5th Battalion, 10th Marines

Unit Lineage

Originally activated on 1 January 1941 as the 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines and armed with 75mm pack howitzers, the battalion that became the 5th Battalion, 10th Marines holds a singular distinction in Marine Corps history. On 7 August 1942, on Guadalcanal, the battalion fired the opening artillery rounds of the first American offensive of World War II. Known as "The Five and Dime" and "The Steel Rain Battalion," 5/10 served with the 10th Marine Regiment under the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The battalion was deactivated on 1 June 2012.

World War II

After firing the opening rounds at Guadalcanal, the battalion earned two Presidential Unit Citations for its service on Guadalcanal and Tarawa. Following a brief redesignation to 5/10, the battalion transitioned to 155mm howitzers and was renamed the 2nd 155mm Howitzer Battalion. Under that designation, the unit provided fire support at Saipan, firing over 10,000 rounds during the campaign. The battalion fought at Guam, where its displacements outpaced even the lighter 75mm guns, and at Iwo Jima, where it landed on D+1. The battalion was deactivated after the war and its guns remained silent until reactivation in 1954.

Cold War Through the Global War on Terror

After reactivation, 5/10 served through the Cold War and deployed in support of operations in Haiti in 1994. During the Global War on Terror, the battalion deployed as a Civil Affairs Group in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007. In spring 2009, 5/10 deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan as part of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, returning in spring 2010.

Gear for the Five and Dime

This collection is for the cannoneers who served with 5/10 and the families who carry their legacy. The battalion that fired the first American offensive artillery rounds of World War II was deactivated in 2012, but its history did not end there. Every t-shirt, hoodie, flag, and accessory keeps the Steel Rain Battalion's name alive. Veteran-owned and made in the USA.

Browse our 5/10 Marines t-shirts, long sleeves, hoodies, tank tops, flags, decals, drinkware, and more below. Every order ships free at $75+.