3rd Battalion, 24th Marines (3/24) was a reserve

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

battalion in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

. The battalion was first formed in 1943 for service in the Pacific Theater of Operations during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, taking part in a number of significant battles including those at

Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...

and

Iwo Jima is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands, which lie south of the Bonin Islands and together with them make up the Ogasawara Subprefecture, Ogasawara Archipelago. Together with the Izu Islands, they make up Japan's Nanpō Islands. Although sout ...

before being deactivated at the end of the war. In the early 1960s, the unit was reactivated as a reserve battalion. It was located throughout the

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

and consisted of approximately 800 marines and sailors. The battalion was part of the

24th Marine Regiment The 24th Marine Regiment (24th Marines) was one of three infantry regiments in the 4th Marine Division of the United States Marine Corps. The 24 Marine Regiment's last headquarters, before being deactivated on 9 September 2013, was in Kansas City ...

and the

4th Marine Division The 4th Marine Division is a reserve division in the United States Marine Corps. It was raised in 1943 for service during World War II, and subsequently fought in the Pacific against the Japanese. Deactivated after the war, the division was re ...

. Recent operations included tours in

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

and

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

. On May 19, 2013, the battalion was deactivated (retired) as a part of 2013 Marine Corps Force Restructuring, along with the 24th Marine Regiment. 3/24 personnel were reallocated to 23rd Marine Regiment, with the majority of the companies becoming

3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment (3/23) is a reserve infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps located throughout the Southern United States consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. The battalion was first formed in ...

Units

Mission

The unit's mission is to 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 peacetime to provide 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 element In the United States Marine Corps, the ground combat element (GCE) is the land force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). It provides power projection and force for the MAGTF. Role within the MAGTF The ground combat element (GCE), composed p ...

. 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 Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

, and must be supplemented with additional

trucks A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport freight, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame construction ...

to become

motorized infantry Motorized infantry is infantry that is transported by trucks or other motor vehicles. It is distinguished from mechanized infantry, which is carried in armoured personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles, and from light infantry, which c ...

Amphibious Assault Vehicle The Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAVP-7A1 (formerly known as Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Personnel-7 abbr. LVTP-7)—is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by BAE Systems Platforms & Services (prev ...

s to become

mechanized infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with Armoured personnel carrier, armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also armoured corps). As defined by the United States Army, me ...

List of United States Marine Corps battalions This is a list of current United States Marine Corps battalions, sorted by the mission they perform. __TOC__ Active units Ground Combat Element battalions The ground combat element (GCE) consists of those combat and combat support units whose ...

Organization

A Marine infantry battalion is organized into three rifle

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specifi ...

, a

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. It usually possesses some combination of machine-guns, mortars, an ...

, and a headquarters company. The rifle company has three or four rifle

platoon A platoon is a Military organization, military unit typically composed of two to four squads, Section (military unit), sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the Military branch, branch, but a platoon can ...

s and a weapons platoon with medium machineguns and

mortar Mortar may refer to: * Mortar (weapon), an indirect-fire infantry weapon * Mortar (masonry), a material used to fill the gaps between blocks and bind them together * Mortar and pestle, a tool pair used to crush or grind * Mortar, Bihar, a village i ...

s. The weapons company includes a

heavy Heavy may refer to: Measures * Heavy, a characterization of objects with substantial weight * Heavy, a wake turbulence category used by pilots and air traffic controllers to refer to aircraft with a maximum takeoff mass of 136,000 kgs or mo ...

machinegun platoon, a

platoon, and an

assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...

platoon. Sometimes, the commander will mix these into Combined Anti-Armor Teams. The headquarters company includes all

command Command may refer to: Computing * Command (computing), a statement in a computer language * command (Unix), a Unix command * COMMAND.COM, the default operating system shell and command-line interpreter for DOS * Command key, a modifier key on A ...

administration Administration may refer to: Management of organizations * Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people. ** Administrative assistant, traditionally known as a se ...

intelligence Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as t ...

operations 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-Man ...

logistics Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the Consumption (economics), point of consumption according to the ...

, and

communication Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...

Marines and equipment, as well as the battalion's Surveillance and Target Acquisition teams (which include scout snipers).

