts combined operations and training throughout the region in support of the National Security Strategy for Theater Security Cooperation. The

Marines Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refl ...

and

sailors A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...

of III MEF engage in more than 65 combined, bilateral and multilateral training exercises annually throughout the Asia-Pacific region, in countries including treaty allies

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

, the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...

. These exercises build partner capacity, develop and maintain strong regional alliances and military-to-military contacts. These exercises prepare III MEF to conduct operations ranging from major combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. III MEF has played a significant role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions throughout the region. The MEF assisted the relief efforts led by the Government of

during Operation Tomodachi after the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peni ...

. III MEF also conducted HA/DR missions in

in October 2011, the

in October 2010, and Indonesia in October 2009.III MEF Lineage and Honors, USMC History Division Most recently in response to the resulting humanitarian crisis from

Typhoon Haiyan Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the ...

which struck the Philippines in 2013, III MEF activated as Joint Task Force 505 to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in support of the Philippine government.DoD News, "Joint Task Force 505 Activates for Operation Damayan" More than 2,495 tons of relief supplies were delivered, and over 21,000 people were evacuated.Lum and Margesson, "Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda): U.S. and International Response to Philippines Disaster"

Mission

Commanded by a

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...

with its headquarters at

Camp Courtney is a U.S. Marine Base located in Uruma City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the larger Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler and home to the III Marine Expeditionary Force, 3rd Marine Division, and 3d MEB Headquarters. It is named ...

, III MEF's mission is to provide forward based and deployed forces to the commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, to conduct Phase 0 engagement and theater security cooperation events, support contingencies and emergent requirements, and prepare to rapidly execute existing operations plans in support of the theater and national military strategies. III MEF is organized as a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) to provide a rapidly deployable, flexible self-contained fighting force. The Marines combine air, ground, and logistics forces to operate as a coherent, self-sufficient force. Each mission dictates the MAGTF's scale and structure, giving the Marine Corps the flexibility to respond to any crisis and making a "force in readiness." A MEF is the largest of all MAGTFs.

History

III Marine Expeditionary Force was activated as I Amphibious Corps 1 October 1942 in Camp Elliott, San Diego, California. Later that month, they were deployed to Noumea,

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

. The unit was redesignated as III Amphibious Corps 15 April 1944. III Amphibious Corps was deactivated on 10 June 1946. III Marine Expeditionary Force was activated 6 May 1965 at

Da Nang Nang or DanangSee also Danang Dragons ( ; vi, Đà Nẵng, ) is a class-1 municipality and the fifth-largest city in Vietnam by municipal population. It lies on the coast of the East Sea of Vietnam at the mouth of the Hàn River, and is on ...

Republic of Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of t ...

. III MEF was re-designated to

III Marine Amphibious Force III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance an ...

(III MAF) 7 May 1965. III Marine Amphibious Force deployed to

Okinawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi). ...

April 1971. III MAF was redesignated to III Marine Expeditionary Force 5 February 1988.

World War II

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, III MEF was known as I Marine Amphibious Corps. It was renamed III Amphibious Corps on 15 April 1944, and took part in fighting against the

Japanese Empire The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...

in the Pacific theater during World War II. It fought in some of the bloodiest battles, including the Solomon Islands campaign, the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign and the Volcano and Ryukyu Islands campaign (namely the

Battle of Okinawa The , codenamed Operation Iceberg, was a major battle of the Pacific War fought on the island of Okinawa by United States Army (USA) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) forces against the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). The initial invasion of ...

). III Amphibious Corps redeployed to

Tientsin, China Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popula ...

, in September 1945, where it participated in the occupation of Northern China until June 1946. III Amphibious Corps was deactivated on 10 June 1946. III MAF Hq 123 ENHANCED

Vietnam War

III MEF was reactivated 6 May 1965 in

under Major General William R. Collins. 7 May 1965, III MEF was re-designated as III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) and consisted of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Division and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The III MAF's area of operations was in the northern I Corps Tactical Zone. III MAF participated in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

from May 1965 – April 1971 operating from Quang Tri, Thua Thien, Quang Nam, Quang Tin, and Quang Ngai. III MAF deployed to Camp Courtney, Okinawa in April 1971.

