| 1st Battalion, 7th Marines | |
|---|---|
 1st Battalion, 7th Marines insignia |
|
| Active | 1 April 1921 |
| Country | United States |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Type | Light infantry |
| Part of | 7th Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms |
| Nickname | First Team First of the Seventh |
| Motto | "Pride, Devotion, Loyalty" |
| Engagements | World War II * Battle of Guadalcanal * Battle of Peleliu Korean War * Battle of Chosin Reservoir Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Restore Hope Operation Iraqi Freedom * 2003 invasion of Iraq |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Lieutenant Colonel Simmons, Todd |
| Notable commanders |
Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller Raymond G. Davis James Mattis |
The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines (1/7) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and consist of approximately 1000 Marines. Famous Marines who have served in 1/7 include Chesty Puller and John Basilone. The battalion falls under the command of the 7th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division.
Contents |
Battalion history
The history of 1st Battalion, 7th Marines began on 1 April 1921 in San Diego, California. In September 1924, the battalion was deactivated with its personnel being absorbed by the newly organized 4th Marine Regiment. For the next twenty years 1st Battalion, 7th Marines was activated, re-designated, and disbanded on numerous occasions until being reborn on 1 January 1941.
World War II
Just over a year after its rebirth, the battalion boarded ships for the Pacific Theater and World War II, where they saw their first action of the war at Guadalcanal. Under the leadership of the Battalion Commander, LtCol Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, the Battalion distinguished themselves many times over for valor and bravery as they valiantly held their positions against the onslaught of a regiment of seasoned Japanese attackers. It was also during this campaign that the legendary Sgt "Manila John" Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor. Throughout the remainder of the war, the "First Team" distinguished themselves during many different campaigns, including Peleliu and Okinawa. Finally, the battalion deployed to North China for occupation duty at the end of the war.
Korean War
Following the occupation duty, the "First of the Seventh" was sent to Camp Pendleton, California where they were deactivated on 5 March 1947. However, in response to the Communist aggression in Korea, the Battalion was again called into action. On 21 September 1950, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines made an amphibious landing at Inchon, Korea. Once more the "First Team" distinguished themselves in the battle as they took part in operations such as Hook, Reno, and Vegas, as well as fighting their way to and from the Chosin Reservoir. It was during the Korean Conflict that such names as 1stLt Frank Mitchell, SSgt Archie Van Winkle, and LtCol Raymond C. Davis, became part of Marine Corps history as each were awarded the Medal of Honor.
Following the cessation of hostilities in Korea and through 1965, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines spent time both in Camp Pendleton and Okinawa while maintaining its combat readiness.
Vietnam War
In August 1965, the battalion was once again called to service, this time in the Republic of Vietnam. For the next five years, the "First Team" participated in numerous operations such as Starlight, Piranha and Oklahoma Hills. During these operations and many others, the Battalion was honored repeatedly, earning the Presidential Unit Citation Streamer four times and the Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer three times. The battalion was also responsible for the only war crime attributable to the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. On 19 February 1970, in the village of Son Thang-4 just southwest of Danang, a five man patrol from the unit executed five women and eleven children. One member of the team would be convicted of premeditated murder[1]
Gulf War
1st Battalion, 7th Marines was the first unit to man defensive positions in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield in August 1990. The unit was an integral member of Task Force Ripper. As Desert Shield became Desert Storm, 1st battalion, 7th Marines participated in the diagonal thrust into the heart of Kuwait City, spearheading the liberation of Kuwait from Iraq. The battalion redeployed to Twentynine Palms, California in March 1991.
Somalia
On 11 December 1992, the first elements of 1st Battalion, 7th Marines arrived at Mogadishu, Somalia for Operation Restore Hope. Battalion operations were conducted in Baidoa, Bardera, Oddur, Afgoye, and Mogadishu. 1st Battalion, 7th Marines relieved Task Force Mogadishu for occupation of the Stadium Complex in Mogadishu, Somalia on 25 January 1993. On 24 April 1993, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines turned over their mission and area of operations in Mogadishu to the 10th Baluch Battalion and redeployed to Twentynine Palms, California.