History

World War II

3d battalion 24th marines comm kwajalein atoll

The unit was first activated during

, being formed on February 1, 1943, at

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune ( or ) is a United States Armed Forces, United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for Amphibious warfare, amphibious assault training, an ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, under the designation of "Headquarters Company, 3d Separate Battalion". Later during the year, the battalion was relocated to

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by O ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

, and redesignated as the "3rd Battalion 24th Marine Regiment", and assigned to the 4th Marine Division. During 1944, 3/24 was deployed to the

Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is an island country west of the International Date Line and north of the equator in the Micronesia region of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. The territory consists of 29 c ...

and participated in the Battles of Kwajalein,

Tinian Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...

, Roi Namur, and

. The battalion commanders of the unit during this period were Lieutenant Colonels

Austin R. Brunelli Austin Roger Brunelli (August 20, 1907 – September 23, 1989) was a highly decorated American combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War. As the commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 24th Marines during the Battle of Iwo Jima, he was a ...

and Alexander A. Vandegrift, Jr.—son of Commandant of the Marine Corps

Alexander Vandegrift Alexander Archer Vandegrift (March 13, 1887 – May 8, 1973) was a United States Marine Corps highly decorated four-star general (United States), general, Medal of Honor recipient, and a Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, Commandant of ...

—until he was severely wounded on Iwo Jima. The fighting on Iwo Jima was fierce and losses amongst the battalion were high. When the battalion reembarked after 35 days of fighting, one of its companies, Captain William T. Ketcham's Company I, which had landed on Iwo Jima the first day with 133 marines in its three rifle platoons, had only nine of these men remaining. After this, during 1945 the battalion relocated to

Maui Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...

, in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

, before moving to Camp Pendleton, California. Following the end of the war, the battalion was deactivated on October 31, 1945.

Post-World War II

The battalion was reactivated on July 1, 1962, at

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

, and assigned to the 4th Marine Division, USMCR. During 1967, the battalion headquarters was relocated to

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

. The battalion deployed to Greece and Turkey from December 1972 – January 1973 for annual training. 3/24 carries the distinction of being the first Marine reserve battalion to go overseas for annual training. 3/24 performed as the

for a multi-national force brigade named CINCSOUTH. Under the charter of the

North Atlantic Treaty Organization The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental transnational military alliance of 32 member states—30 European and 2 North American. Established in the aftermat ...

(NATO), five countries participated:

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. 3/24 assaulted the beaches of Greece in the Marine Corps' brand new LVTP-7, commonly known as an "AAV" or "Amtrac." The battalion deployed to Panama from September to October, 1976, for annual training. 3/24 trained at the Jungle Operations Training Center based in

Fort Sherman Fort Sherman is a former United States Army base in Panama, located on Toro Point at the Caribbean (northern) end of the Panama Canal, on the western bank of the Canal directly opposite Colón, Panama, Colón (which is on the eastern bank). It w ...

, near the Panama Canal. Courses included riverine boat operations, jungle living, mines and booby traps, expedient antennas, navigation, helo extract, rappelling, night jungle patrolling, POW rescue, reconnaissance, and rope bridges.

Desert Storm/Desert Shield/Gulf War

3/24 was activated with the entire 24th Marine Regiment on November 13, 1990, for

Operation Desert Shield , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

Desert Storm , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

. During the first week of December 1990, the command element of the 24th Marines went to Camp Pendleton. 3/24 flew to Camp Lejuene, North Carolina, where they undertook weapons firing and chemical warfare training. The regiment (minus 1/24 who were deployed to Okinawa) then flew into Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia, on January 1, 1991. Throughout that month, the 24th Marines 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 In general, a port of entry (POE) is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has border control, border security staff and facilities to check passports and visas and to inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not impo ...

for the prepositioned supplies that were linked with the 7th MEB in August 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.

Post Desert Storm

Companies from 3/24 deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from October – November 1994 in support of

Operation Sea Signal Operation Sea Signal was a United States Department of Defense 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 Guantana ...

(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, the 24th Marine Regiment began deploying reinforced companies to

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

. Their mission was to provide security for the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal () is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a Channel (geography), conduit for maritime trade between th ...

. Companies of 3/24 and individual augments deployed to Panama providing Op Tempo 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 arine Expeditionary Units in the time I've been here."

