3rd Tank Battalion

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=3rd Marine Tank Battalion


caption=3rd Tank Battalion insignia
dates=September 16, 1942 - January 7, 1946 March 5, 1952 - June 1, 1992
country=United States
allegiance=
branch=USMC
type=Armor battalion
role=Armor protected firepower and shock action.
size=
command_structure= No longer active
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=3rd Tanks
patron=
motto=Shock Mobility
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= World War II *Battle of Bougainville *Battle of Guam *Battle of Iwo Jima Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

The 3rd Tank Battalion (3rd Tanks) was an armored battalion of the United States Marine Corps.

History

The 3rd Tank Battalion was formed during World War II on September 16, 1942. Each of the three regimental combat teams of the 3rd Marine Division had there own tank company and a scout car platoon. The 9th Marines tank company became Company A, 21st Marines company became Company B, and the 23rd Marines (later redesigned Third Marines) company became Company C. When the battalion was formed it absorbed the three companies, formed a Headquarters Company, a Scout Car Company (E) and Company D. The Scout Car Company absorbed the three scout car platoons. All the tank company's were equipped with light tanks.

They participated in the Battle of Bougainville, Battle of Guam and the Battle of Iwo Jima. Arriving on the island on February 20, 1945, the battalion played an important role in the capture of Iwo Jima. Following the end of the war the battalion staged through Guam, sailing to San Diego in December, 1945. On January 7, 1946, the battalion was deactivated at Camp Pendleton.

With the outbreak of the Korean War the battalion was reactivated at Camp Pendleton on March 5, 1952. In August 1953, the battalion sailed for Yokohama, Japan for service with the 3rd Marine Division at Camp Fuji. In February 1956, the 3d Tank Battalion was relocated to Okinawa and the following year moved to Camp Hansen, Okinawa. 3rd Tanks were in Vietnam from 1965 to 1969 and set up a command post at
Da Nang. The battalion also had units involved in the defense of Khe Sanh and Con Thien. During October 1969, the battalion left Vietnam for Okinawa.

In 1976, the 3d Tanks detached from its division and moved to the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California. The battalion and the ground units of the brigade joined the 1st Marine Division upon that unit's arrival in Saudi Arabia on August 15, 1990. They remained in support of the 7th Marine Regiment known as Task Force "Ripper." The battalion fought the four day campaign of the Gulf War from 24-28 February 1991, and returned to the United States in April. 3rd Tanks was deactivated on June 1, 1992.

Unit awards

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 awarded unit citation. 3rd Tanks was presented with the following awards:

ee also

*List of United States Marine Corps battalions

References

; Notes

;Bibliography
*cite book
title=U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle - Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939 - 1945s
author=Rottman, Gordon L.
date=2002
publisher=Greenwood Press
id=ISBN 0-313-31906-5

;Web
* [http://www.usmcvta.org/3rdtanks/3rdtanks.htm USMC Vietnam Tankers Association 3rd Tanks page]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/bravo3rd/3rdBnTks.html Tanks used by 3rd Tank Battalion]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/bravo3rd/HISTORY.html History of 3rd Tank Battalion]