3rd Battalion, 11th Marines

3rd Battalion 11th Marines

3/11 Insignia

Active| 1 May 1943 – 30 September 1947
20 August 1950 – present
Country|  United States of America
Branch|  United States Marine Corps
Type| Artillery
Role| Provide fires in support of 1st Marine Division
Size| 800
Part of| 11th Marine Regiment
1st Marine Division
Garrison/HQ| Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms
Nickname(s)| "Thunder"
Motto(s)| "Semper Flexibilis" and "Dominatus Nox"
Engagements| World War II

* Battle of Guadalcanal
* Battle of Cape Gloucester
* Battle of Peleliu
* Battle of Okinawa

Korean War

* Battle of Inchon
* Battle of Chosin Reservoir

Vietnam War
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Restore Hope
War on Terror

* Operation Iraqi Freedom
* Operation Enduring Freedom

Commanders
Commanding Officer|  LtCol John A. McNulty
Sergeant Major|  SgtMaj Carlos A. Granados
Notable
commanders| James J. Keating

Military unit

3rd Battalion 11th Marines (3/11) is an artillery battalion comprising three firing batteries, a Liaison Unit, and a headquarters battery. The battalion is based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California and its primary weapon system is the M777 lightweight howitzer with a maximum effective range of 30 km. They fall under the 11th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division.

## Contents

* 1 Mission
* 2 Current units
* 3 History
* 3.1 World War II
* 3.2 Korean War
* 3.3 Vietnam War
* 3.4 The Gulf War and the 1990s
* 3.5 Global War on Terror
* 4 See also
* 5 Notes
* 6 References

## Mission[edit]

Provide direct support fires to 7th Marine Regiment, and general support and reinforcing fires to other maneuver elements of 1st Marine Division during combat operations. That support may come in the traditional fashion of artillery support to maneuver forces, or by providing batteries to serve as provisional rifle companies. They also have the secondary mission of being the primary providers of civil-military operations (CMO). CMO is defined as the activities of the commander that establish, maintain, influence, or exploit relations between military organizations, Government and civilian organizations and the civilian populace.

## Current units[edit]

* Headquarters Battery
* Battery I (India Battery)
* Battery K (Kilo Battery)
* Battery M (Mike Battery)
* Liaison Section (Fire Support Battery)

## History[edit]

### World War II[edit]

3rd Battalion 11th Marines was activated 1 May 1943 at Victoria, Australia as the 5th Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force. The Battalion was redesignated 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines on 7 May 1944. During World War II, 3/11 participated in the Eastern New Guinea, Battle of New Britain, Battle of Peleliu, Battle of Guadalcanal and the Battle of Okinawa. Following World War II, Third Battalion participated in the occupation of North China from September 1945 to January 1947. In December 1946, the battalion was attached to the 7th Marines. The battalion was relocated to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California in January 1947 and was assigned to the 3rd Marine Brigade. The battalion was deactivated on 30 September 1947.

### Korean War[edit]

3/11 was reactivated on 20 August 1950 at Camp Pendleton and was assigned to the 1st Marine Division, FMF. The battalion deployed in September 1950 to Kobe, Japan and participated in the Korean War, operating from Inchon, Seoul, the Chosin Reservoir, the East, Central, and Western Fronts. Third Battalion participated in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone from July 1953 to February 1955. The battalion was relocated to Camp Pendleton in February 1955.

### Vietnam War[edit]

In May 1965, Third Battalion was attached to Regimental Landing Team Seven and deployed to the Western Pacific. The battalion was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division in June 1965 and was later reassigned to the 1st Marine Division in March 1966 to October 1970, the battalion participated in the war in Vietnam, operating from Chu Lai, Da Nang, Dai Loc, and Hoi An. Third Battalion relocated to Camp Pendleton in October 1970 and was assigned to the Fifth Marine Amphibious Brigade. The battalion was reassigned in April 1971 to the First Marine Division, FMF.

### The Gulf War and the 1990s[edit]

Third Battalion relocated to its current home at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California in February 1990. The battalion participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in Southwest Asia from August 1990 to March 1991.

From December 1992 to April 1993, the battalion was deployed as a Provisional Infantry Battalion to Mogadishu, Somalia for Operation Restore Hope. While in Somalia the battalion was instrumental in coordinating security for the city of Mogadishu with 12 other nations. On 20 January 1993, Pfc. Domingo Arroyo of Hotel Battery was killed in an ambush while on patrol in Mogadishu. He was the first casualty of Operation Restore Hope.

### Global War on Terror[edit]

Artillerymen with Gun 3, Battery K, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment fire-off a round with the newly fielded M777 Medium-weight 155-millimeter Howitzer

The battalion once again deployed to Southwest Asia from January 2003 to July 2003 to support the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) in Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion's timely and accurate fires proved to be crucial in allowing I MEF to quickly move deep into Iraqi territory and topple the regime in 21 days of major combat operations. Immediately following the fall of Baghdad, the battalion assumed the mission of a Provisional Infantry Battalion and begun assisting in civil/military duties as well as conducting Security and Stability Operation (SASO) patrols in the capital city, securing hospitals and other vital infrastructure.

