3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines

Unit Lineage

Activated on 1 June 1942 at New River, North Carolina, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines is an infantry battalion assigned to the 3rd Marine Regiment of the 3rd Marine Division, based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. Known as "America's Battalion," the nickname became official after Commandant General Charles Krulak received a letter addressed only to "Commanding Officer, America's Battalion." The U.S. Postal Service delivered it. The battalion's rifle companies are India, Kilo, and Lima. Among its decorations are five Medals of Honor and over twenty Navy Crosses.

World War II

3/3 landed at Cape Torokina on 1 November 1943 as part of the Battle of Bougainville and fought through the jungle for months against Japanese forces. On 21 July 1944, the battalion went ashore on Guam and fought through some of the bloodiest combat of the Marianas campaign. Casualties were twice those of Bougainville, with 300 wounded and 97 killed. The battalion earned a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions on Guam. 3/3 was held offshore during the Battle of Iwo Jima as the expeditionary reserve and was never landed, despite repeated requests from commanders ashore.

Vietnam

3/3 deployed to Vietnam and served with the 3rd Marine Division in the northern provinces. The battalion participated in operations across I Corps and saw sustained combat through the late 1960s.

Global War on Terror

In late 2004, 3/3 deployed to eastern Afghanistan for an eight-month tour. The battalion operated in Kunar Province and along the Afghan-Pakistan border. During its 2007 Iraq deployment, 3/3 operated in the Karmah area under Regimental Combat Team 6, completing the Clear-Hold-Build operations in a key insurgent stronghold. In 2010, elements of the battalion deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Corporal Dakota Meyer, who served with 3/3 during a 2009 deployment to Kunar Province, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Ganjgal on 8 September 2009, where he repeatedly drove into the kill zone to recover wounded Marines and soldiers under heavy fire.

Gear for America's Battalion

This collection is for the Marines who served with 3/3 and the families who carry their legacy. Every t-shirt, hoodie, flag, and accessory honors America's Battalion from Bougainville to Guam to Kunar Province. Veteran-owned and made in the USA.

Browse our 3/3 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+.