1st Battalion 5th Marines Article Index for
1st Battalion
Website Links For
1st
 

Information About

1st Battalion 5th Marines




  caption 1/5 Insignia
  dates July 13 , 1914
  country United States
  branch USMC
  type Light Infantry
  role Locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver
  command Structure 5th Marine Regiment <br> 1st Marine Division
  garrison Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
  nickname "Geronimo"
  motto "Make peace or die"
  battles Battle Of Belleau Wood <br> Meuse-Argonne Offensive <br> Battle Of Guadalcanal <br> Cape Gloucester <br> Battle Of Peleliu <br> Battle Of Okinawa <br> Battle Of Inchon <br> Battle Of Chosin Reservoir <br> Vietnam War <br> Operation Desert Storm <br> Operation Iraqi Freedom <br>


1st Battalion 5th Marines (1/5) is an Infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Pendleton, California consisting of approximately 1000 Marines and Sailors. They fall under the 5th Marine Regiment and the 1st Marine Division .


HISTORY


World War I

1st Battalion, 5th Marines, was first organized on June 8 , 1917 as the United States prepared for World War I . Six days later, the Battalion, manned by Spanish War and Boxer Rebellion veterans along with a large number of raw recruits, set sail for France . Campaigns and battles such as Bois De Belleau , Vierzy, Chateau Theirry, Pont-a-Mousson, Limey Sector, Fleury, Muese Argonne , Blano Mont, St Michiel, Leffincourt and Soissons proved to the world that the Battalion knew how to fight.

The French Government recognized the fighting ability of the young Battalion by presenting it the Croix De Guerre along with the Fourragere and changing the name of a French landmark, Belleau Wood, to "Bois de la Brigade de Marine" or Wood of the Marine Brigade". In August 1919 the Battalion was deactivated following World War I and less than two years later, in July 1920 , the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines was reactivated. For the next several years, men of the 3rd Battalion served in the Caribbean and at home, guarding the US Mail .

In March 1927 , the 3rd Battalion deployed to Nicaragua to help stabilize the government against overthrow attempts by rebel forces. For the next six years, the Battalion aided the Nicaraguan Government until peace was finally restored. 1/5 was deactivated in January 1933 however shortly thereafter it was re-activated in September 1934 in Quantico, Virginia and served in the Caribbean theatre until the outbreak of World War II .


World War II