1990s–2010s

Since III MAF was redesignated to III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) 5 February 1988, they have participated in many different operations. These operations include the Persian Gulf War's Operation Desert Shield,

Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

, as well as Operation Provide Comfort in Southwest Asia and

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

from Sept. 1990 – April 1991 and May–June 1991. III MEF elements have also played a vital role in Operation Sea Angel in

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mo ...

from May–June 1991;

Operation Fiery Vigil Operation Fiery Vigil was the Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) emergency evacuation of all non-essential military and U.S. Department of Defense civilian personnel and their dependents from Clark Air Base and U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay dur ...

in the

June 1991;

Operation Restore Hope The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative (code-named Operation Restore Hope), U ...

and Operation Continue Hope in

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constitut ...

from December 1992 to March 1994. III MEF elements have also had a significant impact on the Iraq War's

Operation Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

as well as the Global War on Terrorism's Enduring Freedom. One of the biggest roles III MEF plays in the Asia-Pacific region is humanitarian assistance and

(HA/DR). III MEF elements participated in Operation Unified Assistance in response to the

tsunami A tsunami ( ; from ja, 津波, lit=harbour wave, ) is a series of waves in a water body caused by the displacement of a large volume of water, generally in an ocean or a large lake. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and other underwater exp ...

disaster in Southeast Asia from December 2004 to February 2005. III MEF has also assisted with the 2005 Kashmir earthquake response from October 2005 to March 2006;

Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

mudslide A mudflow or mud flow is a form of mass wasting involving fast-moving flow of debris that has become liquified by the addition of water. Such flows can move at speeds ranging from 3 meters/minute to 5 meters/second. Mudflows contain a signific ...

response in March and April 2006;

2006 Yogyakarta earthquake The 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake (also known as the Bantul earthquake) occurred at with a moment magnitude of 6.4 and a maximum MSK intensity of VIII (''Damaging''). Several factors led to a disproportionate amount of damage and number of casual ...

response in May and June 2006; Legazpi

typhoon A typhoon is a mature tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere. This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, and is the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth, accounting for a ...

recovery in March 2007; 2007 Solomon Islands earthquake and

response in April 2007; Operation Sea Angel II in

from November to December 2007; Operation Caring Response in

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

from May and June 2008;

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the no ...

typhoon relief in August 2009; Philippine typhoon and Indonesian earthquake relief in October 2009; Philippine typhoon relief in October 2010; Operation Tomodachi in May 2011; Thailand flood relief from October through November 2011; and Philippine typhoon relief in December 2012 and again in November 2013.Manning, "Constant Vigilance readies Kinser, community for disaster response"

Structure

III US Marine Expeditionary Force - Organization 2021

III Marine Expeditionary Force, together with I Marine Expeditionary Force, makes up Marine Forces, Pacific.

Units

* Ground combat element: 3rd Marine Division * Aviation combat element: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing * Logistics combat element:

3rd Marine Logistics Group The 3rd Marine Logistics Group (3rd MLG) is the Logistics Combat Element (LCE) for III Marine Expeditionary Force currently headquartered on Camp Kinser, Marine Corps Base Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan. 3rd MLG provides combat service sup ...

Command element In the United States Marine Corps, the command element (CE) is the command and control force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). It provides C3I for the MAGTF. __TOC__ Role within the MAGTF The Command Element (CE), a headquarters unit ...

: III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group (MIG) ** III MEF Support Battalion **

3rd Intelligence Battalion The 3rd Intelligence Battalion (3rd Intel) is a Marine Corps Intelligence military intelligence and counterintelligence unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. It provides the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) with ...

** 3rd Radio Battalion **

7th Communication Battalion The 7th Communication Battalion is a communications battalion in the United States Marine Corps. Mission 7th Communication Battalion will establish, maintain, and defend communication networks and services simultaneously for Marine Air Ground Tas ...

** 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) * 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade * 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit

III MEF Band

As the Eastern Hemisphere’s sole musical representative of the United States Marine Corps, the III MEF Band enjoys a busy schedule filled with performances across Okinawa and throughout the Far East each year. The band capitalizes on this unique position by making it a priority to present community outreach performances and participating in international military band festivals in South Korea, Tokyo, and Kumamoto, Japan. Consisting of musicians trained in a variety of musical styles, the III MEF Band is able to provide a number of small ensembles for civilian events, including brass and woodwind quintets, jazz combo, rock band, and brass band. The band was awarded the title of ''2018 Marine Corps Band of the Year'' in February 2018. The following comprises the leadership of the band: * Officer in Charge/Band Director – CWO3 DeMarius Jackson *

Bandmaster A bandmaster is the leader and conductor of a band, usually a concert band, military band, brass band or a marching band. British Armed Forces In the British Army, bandmasters of the Royal Corps of Army Music now hold the rank of staff ...