Global War on Terror (Iraq/Afghanistan)

Iraq, OIF II, First Battle of Fallujah

During January 2004, the battalion was activated in support of

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

. 3/24 was tasked with relieving elements of the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

82nd Airborne Division The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into hostile areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...

engaged in

counter-insurgency Counterinsurgency (COIN, or NATO spelling counter-insurgency) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the ac ...

operations in

. 3/24 was deployed to four different

Forward Operating Base A forward operating base (FOB) is any secured forward operational level military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. A FOB may contain an airbase, hospital, machine shop, and othe ...

s in the

Sunni Triangle The Sunni Triangle is a densely populated region of Iraq to the north and west of Baghdad inhabited mostly by Sunni Muslim Arabs. The roughly triangular area's points are usually said to lie near Baghdad (the southeast point), Ramadi (the southwes ...

area of Western

with the

1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine (military), Marine Division (military), division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine E ...

(commanded by General

James Mattis James Norman Mattis (born September 8, 1950) is an American military officer who served as the 26th United States secretary of defense from 2017 to 2019. A retired Marine Corps four-star general, he commanded forces in the Persian Gulf War, th ...

), which was under

I Marine Expeditionary Force The I Marine Expeditionary Force ("I" pronounced "One") is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group. It i ...

(commanded by General

James T. Conway James Terry Conway (born December 26, 1947) is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who served as the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Among his previous postings were Director of Operations (J-3) on the Joint Chiefs of ...

). The battalion was spread out between FOB Abu Ghraib,

Camp Fallujah Camp Fallujah (formerly known as the MEK (''Mujahedin-E Khalq'') Compound) is a large compound in Fallujah, Iraq formerly used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marines from 2004 to 2009 and now used by the Iraqi Ground Forces. History Before the Mar ...

AL Asad Airbase Al-Asad Airbase is an Iraqi airbase located in al-Anbar Governorate of western Iraq. It was originally known as Qadisiyah Airbase. It was the second largest US military airbase in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Until January 2010, it was ...

, and

Al Taqaddum Al Taqaddum Airbase () or Al Taqaddum AB , called TQ in military shorthand slang, is an air base that is located in central Iraq, approximately 74 kilometers (46 miles) west of Baghdad, at Habbaniyah. The airfield is served by two runways 13,000 a ...

where 3/24 was headquartered during the deployment. Elements of the unit participated in the

First Battle of Fallujah The First Battle of Fallujah, code-named Operation Vigilant Resolve, was an American-led operation of the Iraq War against militants in Fallujah as well as an attempt to apprehend or kill the perpetrators of the killing of four U.S. contractor ...

, the Battle of Najaf, and saw combat in

Haditha Haditha (, ''al-Ḥadīthah'') is a town in the Al Anbar Governorate, about northwest of Baghdad. It is a farming town situated on the Euphrates River. Its population of around 46,500 people, predominantly Sunni Muslim Arabs. The town lies near ...

and the

Triangle of Death (Iraq) The Triangle of Death is a name given to a region south of Baghdad during the 2003–2011 occupation of Iraq by the U.S. and allied forces which saw major combat activity and sectarian violence from early 2003 into the fall of 2007. Descript ...

. In August, 2004, 3/24 conducted relief-in-place with

2nd Battalion, 10th Marines 2nd Battalion 10th Marines (2/10) is an artillery battalion of the United States Marine Corps comprising two cannon batteries, three rocket batteries, and a headquarters battery. The battalion is stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Nor ...

. In January 2005, after returning to the United States, the battalion demobilized in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

Iraq, OIF II, Abu Ghraib Prison

In February 2004, marines from 3/24 Company K were deployed to

Baghdad Central Prison Abu Ghraib prison (, ''Sijn Abū Ghurayb'') was a prison complex in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, located west of Baghdad. Abu Ghraib prison was opened in the 1960s and served as a maximum-security prison. From the 1970s, the prison was used by Saddam Hus ...

, known as Abu Ghraib. As a result of the

Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse During the early stages of the Iraq War, members of the United States Army and the Central Intelligence Agency were accused of a series of human rights violations and war crimes against detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. These abuses ...

in 2003, they replaced the existing

National Guard National guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. ...

units. Global media coverage of the 2003 torture activities provoked a violent response by Iraqis in

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

. Following exposure of the events, Abu Ghraib was under attack nearly every day, mainly from IED,

car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roug ...

and mortor attempts. The marines sent to Abu Ghraib were primarily from the Terre Haute, Indiana area.

