3rd Battalion 12th Marines

3rd Battalion 12th Marines (3/12) is an artillery battalion comprising three firing batteries and a Headquarters Battery. The firing batteries are not permanently assigned to the battalion- they are all on 6 month rotations in Okinawa from the 10th Marine Regiment and the 11th Marine Regiment (known as the Unit Deployment Program (UDP)). The battalion is stationed at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan and its primary weapon system is the M777 lightweight howitzer with a maximum effective range of 30 km. The battalion utilizes the Unit Deployment Program to fill its three firing batteries with detachments from artillery units across the Marine Corps.

Mission

Provide direct support of the 3rd Marine Division in time of conflict. That support may come in the traditional fashion of artillery support to maneuver forces, or by providing batteries to serve as provisional rifle companies. They also have the secondary mission of being the primary providers of civil-military operations (CMO). CMO is defined as the activities of the commander that establish, maintain, influence, or exploit relations between military organizations, Government and civilian organizations and the civilian populace.

Current units

• Headquarters Battery
• Three firing batteries rotating on unit deployment program (UDP) assignments from the 10th Marines and the 11th Marines.

History

World War II

3rd Battalion 12th Marines was activated on September 16, 1942 at Camp Elliott, California as part of the 3rd Marine Division.

Deployed during January - February 1943 to Auckland, New Zealand

Participated in the following World War II Campaigns Bougainville Northern Solomons Guam Iwo Jima

Deactivated 28 December 1945

Reactivation and the Vietnam War

Reactivated 7 January 1952 at Camp Pendleton, California, as the 3rd Marine Division

Redeployed during August 1953 to Camp Gifu, Japan

Redeployed during February 1956 to Camp Courtney, Okinawa

Redeployed during April - May 1965 to the Republic of Vietnam

Participated in the war in Vietnam, April 1965 - November 1969, operating from Quang Tri Province Quang Nam Province Thua Thien Province

Redeployed during November 1969 to Camp Courtney, Okinawa

Elements participated in evacuation operations in Vietnam and Cambodia, March - May 1975

India Btry 3/12 deployed and placed in reserve during the Mayaguez Incident May '75

1970s - 1990s

Elements participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Southwest Asia, 1990–1991

Elements participated in Operations Sea Angel, Bangladesh, May - June 1991

Elements Participated in Operation Fiery Vigil, Republic of the Philippines, June - July 1991

War on Terror

Elements participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan and Philippines, 2001 into 2006

Elements participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq, 2003 into 2007

Elements participated in Operation Unified Assistance, Southeast Asia, December 2004 - February 2005

Elements participated in humanitarian relief efforts, Philippines, February - March 2006

Elements participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, 2010 ^[1]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 3rd Battalion 12th Marines.

• List of United States Marine Corps battalions
• Organization of the United States Marine Corps

Notes

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

Web

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Portal Category

3rd Marine Division
3rd Marines	1st Battalion 2nd Battalion 3rd Battalion 1st Battalion 12th Marines
4th Marines	All battalions are part of other regiments in 1st Marine Division, the regiment in turn hosts units training at the Jungle Warfare Training Center.
9th Marines	All battalions are part of other regiments in 2nd Marine Division.
12th Marines	1st Battalion 3rd Battalion
Other Battalions	Combat Assault Battalion 3rd Reconnaissance