3rd Battalion, 1st Marines

Unit Lineage

Activated on 1 March 1941 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines is an infantry battalion assigned to the 1st Marine Regiment under the 1st Marine Division. Known as "The Thundering Third," 3/1 is based at Camp Horno on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The battalion's rifle companies are India, Kilo, and Lima with Weapons Company and H&S completing the formation. From the jungles of Guadalcanal to the streets of Fallujah, 3/1 has earned a combat record that spans every major American conflict since World War II.

World War II

After reactivation on 16 February 1942 at New River, North Carolina, 3/1 deployed to the Pacific and fought across five campaigns: Guadalcanal, Eastern New Guinea, New Britain, Peleliu, and Okinawa. The battalion earned a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions at Guadalcanal. On Okinawa in 1945, Private First Class William A. Foster of Kilo Company and Sergeant Elbert L. Kinser of India Company both received the Medal of Honor posthumously for throwing themselves on enemy grenades to save the Marines around them.

Korea

Reactivated in 1950, 3/1 deployed to Korea and fought at Inchon and through the Chosin Reservoir campaign. The battalion produced four Medal of Honor recipients during the Korean War: Private First Class William B. Baugh, Major Reginald R. Myers, Captain Carl L. Sitter, and Technical Sergeant Harold E. Wilson. From Inchon through the Jamestown Line, 3/1 was in continuous combat for much of the war.

Vietnam

3/1 deployed to Vietnam and served in I Corps through the late 1960s, participating in operations across the northern provinces. The battalion fought in the Battle of Hue City during the 1968 Tet Offensive, one of the most intense urban engagements of the war. After Vietnam, 3/1 returned to Camp Pendleton and participated in Desert Shield and Desert Storm with the 1st Marine Division.

The Second Battle of Fallujah

In November 2004, 3/1 was the main effort for Regimental Combat Team 1 during Operation Phantom Fury, the Second Battle of Fallujah. The battalion was tasked with clearing the Jolan District, one of the most heavily fortified insurgent strongholds in the city. For twelve days, the Thundering Third fought house to house through prepared defenses, IEDs, and fortified fighting positions. First Sergeant Brad Kasal of Weapons Company was shot seven times and absorbed grenade fragmentation while shielding a wounded Marine during a close-quarters engagement. The photograph of Kasal being carried from the building by two Marines became one of the most recognized images of the Iraq War. He was awarded the Navy Cross. Over the course of the deployment, 3/1 lost 33 Marines, 28 of them during the battle itself. More than 250 awards for valor were presented to the battalion's Marines and sailors. Patrick O'Donnell's book "We Were One," embedded with Lima Company's 1st Platoon during the assault, is on the Commandant's Professional Reading List.

Continued Operations

After Fallujah, 3/1 deployed again to western Iraq in September 2005, conducting stability operations in Haditha and surrounding areas under Regimental Combat Team 2 and later Regimental Combat Team 7. In 2007, the battalion deployed as the Ground Combat Element of the 13th MEU and operated in the Tharthar region north of Fallujah during Operation Phantom Thunder. 3/1 deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2010, operating in contested areas around Sangin and Marjah. The battalion completed subsequent deployments to Afghanistan focused on retrograde operations and transitioning security to Afghan forces.

Gear for the Thundering Third

This collection is for the Marines who served with 3/1 and the families who carry their legacy. Every t-shirt, hoodie, flag, and accessory represents the battalion's history from Guadalcanal to Fallujah to Helmand. Whether you served with India, Kilo, Lima, or Weapons Company, this gear is yours. Veteran-owned and made in the USA.

Browse our 3/1 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+.