Fallujah

In 2006, approximately 400 members of 3/24 augmented 1st Battalion 24th Marines and deployed to Fallujah, Iraq. 1/24 took heavy casualties, 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 ( ) is a city in Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq. Situated on the Euphrates, Euphrates River, it is located roughly to the west of the capital city of Baghdad and from the neighboring city of Ramadi. The city is located in the region ...

Police and

Iraqi Army The Iraqi Ground Forces (Arabic: القوات البرية العراقية), also referred to as the Iraqi Army (Arabic: الجيش العراقي), is the ground force component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It was formerly known as the Royal Iraq ...

South America 2007

In June 2007, elements of 3/24 along with the

Headquarters deployed to

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

as Special Purpose

Marine Air Ground Task Force Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine current power * Marine debris * Marine energy * Marine habitats * Mar ...

24 (SPMAGTF 24) for Annual Training. They trained with partner nation marines from

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

, and soldiers from the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army () is the command (military formation), command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also re ...

as a part of Partnership of the Americas (POA) 2010.

Operation Iraqi Freedom 2009

3/24 again deployed to Iraq in September 2009 with the

2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina a ...

under the

II Marine Expeditionary Force The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a ...

(commanded by General Dennis Hejlik). 3/24 conducted a relief-in-place with

3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, abbreviated as (3/3), was an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps, based out of Kaneohe, Hawaii. Known as either "Trinity" or "America's Battalion", the unit normally fell under the command of the 3r ...

, and Regimental Combat Team 8 (

8th Marine Regiment The 8th Marine Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. When last active, it was based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and fell under the command of the 2nd Marine Division and the II Marine Expedi ...

), taking over counter-insurgency operations in

Al Anbar Al Anbar Governorate (; ''muḥāfaẓat al-’Anbār''), or Anbar Province, is the largest governorate in Iraq by area. Encompassing much of the country's western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The population ...

. Organized as a Task Force, 3/24 was supported by attachments from the 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Medical Battalion (United States Marine Corps) and 9 female marines from Comm Co, 4th MARDIV (first Female United States marines to deploy with an infantry 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-Asad Airbase is an Iraqi airbase located in al-Anbar Governorate of western Iraq. It was originally known as Qadisiyah Airbase. It was the second largest US military airbase in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Until January 2010, it was ...

, and Combat Outposts on the borders with

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

and

Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...

. Among other missions, Kilo and India Company were a helo-borne Quick Reaction Force, while Weapons, India, and Lima companies conducted convoys and patrols in the

and

Ramadi Ramadi ( ''Ar-Ramādī''; also formerly rendered as ''Rumadiyah'' or ''Rumadiya'') is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad and west of Fallujah. It is the capital and largest city of Al Anbar Governorate which shares borders with Syri ...

areas of operation. The battalion returned home in February 2010. 3/24 has the distinction of being the last Marine Corps combat unit to leave

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

Operations in Afghanistan

200+ marines from 3/24 were deployed to

during "the surge" from February–July, 2010, with

2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade The 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade is a brigade of the United States Marine Corps. It is part of II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). It advertises itself as a "middleweight" crises response force of choice in the United States European Comma ...

and Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan. They were deployed throughout

Helmand Province Helmand (Pashto language, Pashto/Dari language, Dari: ; ), also known as Hillmand, in ancient times, as Hermand and Hethumand, is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, in the south of the country. It is the largest province by area, covering ...

Military Transition Teams A Military Transition Team or Transition Team, commonly abbreviated as MiTT, in the context of the United States Military, is a 10 – 15 soldier team that trains foreign national and local security forces. The term has been used in the " War on ...

and security detachments. These marines are distinguished in being the last members of 3/24 to serve in a combat zone before the unit was officially retired in 2013. In addition, these marines were awarded the

Presidential Unit Citation (United States) The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed e ...

by President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

, published by headquarters Marine Corps in administrative message (MARADMIN) 615/12.

