1st Battalion, 1st Marines

Unit Lineage

Activated on 1 March 1941 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines is an infantry battalion assigned to the 1st Marine Regiment under the 1st Marine Division. Known as "The First of the First," 1/1 is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The battalion's rifle companies carry callsigns Alpha "Red Death," Bravo "Raiders," and Charlie, with Weapons Company and H&S "Hades" rounding out the formation. Two future Commandants of the Marine Corps served as company commanders with 1/1: Robert H. Barrow (27th Commandant) led Alpha Company in Korea, and Robert B. Neller (37th Commandant) commanded Alpha Company during a 1982 WestPac deployment.

World War II

After reactivation on 7 February 1942 at New River, North Carolina, 1/1 deployed to the Pacific and fought at Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, and Okinawa. At Peleliu, Captain Everett P. Pope earned the Medal of Honor for leading his company in a night defense of a critical ridge against repeated Japanese assaults. On Okinawa, Lieutenant Colonel Richard P. Ross braved sniper fire to place the 1st Marine Division's colors on a parapet of Shuri Castle on 30 May 1945. That flag had already been raised over Cape Gloucester and Peleliu.

Korea

Reactivated on 9 August 1950 at Camp Pendleton, 1/1 deployed to Korea and participated in the amphibious landing at Inchon under the 1st Marine Regiment, then commanded by Colonel Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller. The battalion fought through the Chosin Reservoir campaign, defending the perimeter at Koto-ri, and spent much of the remainder of the war defending the 38th parallel. 1/1 remained on the Korean DMZ until April 1955.

Vietnam

1/1 deployed to Da Nang in August 1965 and served in Vietnam until May 1971. The battalion operated across the northern provinces of I Corps, including Da Nang, Dong Ha, Con Thien, Quang Tri, Phu Bai, and Khe Sanh. During the 1968 Tet Offensive, 1/1 fought in the Battle of Hue City. Sergeant Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle, leading multiple assaults against fortified enemy positions and single-handedly destroying a rocket position before he was killed.

Desert Shield / Desert Storm

1/1 deployed from Camp Pendleton in December 1990 to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield. As part of Regimental Combat Team 1, redesignated Task Force Papa Bear, the battalion crossed into Kuwait and fought a mechanized engagement at Al Burqan before consolidating at Kuwait International Airport on 27 February 1991. The battalion returned to Camp Pendleton in April.

Global War on Terror

On 11 September 2001, the Marines of 1/1 were on a WestPac deployment with the 15th MEU in Darwin, Australia. The battalion subsequently deployed multiple times to Iraq, operating in and around Fallujah, Abu Ghraib, Karmah, Saqlawiyah, and Habbaniyah across Al Anbar Province. During its 2006 deployment, 1/1 suffered 11 killed and more than 50 wounded. The battalion deployed again to Al Anbar in mid-2007 and returned in February 2008. As part of the 13th MEU in 2008-2009, 1/1 conducted anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia. In June 2012, the battalion returned to Afghanistan to operate in Helmand Province around Khanashin, Kajaki, and the Nawa district before withdrawing in December 2012.

Gear for the First of the First

This collection is for the Marines who served with 1/1 and the families who carry their legacy forward. Every t-shirt, hoodie, flag, and accessory in this lineup represents the battalion's history from Guadalcanal to Helmand. Whether you served with Red Death, Raiders, Charlie Company, or Weapons, this gear is yours. Veteran-owned and made in the USA.

Browse our 1/1 Marines t-shirts, long sleeves, hoodies, tank tops, flags, decals, drinkware, and more below. OIF and OEF veteran designs available. Every order ships free at $75+.