DVIDS – News – US Marine Corps Deactivates 1st Battalion, 12th Marines

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII – 1st Battalion, 12th Marines don their colors during the unit deactivation ceremony at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, May 26, 2023.

1st Battalion, 12th Marines activated 1 September 1942 as 4th Battalion, 12th Marines at Camp Elliot, California, as an artillery regiment in support of the 3rd Marine Infantry Division. After participating in a series of World War II campaigns, including battles on Bougainville, Guam, and Iwo Jima, 1/12th underwent a brief period of inactivation before reactivating in support of maintaining the Command’s amphibious readiness capabilities. the Far East during the Korean War. .

The 1/12th Marines watched the Vietnam War unfold from April 1965 to September 1969 as they operated from their positions at Phu Bai, Da Nang, Cam Lo, Khe Sanh, and Camp Carroll. When US forces launched the major raid known as Operation Thor on June 1, 1968, 1/12 allowed them to regain control of the Demilitarized Zone by providing fire support and conducting artillery raids.

In June 1971, at the end of the Vietnam War, the 1/12th Marines reported to Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, where they have been permanently stationed ever since. In September 1994, after the battalion’s successful participation in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the 1/12th was reassigned to the 3rd Marine Division as part of III Marine Expeditionary Force. From August 2004 to November 2011, 1/12 participated in the Global War on Terror, deploying in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. One such deployment to Al Anbar Province, Iraq, was under the command of now-Major General Stephen Liszewski, who served as 1/12th Battalion Commander from 2006 to 2008, and is now the Commanding General of Marine Corps Installations. Pacific.

In recent years, 1/12 has been at the forefront of institutional change, leading the practical application of forward expeditionary base operations, experimentation with foraging concepts, and the employment of state-of-the-art weapons systems. Notably, operating in support of Large Scale Exercise 21, the battalion successfully employed the soon-to-be-deployed Navy Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System to fire the Naval Strike Missile aboard the Range Facility Pacific Missile Barking Sands in Kauai, Hawaii, on August 2. On January 5, 2021. The missiles traveled more than 100 nautical miles before reaching their target: a simulated adversary ship portrayed by the ex-USS Ingraham, a retired Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate. Similar operational mission profiles will allow Navy artillery to deny key maritime terrain and facilitate joint force maneuver.

“1st Battalion, 12th Marines has spent the past two years at the forefront of force design and joint force integration,” said Lt. Col. Joseph Gill, 1st Battalion commanding officer, 12th Marines. “We have made great progress in developing tactics, techniques and procedures and have set the stage for the deployment of the Navy Marine Corps Expeditionary Vessel Interdiction System. The battalion’s efforts have increased the lethality of the 3rd Marine Division and influenced how we will fight for the foreseeable future.”

On May 26, 2023, the US Marine Corps inactivated the 1/12th. The change was made in line with Force Design 2030 modernization efforts. The battalion has played a valuable role in setting the stage for the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment and future MLRs to provide lethal forces. and ready for combat in the Indo-Pacific. The 3d MLR and 12th Marines, which is scheduled to transition to an MLR in 2025, will provide ready and capable stand-in forces to the first island chain, bolstering the United States Indo-Pacific Command’s ability to support deterrence efforts. and respond to potential crises. with allies and partners.

“Deactivating a battalion of this nature and ensuring the deliberate transfer of personnel, facilities and equipment is a tremendous undertaking,” said Maj. Ryan Capdepon, executive officer of 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. “In 1/12 fashion, our Marines and Sailors demonstrated professionalism, flexibility, and dedication in tackling the associated tasks. At the same time, we continue to support numerous operational requirements and remain prepared for potential contingency scenarios. I am proud of our team and the work they have done. Every one of them will be an asset to your next command.”