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 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 rotating firing batteries from the 10th, 11th, and 12th Marine Regiments.

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

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 2006

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

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