Global War on Terror
In January 2003, the Battalion was once again called into action for Operation Enduring Freedom and consequently Operation Iraqi Freedom. On 18 March 2003, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines crossed the Kuwaiti border into Iraq with their first mission being to seize the strategically important oil pumping and control station in Az Zubayr. This station was so important because more than 50% of Iraq's oil was controlled by it.[2] The battalion saw significant combat action on its way to Baghdad and in the streets of the Iraqi capital. On 23 April, the Battalion turned over control of their sector to the U.S. Army and took up positions in the holy city of An Najaf. After countless extensions, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, redeployed to Twentynine Palms, CA on 5 October 2003.
In August 2004, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines deployed to Western Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. There the Battalion conducted security operations in the cities and roadways along the Euphrates River and Syrian border to include Husaybah, Karabilah, Sadah, Ubaydi, Al Qa'im, Haditha, Hit and Haqlania. Involved in combat operations on a daily basis, the battalion conducted mounted and dismounted urban patrols, cordon knocks, Main Supply Route (MSR) security, sweep operations, and border security to clear the Battalions Area of Operation (AO) of enemy insurgents.
In March 2006, the battalion again deployed to Iraq and operated near the Iraqi-Syrian border, conducting dismounted urban patrols, weapons cache sweeping, and vehicle checkpoints. [3] They returned in September, 2006. [4]
1/7 returned to Western Al Anbar in August 2007. Assigned to AO Hit, they conducted thousands of combat patrols and cache sweeps. The Task Force found over 22,000 pieces of ordnance during the deployment and captured over 200 suspected terrorists and criminals. TF 1/7 partnered with its two Iraqi infantry battalions and two police districts. The training and development of the Iraqi units was so successful that the city of Hit was the first city within all of Al Anbar Province to be turned back to Iraqi control. The Battalion returned to 29 Palms in March 2008.
1/7 Medal of Honor recipients
- World War II
- GySgt John Basilone, 24-25 October, 1942, Guadalcanal
- Korean War
- SSgt Archie Van Winkle, 2 November, 1950, Korea
- Sgt James I. Poynter, 4 November, 1950, Korea (Posthumously)
- 1stLt Frank N. Mitchell, 26 November, 1950, Korea (Posthumously)
- LtCol Raymond G. Davis, 1-4 December, 1950, Korea
- PFC Herbert A. Littleton, 22 April, 1951, Korea (Posthumously)
- Sgt Frederick W. Mausert, III, 12 September, 1951, Korea
- Cpl David B. Champagne, 28 May, 1952, Korea (Posthumously)
- PFC John D. Kelly, 28 May, 1952, Korea (Posthumously)
- Vietnam War
- HM3 Robert R. Ingram, 28 March, 1966, Vietnam
- Cpl Larry E. Smedley, 20-21 December, 1967, Vietnam (Posthumously)
- PFC Ralph E. Dias, 12 November, 1969, Vietnam (Posthumously)
See also
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: 1st Battalion 7th Marines |
- History of the United States Marine Corps
- List of United States Marine Corps battalions
- Organization of the United States Marine Corps
Notes
- ^ Warren, "American Spartans", p. 350
- ^ Gordon (2006), p.220-21.
- ^ Corporal Antonio Rosas (2 July 2006). "Marines battle the elements while facing insurgents and improvised explosive devices". Marine Corps News. http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/616F79CE74C6F97F8525719F004D1A9D?opendocument.
- ^ "1/7 Marines return from third deployment to warm welcome". OP-29-Online. 6 October 2006. http://www.op29online.com/articles/2006/10/06/news/news01.txt.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- Bibliography
- Gordon, Michael R.; General Bernard E. Trainor (2006). Cobra II - The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq. New York: Random House. ISBN 1-40007-539-3.
- Owen, Joseph R. (1997). Colder Than Hell: A Marine Rifle Company at Chosin Reservoir. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-80411-697-0.
- Solis, Gary D. (1997). Son Thang: An American War Crime. United States Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-743-0.
- Warren, James A. (2007). American Spartans: The U.S. Marines: A Combat History from Iwo Jima to Iraq. Pocket Books. ISBN 1-41653-297-2.
- Web
- "Official Website of 1/7". United States Marine Corps. http://www.i-mef.usmc.mil/div/7mar/1bn/default.asp.
- "1st Battalion 7th Marines History". First Battalion Seventh Marines-Korea 1950-1953. http://www.1-7marineskorea.com/history.htm.
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