Black Sea 2011

In May 2011, 3/24 deployed with

4th Force Reconnaissance Company 4th Force Reconnaissance Company (4th Force Recon) was a force reconnaissance unit of the United States Marine Corps Reserve. The company was deactivated and has been consolidated as part of 4th Reconnaissance Battalion. History Lineage The ...

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...

in support of

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

Partnership for Peace The Partnership for Peace (PfP; ) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) program aimed at creating trust and cooperation between the member states of NATO and other states mostly in Europe, including post-Soviet states; 18 states are ...

Exercise Seabreeze 11. 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.

Arctic Circle 2012

In March and April 2012, elements of 3/24 deployed to

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

Arctic Circle The Arctic Circle is one of the two polar circles, and the northernmost of the five major circle of latitude, circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth at about 66° 34' N. Its southern counterpart is the Antarctic Circle. The Arctic Circl ...

for Operation Cold Response 2012. The Arctic exercise brought together 16,300 troops from 15 allied nations for simulated combat, terror threats and amphibious operations in snow and ice.

Deactivation/retirement

On May 19, 2013, the battalion was deactivated (retired) as a part of 2013 Marine Corps Force Restructuring, along with the

. 3/24 personnel were reallocated to 23rd Marine Regiment, with the majority of the companies becoming

. The battalion colors were retired at the battalion headquarters in St. Louis, MO, and sent for safekeeping to the Museum of the Marine Corps.

Unit awards

United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon

Presidential Unit Citation * Navy Unit Commendation ribbon

Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy A navy, naval force, military m ...

with two Bronze Stars (I MEF Gulf War 1991, I MEF Iraq 2004, II MEF Iraq 2009) * National Defense Medal with two Bronze Stars * Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with four Bronze Stars * World War II Victory Medal ribbon

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal was a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. Histo ...

Southwest Asia Service Medal The Southwest Asia Service Medal (SASM or SWASM) was 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 member ...

with two Bronze Stars (Desert Shield, Desert Storm) *

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-EM) is a United States Armed Forces award created by George W. Bush on 12 March 2003, through Executive Order 13289. The medal recognizes those military service members who have deployed over ...

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOT-SM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created through Executive Order 13289 on 12 March 2003, by President George W. Bush. The medal recognizes those military service ...

Iraq Campaign Medal The Iraq Campaign Medal (ICM) was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created by Executive Order 13363 of U.S. President George W. Bush on 29 November 2004, and became available for general distribution in June 2005. ...

with three Bronze Stars ("Transition of Iraq", "Iraqi Governance", "Iraqi Sovereignty") *

Afghanistan Campaign Medal The Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM) was 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, and became available for general distribution in June 2005. ...

with one Bronze Star *

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John F. Kennedy. The medal is awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who, a ...

* Kuwait Liberation (Saudi Arabia) * Kuwait Liberation (Kuwait)

Notable former members

*Private Richard K. Sorenson received the Medal of Honor for actions during the battle of Kwajalein Atoll (Marshall Islands) in 1944. * First Lieutenant

John V. Power John Vincent Power (November 20, 1918 – February 1, 1944) was a United States Marine Corps first lieutenant who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Kwajalein in World War II World War II or ...

received the Medal of Honor for actions during the landing and battle of Roi-Namur Island, 1944. *

Homer Litzenberg Homer Laurence Litzenberg (January 8, 1903 – June 27, 1963) was a decorated lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps, serving in Haiti, World War II, and the Korean War. His final rank was awarded at his retirement for valor in ba ...

, commanding officer * Private First Class James R. Zarillo received the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Naval Service's second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is equivalent to the Army ...

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

for actions during the battle of Saipan in 1944. * First Lieutenant Wray C. Lewis received the

for actions during the battle of Saipan in 1944. * Captain William Ketcham received the

for actions during the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. * Warrant Officer Ira Davidson received the

for actions during the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. * Lance Corporal William Spencer from India Company, 3/24, was awarded the

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

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 The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...

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''. * Private First Class

Lee Marvin Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924August 29, 1987) was an American film and television actor. Known for his bass voice and prematurely white hair, he is best remembered for playing hardboiled "tough guy" characters. Although initially typecast as th ...

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

winning actor.

Notes

References

: ;Web
3/24's official website
{{4thMarDiv 4th Marine Division (United States) Infantry battalions of the United States Marine Corps Military units and formations established in 1943