– Master Gunnery Sergeant J. Michael Stanley *Instrument Repair Technician – Gunnery Sergeant Neil Loaiza *Enlisted Conductor –

Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, superv ...

Wayne Geary * Drum Major – Gunnery Sergeant Robert Brooks *Small Ensemble Leader – Gunnery Sergeant Michael Newell Uniquely, the band has its own mascot, which helps represent the band when on parade. The history of the use of a mascot dates back to 1974, when the Commanding General of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing presented a Golden Retriever to the 1st MAW Band. Since then, four mascots have served the III MEF Band. Since November of 2012, Sgt Chopper V has continued this unique tradition.

Gallery

Locations and units

Japan

Okinawa

Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler (or simply Butler Marine Base) is a United States Marine Corps base located in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. It was named after Marine Corps Major General and twice Medal of Honor recipient Smedley ...

Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is a United States Marine Corps base located in Ginowan, Okinawa, Japan, northeast of Naha, on the island of Okinawa. It is home to approximately 3,000 Marines of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and other units, and has been a U.S. military ...

* III Marine Expeditionary Force Command Element (III MEF CE) * III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group (III MHG) *III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters and Service Company (III MEF HQSVC) * 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3rd MEB) * 3rd Marine Division (3rd MarDiv) * 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW) *

(3rd MLG) * 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU)

Honshu

* Camp Fuji * Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni * Marine Aircraft Group 12 * Combat Logistics Company 36

United States

Hawaii

Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay or MCAS Kaneohe Bay is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) airfield located within the Marine Corps Base Hawaii complex, formerly known as Marine Corps Air Facility (MCAF) Kaneohe Bay or Naval Air Station (NAS ...

3rd Marine Regiment The 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment is a regiment of the United States Marine Corps that is optimized for littoral maneuver in the Indo-Pacific Theater. Based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, the regiment falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Divi ...

* Marine Aircraft Group 24 *

Combat Logistics Battalion 3 3d Littoral Logistics Battalion (3d LLB) is a logistics battalion in the United States Marine Corps. They are headquartered at Marine Corps Base Hawaii and fall under the command of 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment and the 3rd Marine Division (3d Ma ...

* Combat Logistics Company 33 * Combat Logistics Company 35

South Korea

Camp Mujuk Camp may refer to: Outdoor accommodation and recreation * Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site * a temporary settlement for nomads * Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descr ...

List of commanders

Awards and decorations

Notable former members

* William R. Collins, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1965 *

Robert E. Cushman Jr. Robert Everton Cushman Jr. (December 24, 1914 – January 2, 1985) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 25th commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1, 1972, to June 30, 1975. He was honored for heroism during ...

, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1967–1969 * Leo J. Dulacki, served as chief of staff in the Vietnam War 1969–1970 * Roy Geiger, commanding general in World War II * Carl W. Hoffman, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1974–1975 * William G. Joslyn served as chief of staff in the Vietnam War 1970–1971 * Keith B. McCutcheon, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1970–1971 * Herman Nickerson Jr., commanding general in the Vietnam War 1960–1970 * Earl S. Piper, served as logistics officer in North China 1945–1946 *

Jonas M. Platt Jonas Mansfield Platt (September 21, 1919 – July 28, 2000) was highly decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. A veteran of three wars, Platt is most noted for his service during Vietnam War as assi ...

, served as chief of staff in the Vietnam War 1965–1966 * Herman Poggemeyer Jr., commanding general in the Vietnam War 1973–1974 * Donn J. Robertson, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1970–1972 * Michael P. Ryan, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1973 * Lawrence F. Snowden, served as operations officer in the Vietnam War 1966–1967 * Rathvon M. Tompkins, served as deputy commander in the Vietnam War 1968 *

William J. Van Ryzin William John Van Ryzin (April 20, 1914 – July 1, 2002) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of lieutenant general. He is most noted as Chief of Staff, Headquarters Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. ...

, served as deputy commander in the Vietnam War 1968 *

Lewis William Walt Lewis William Walt (February 16, 1913 – March 26, 1989) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Walt was decorated several times, including two Navy Crosses for ...

, commanding general in the Vietnam War 1965–1967 * Herbert L. Wilkerson, served as operations officer in the Vietnam War 1970 * Carl A. Youngdale, served as deputy commander in the Vietnam War 1968–1969

Gallery

File:III MEF LOGO.jpg, File:USMC III Phib Corps Large.png

Notes

;Citations ;References used * * * *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:003 03 1942 establishments in the United States 1946 in the United States 1965 establishments in the United States Corps of the United States Marine Corps Military units and formations disestablished in 1946 Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations established in 1965