3rd Battalion 9th Marines

The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I it served until the early 1990s when it was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) during a realignment and renumbering of the Marine Corps' infantry battalions, following the deactivation of the 9th Marine Regiment. The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines was initially a subordinate unit of the 9th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, but was later operationally transferred to the 1st Marine Division as a subordinate unit of the 7th Marine Regiment where it remained until its redesignation as 3/4.

3/9 was reactivated under the 2nd Marine Division in May 2008 as the Marines expands as a result of the continuing War on Terror.

Current units
The battalion comprised four infantry companies, one weapons company and a headquarters and service company:


 * Headquarters & Service Company
 * India Company
 * Kilo Company
 * Lima Company
 * Mike Company
 * Weapons Company

Early years
The battalion was deactivated on 1 September 1937.

World War II
3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment was reactivated on 12 February 1942, at Camp Elliot, San Diego, California as part of the 2nd Marine Division. The battalion was formed by a nucleus of officers and Marines from the 2nd Marine Regiment. In September 1942, the battalion was relocated to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and reassigned to the 3rd Marine Division. The battalion was initially deployed to Cape Paerata, New Zealand in February 1943 and then moved to Guadalcanal in July of that year.

3/9 participated in the following campaigns during World War Two: Bougainville, Northern Solomons, Guam, and Iwo Jima. At Iwo Jima, 3/9 had the distinction of making the only battalion size unsupported, non-illuminated night attack against the Japanese in the Pacific War. Attesting to the ferocity of combat on Iwo Jima, all 22 of the battalions officers that landed on D-Day were killed or wounded by the end of the battle. For their service at Iwo Jima, the battalion received the Presidential Unit Citation. The battalion was disbanded on 31 October 1945.

Vietnam War
3/9 became the first battalion-sized ground combat unit to be deployed to Vietnam when they landed on 8 March 1965 in Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. Over the course of the next four and a half years, the battalion operated from Da Nang, An Hoa and Quang Tri and participated in over 40 combat operations, including Operation Double Eagle, Operation Buffalo and Operation Dewey Canyon. The battalion redeployed in 13 August 1969, after four years of continuous combat operations.

Kilo and India companies were deployed to Bien Hoa Air Base to provide ground support, for Marine Aircraft Group 12 in May 1972. They remained at Bien Hoa until January 1973.

Kilo Co.3/9 was deployed to Bien Hoa Vietnam from Okinawa in May 72, India Co. 3/9 relived Kilo Co. at the July 72 and remained at Bien Hoa until 3 Feb 1973. The last U.S. Marine killed in Action before the War ended at 0800 on 28 Jan 1973 (local)was in India Company 3/9. The last Marine was KIA 32.5 hours before the End of the War at 2335/26Jan73, (PFC Miller USMC) He is listed as a member of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, but was in fact a member of India Company 3/9 TAD to the 1st MAW.

The 1980s and 1990s
During 1986 though 1987 3/9 was commanded by LtCol James L Jones who later became the Commandant of the Marine Corps, NATO Commander, and the National Security Adviser. During 1986 the battalion participated in the filming of Heartbreak Ridge in Camp Pendleton, California and Hamburger Hill while deployed to the Philippines. Participated in Operation Desert Shield between August 1990 and January 1991. Participated in Operation Desert Storm between January 1991 and March 1991. Participated in Operation Restore Hope between 1992 and 1993. Deactivated on 2 September 1994 and redesignated 3rd Battalion 4th Marines.

2000s
On 7 December 2006, Headquarters Marine Corps released a message stating that 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines would be reactivated during 2008 as part of the continuing Global War on Terror.

On 20 May 2008, 3/9 was reactivated at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina under the 2nd Marine Division.

In July 2009, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They came home within 3 months due to troop withdrawals in Iraq.

In December 2010, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While in Marjah, Helmand province, the Marines and Sailors of 3/9 successfully fought the Taliban out of an area twice the size of what the previous secure areas of Marjah had been. The Marine and Sailors of 3rd battalion, 9th Marine Regiment returned to America in early July 2011.

Tuesday, August 13th 2013 marked the fifth time that 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines cased its colors aboard Camp Lejeune, this time under the command of LtCol. Carl E. Cooper, Jr.

Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself "... conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States ...". The following table contains the names of the men who were recipients of the Medal of Honor while serving in 3/9. They are listed in accordance to the "Date of Action" in which the MoH citation was made.

Unit awards
A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines has been presented with the following awards: