President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to the
THIRD MARINE DIVISION (REINFORCED)
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action against the North
Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces in the Republic of Vietnam from 8 March 1965 to 15
September 1967. Throughout this period, the Third Marine Division (Reinforced), operating in
the five northernmost provinces of the Republic of Vietnam, successfully executed its three-fold
mission of occupying and defending key terrain, seeking out and destroying the enemy, and
conducting an intensive pacification program. Operating in an area bordered by over 200 miles
of South Chain Sea coastline, the mountainous Laotian border and the demilitarized Zone, the
Third Marine Division (Reinforced) successfully executed eighty major combat operations,
carrying the battle to the enemy, destroying many of his forces, and capturing thousands of tons of weapons and materiel. In addition to these major operations, more than 125,000 offensive counter guerrilla actions, ranging from squad patrols and ambushes to company-sized search and destroy operations, were conducted in both the coastal rice lands and the mountainous jungle inland.
These bitterly contested actions routed the enemy from his well-entrenched positions,
denied him access to his source of food, restricted his freedom of movement, and removed his
influence from the heavily populated areas. In numerous operations, the Third Marine Division
(Reinforced) demonstrated the great efficacy of combined operations with units of the Army of
the Republic of Vietnam. In July 1966, the Third Marine Division (Reinforced) moved to the
north to counter major elements of the North Vietnamese Army moving across the Demilitarized
Zone. Imbued with an unrelenting combat spirit and initiative and undeterred by heavy hostile
artillery and mortar fire, extremely difficult terrain, incessant heat and monsoon rains, the Third Marine Division (Reinforced), employing courageous ground, heliborne and amphibious
assaults, complemented by intense and accurate air, artillery and naval gunfire support, inflicted great losses on the enemy and denied him the political and military victory he sought to achieve at any cost. The outstanding courage, resourcefulness and aggressive fighting spirit of the officers and men of the Third Marine Division (Reinforced) in battle after battle against a well equipped and well-trained enemy, often numerically superior in strength, and the great
humanitarianism constantly shown to the peoples of the Republic of Vietnam, reflected great
credit upon the Marine Corps and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United
Stated Naval Service.
ADDENDUM PAGE TO THE CITATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION TO
THE THIRD MARINE DIVISION (REINFORCED), 8Mar65 to 15Sep67.
UNITS ENTITLED TO THE AWARD AND THE INCLUSIVE DATES OF AWARD
UNITS INCLUSIVE DATES
Headquarters Battalion 6May65 - 15Sep67
Third Marines, Headquarters Company 12Apr65 - 15Sep67
First Battalion, Third Marines
SLF
8Mar65
18Nov65
4Apr67
---
31Aug65
13Feb67
ONLY
Second Battalion, Third Marines
SLF
SLF
10Apr65
22Dec65
27Feb66
14Apr67
----
18Nov65
27Feb66
9Mar67
15Sep67
Third Battalion, Third Marines 12May65
27Oct66
--
30Aug66
15Sep67
Fourth Marines, Headquarters Company 7May65 - 15Sep67
First Battalion, Fourth Marines
SLF
