Originally Posted March 15, 2025
And on the 22nd of January through the 18th of March in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 22 January through 18 March, 1969, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (1/9), the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines (2/9), the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9), the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4), 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4), the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9), and the ARVN 2nd Regiment participated in OPERATION DEWEY CANYON, an offensive against PAVN communication lines in Laos, north of the A Shau Valley in the Thua Thien Province.
And on this the 27th of January through the 7th of April in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 27 January through 7 April, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines participated in OPERATION DESOTO, a search and destroy operation in the Quang Ngai Province.
And on this the 1st of Feb. through 18th of March in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 1 February through 18 March, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines and the 2nd Battalion,26th Marines participated in OPERATION PRAIRIE II, a search and destroy operation to prevent the PAVN 324B Division from entering the DMZ area, around Con Thien and Gio Linh, in the Quang Tri Province.
And on this the 26th of February through 30 April in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1968, during the period 26 February through 30 April, the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Battalion, the 327th Airborne Infantry and the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Airborne Infantry participated in OPERATION HOUSTON, an operation to open Route 1 between Da Nang and Phu Bai in the Thua Thien Province.
And on this the 27th of February through the 8th of May in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 27 February through 8 May, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines and the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines participated in OPERATION PURPLE MARTIN, a clear and search in the Quang Tri Province.
Interestingly, this was originally named OPERATION MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
And on this the 29th of February through 31 October in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1968, during the period 29 February through 31 October, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines and the 2/1 Cavalry participated in OPERATION NAPOLEON/SALINE, an operation along the Cua Viet River in the Quang Tri Province.
During the period 1 March – 29 May 1969 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 29 May through 23 June, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, 7th Marines, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines and the 51st Regiment of the ARVN participated in OPERATION OKLAHOMA HILLS, an operation southwest of Da Nang, in the Quang Nam Province.
And during the period, 2 March through 1 November in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1965, during the period 2 March 1965 through 1 November 1968, the USAF, U.S. Navy and RVNAF participated in OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER a sustained and escalating bombing campaign of North Vietnam to destroy military infrastructure, interdict supply routes and undermine the North’s willingness to continue the war.
During the period 12 March through 26 March 1968 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1968, during the period 12 March through 26 March, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and the 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment participated in OPERATION WORTH a search and destroy operation 24 Km northwest of Da Nang, in the Quang Nam Province.
During the period 13 March through 18 March 1967 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 13 March through 18 March, the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines participated in OPERATION TIPPECANOE, a search and destroy operation in the Quang Ngai Province.
During the period 14 March through 20 March 1968 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1968, during the period 14 March through 20 March, the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, and the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines participated in OPERATION FORD a sweep of the Phu Thu Peninsula to engage the VC 804th Main Force Battalion east of Phu Bai.
During the period 15 March through 18 March 1967 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 15 March through 18 March, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines participated in OPERATION WEBSTER, a search and destroy operation in the Quang Nam Province.
During the period 15 March through 2 May 1969 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 15 March through 2 May, the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines and the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines participated in OPERATION MAINE CRAG a reconnaissance in force operation along the Laotian border, west of Khe Sanh in the Quang Tri Province.
Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 15th day of March in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1780 during the period 15 through 17 March, the West Florida and her Marines participate in the successful Spanish attack on the British fort at Mobile, Alabama.
In 1848, a Marine and navy landing force from the USS Dale again drives the enemy out of Cochori.
In 1889, Marines are among those lost when the screw steamer Trentonand screw sloop Vandalia sink in Apia Harbor, Samoa during a typhoon. Naval Academy cadet John A. Lejeune is one of the survivors.
In 1919, following substantial progress on dredging and filling work, the formal groundbreaking is held for construction at the new Marine Corps base in San Diego.
In 1938, Marine units participate in Fleet Problem XIX in Hawaii, practicing the occupation of an advanced base.
In 1939, following tests of Andrew Higgins’s Eureka boat during FLEX 5, Marines enthusiastically endorse it as the best landing craft available. The Higgins boat is finally adopted by the Navy in 1940. Later improved with a bow ramp, it becomes the standard U.S. landing craft of World War II. Higgins soon develops larger models to carry tanks.
In 1941, the FMF is administratively divided, with the 1st Marine Division reporting to the Atlantic Fleet and the 2nd Marine Division reporting to the Pacific Fleet.
In 1943, the 1st Raider Regiment is established to command all four raider battalions. The 3rd and 4th Raider Battalions arrived in Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides during February.
In 1944, Major General Mitchell ends his tour as commander of AirSols; the billet goes to an Army Air Forces general.
Marine medium bombers struck Japanese positions at Rabaul.
Admiral Halsey, commander of the South Pacific area, orders the seizure of Emirau Island on 20 March. Located 230 miles northwest of Rabaul, it would complete the mission of surrounding the Japanese bastion.
The 4th Marines receives the assignment, draws up plans, and embarks within two days.
MAG-52 is organized at Cherry Point. VMF-461 is organized at El Centro.
In 1945, VMF-115 aircraft of MAG-12 land on San Roque airfield at Zamboanga in the Philippines and begin operations the next day. MAG-92 and VMB-473 and 483 are deactivated.
In 1946, the 26th Marines is deactivated on Peleliu.
Some personnel are reformed as a provisional Marine detachment to continue garrisoning the island.
MAG-46, VMB-612, and VMF-912 are decommissioned.
In 1951, MAG-13 is reactivated at El Toro.
The 1st and 7th Marines encounter tough resistance in a series of hills north of Hongchon, but seize them in close-in combat with grenades.
In 1966, III MAF stands up Force Logistics Command, composed of the 1st and 3rd Service Battalions and elements of 3rd Force Service Regiment, to support Marines in country.
In 1967, during the period 15 through 18 March, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines (3/7) participated in OPERATION WEBSTER, a search and destroy operation in the Quang Nam Province
In 1968, HML-167 is commissioned at Marble Mountain in Vietnam.
In 1969, during the period 15 March through 2 May, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines (1/3), the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines (2/3), the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines (3/3), and the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines participated in OPERATION MAINE CRAG, a reconnaissance-in-force operation along the Laotian border, west of Khe Sanh in the Quang Tri Province.
The percentage of high school graduates among volunteer enlistees stands at 5.4 percent, while it is 71.5 percent among draftees. There are 1,071 college graduates in the Corps enlisted ranks.
Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas!
Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever!
-Richard W. Pettengill, Corporal USMC
And damn proud of it!