In November 2003 the battalion again received orders to deploy to Iraq, but this time as a Provisional Military Police Battalion. The battalion quickly transitioned into its new job and deployed from February 2004 to September 2004. The battalion's motto of Semper Flexibils, Always Flexible, held true with the battalion participating in missions ranging from convoy escorts, combat patrols, humanitarian assistance, security force training, and controlling a battle space of over 40,000 square kilometers.

In May 2005, the battalion became the first unit in the world to field the new M777 lightweight howitzer. Feedback from the artillerymen of 3/11 led to modifications prior to being issued to other Marine and Army units.

Currently, the battalion supports OIF by deploying individual batteries to fulfill the role of artillery support, as well as provisional MP; as well as supporting III MEF in Okinawa, Japan with the Unit Deployment Program by deploying a battery semi-annually.

3/11 deployed to southern Afghanistan in the spring of 2009 as part of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade.[1] They are part of the 17,000 troop increase announced by President Obama in mid-February.[2] 3/11 operated as part of Regimental Combat Team 3 and was the only Marine artillery battalion in Afghanistan.[3] The battalion built Fiddler's Green in July 2009 as a fire base for Operation Strike of the Sword.

## See also[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 3rd Battalion 11th Marines.

* List of United States Marine Corps battalions
* Organization of the United States Marine Corps

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Hlad, Jennifer (9 March 2008). "2/8, other Lejeune units to deploy with 2nd MEB". enctoday.com. Archived from the original on 14 March 2009. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
2. ^ Page, Susan (16 February 2009). "Obama OKs adding Afghanistan forces". USA Today. Retrieved 23 April 2010.
3. ^ "Marine Corps News Room: Air-Ground team airlifts newest howitzers in historic first". Archived from the original on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2009.

## References[edit]

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

Web

* 3/11's official website

* v
* t
* e

United States Marine Corps

Leadership|

* Secretary of the Navy
* Under Secretary of the Navy
* Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
* Military Secretary to the Commandant of the Marine Corps
* Marine Corps four-star generals
* Marine Corps three-star generals
* 1942–1959
* 2000–2009
* 2010–present

| US Congress|

* House Armed Services Committee
* Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee
* Senate Armed Services Committee
* Seapower subcommittee

|

Major
commands|

* Organization of the Marine Corps
* Headquarters Marine Corps
* Marine Forces Command
* II Marine Expeditionary Force
* Marine Forces Pacific
* I Marine Expeditionary Force
* III Marine Expeditionary Force
* Marine Forces Reserve
* Fleet Marine Force
* Atlantic
* Pacific
* Marine Corps Combat Development Command
* Training & Education Command (TECOM)
* United States Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory
* Marine Corps Systems Command

Auxiliary|

* Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary

Structure|

* Marine Air-Ground Task Force
* Bases
* Battalions
* Regiments
* Brigades
* Divisions
* MEF/Corps
* Marine aviation
* Marine expeditionary unit
* Special Operations
* Marine Raiders
* Marine Raider Regiment
* Recon
* Force
* Division

Personnel
and training|

| Personnel|

Rank insignia
MOS
Notable Marines
Historical Marines
Marine Astronauts
Criminal Investigation Division
Judge Advocate Division
Chaplain of the Marine Corps
Associated organizations

|

Training|

Recruit Training
School of Infantry
Officer Candidates School
The Basic School
Martial Arts Program

Uniforms
and equipment|

* Uniforms
* Awards
* Badges
* Weapons
* Vehicles and aircraft
* Individual equipment

History
and traditions|

* History
* Culture
* Acronyms and terms
* Birthday
* Color Sergeant of the Marine Corps
* Eagle, Globe, and Anchor
* Flag
* Marine Band
* Drum and Bugle Corps
* Marine One
* Silent Drill Platoon
* White House Sentries
* Service Numbers
* Marine Corps War Memorial
* Marine Detachments
* "Marines' Hymn"
* Oorah
* National Museum
* Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima
* Rifleman's Creed
* Semper Fidelis
* march
* History of Hispanics in the USMC
* History of women in the USMC
* Women's Reserve
* Honorary Marine
* Toys for Tots
* Gung ho

* Category

1st Marine Division

1st Marines|

* 1st Battalion
* 2nd Battalion
* 3rd Battalion
* 1st Battalion, 4th Marines

5th Marines|

* 1st Battalion
* 2nd Battalion
* 3rd Battalion
* 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines

7th Marines|

* 1st Battalion
* 2nd Battalion
* 3rd Battalion
* 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines

11th Marines|

* 1st Battalion
* 2nd Battalion
* 3rd Battalion
* 5th Battalion

Other Battalions|

* 1st Reconnaissance
* 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance
* 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance
* 1st Combat Engineer
* 1st Tank
* 3rd Assault Amphibian

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template