7May65
24Jan67
2Apr67
---
15Dec66
1Apr67
15Sep67
Second Battalion, Fourth Marines 7May65
5Jan67
--
27Oct66
15Sep67
Third Battalion, Fourth Marines 14Apr65
18Mar66
15May67
---
23Dec65
1Apr67
15Sep67
Ninth Marines, Headquarters Company 6Jul65 - 15Sep67
First Battalion, Ninth Marines
SLF
17Jun65
8Dec66
5Feb67
---
29Sep66
24Jan67
15Sep67
Second Battalion, Ninth Marines 6Jul65 - 15Sep67
Third Battalion, Ninth Marines 8Mar65
15Aug65
1Mar67
---
12Jun65
7Jan67
15Sep67
Twelfth Marines, Headquarters Battery 12Jul65 - 15Sep67
First Battalion, Twelfth Marines 10Apr65 - 15Sep67
Second Battalion, Twelfth Marines 12Jul65 - 15Sep67
Third Battalion, Twelfth Marines 7May65 - 15Sep67
Fourth Battalion, Twelfth Marines 12Jul65 - 15Sep67
Third Engineer Battalion 23Jun65 - 15Sep67
Third Motor Transport Battalion 23Jun65 - 15Sep67
Third Reconnaissance Battalion 7May65 - 15Sep67
Third Medical Battalion 23Jun65 - 15Sep67
Third Shore Party Battalion 15Jul65 - 15Sep67
Third Tank Battalion 12Jul65 - 15Sep67
Third Anti-Tank Battalion 12Jul65 - 15Sep67
Third Dental Company 29Jun65 - 15Sep67
First Marines, Headquarters Company 17Jan66 - 27Mar66
First Battalion, First Marines 28Aug65 - 9Oct66
Second Battalion, First Marines 10Dec65 - 9Oct66
Third Battalion, First Marines 28Jan66 - 9Oct66
First Force Reconnaissance Company 8Mar65
11May66
--
27Apr66
16Nov66
M Battery, Fourth Battalion, 11th Marines 14Aug65 - 27Mar66
Second Battalion, Fifth Marines (-) 1Oct66 - 22Nov66
26th Marines (Fwd) 25Apr66 - 15Apr67
First Battalion, 26th Marines
(SLF)
28Sep66
2Aug66
--
15Sep67
27Sep66
Second Battalion, 26th Marines 26Aug66 - 15Sep67
Third Battalion, 26th Marines
(SLF)
9Dec66
5Oct66
--
15Sep67
8Dec66
First Battalion, 13th Marines 23Jul67 - 15Sep67
Battery A, 4th Battalion, 13th Marines 2May67 - 15Sep67
Battery K, 4th Battalion, 13th Marines 28Apr67 - 15Sep67
1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion
Headquarters & Service Company, 1st AmTrac Battalion 15Jul65 - 15Sep67
Company A, 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion 15Jul65 - 15Sep67
Company B, 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion 15Jul65 - 15Sep67
LVTH Platoon, 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion 15Jul65 - 15Sep67
2d Topographical Company 1Apr65 - 15Sep67
3d Force Reconnaissance Company 25Apr67 - 15Sep67
1st Provisional 155mm Gun Battery (SP) (Formed in Country) 6Jan67 - 15Sep67
2nd Provisional 155mm Gun Battery (SP) (Formed in Country) 7Jan67 - 15Sep67
1st 8” Howitzer Battery (SP) 12Jul65 - 15Sep67
1st Searchlight Battery 26Jun67 - 15Sep67
1st Field Artillery Group 29Nov66 - 15Sep67
1st Platoon, 5th 155mm Gun Battery 23Jul67 - 15Sep67
1st Counterintelligence Team 8Mar65 - 31Oct66
1st Special Security Communications Team 6May65 - 15Sep67
3d Interrogator Translator Team 1Apr66 - 15Sep67
9th Interpreter Team 21Jul67 - 15Sep67
7th Interrogator Translator Team 17Apr66 - 15Sep67
17th Interrogator Translator Team 21Aug67 - 15Sep67
11th Interpreter Team 21Aug67 - 15Sep67
1st Platoon, 1st Armored Amphibian Tractor Company 8Nov66 - 15Sep67
3d Counterintelligence Team 8Mar65 - 31Oct66
1st 155mm Gun Battery (SP) 1Mar66 - 15Sep67
3d 155mm Gun Battery (SP) 4Aug66 - 15Sep67
Detachment, 15th Counterintelligence Team 22Nov66 - 15Sep67
1st Clearance Platoon, Company D, 5th Medical Battalion 6Jun66 - 15Sep67
Paul Marquis
Web Master
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