Country United States Type Medical | Branch USN & USMC | |
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Active September 6, 1940 - present Part of 1st Marine Logistics Group Garrison/HQ Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton | ||
1st Medical Battalion is a unit of the United States Marine Corps operated by the United States Navy that provides expeditionary Health Service Support to Marine Corps forces forward deployed to operations or humanitarian missions. The unit is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and falls under the command of 1st Marine Logistics Group.
Contents
Mission
Provides expeditionary health service support to the operating units of the First Marine Expeditionary Force to preserve and save every life and support the war fighting capability of the MEF.
Subordinate units
Each lettered Surgical Company consists of 4 Surgical Platoons that provide Role II Light Maneuver capabilities consisting of command and control, damage control resuscitation, damage control surgery, limited patient holding, radiology, laboratory and blood banking capabilities and MEDEVAC personnel and equipment. Typically, the Surgical Companies and Surgical Platoons are task organized to support the full range of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force units.
1940 - 1941
ACTIVATED 06 SEPTEMBER 1940 AT QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AS THE 1ST MEDICAL BATTLION AND ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST MARINE BRIGADE
DEPLOYED DURING OCTOBER 1940 TO GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA
REASSIGNED DURING FEBRUARY 1941 TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION
RELOCATED DURING APRIL 1941 TO QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AND PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA
RELOCATED DURING SEPTEMBER 1941 TO NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA
1942 - 1947
DEPLOYED DURING JUNE - JULY 1942 TO WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND
PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II CAMPAIGNS
PARTICIPATED IN THE OCCUPATION OF NORTH CHINA, SEPTEMBER 1945 - MAY 1947
REDEPLOYED DURING MAY 1947 TO GUAM
1947 - 1964
REACTIVATED 16 JULY 1947 AT CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, AND ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE
DEPLOYED DURING AUGUST 1950 TO KOBE, JAPAN
PARTICIPATED IN THE KOREAN WAR, SEPTEMBER 1950 - JULY 1953, OPERATING FROM
PARTICIPATED IN THE DEFENSE OF THE KOREAN DEMILITARIZED ZONE, JULY 1953 - APRIL 1955
RELOCATED DURING APRIL 1955 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA
1965 - 1993
DEPLOYED DURING JUNE 1965 TO OKINAWA
PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR IN VIETNAM, MARCH 1966 - APRIL 1971, OPERATING FROM
RELOCATED DURING APRIL 1971 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA
PLACED UNDER THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE 1ST FORCE SERVICE SUPPORT GROUP, FLEET MARINE FORCE, ON 30 MARCH 1976
PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM, SOUTHWEST ASIA, AUGUST 1990 - APRIL 1991
PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION RESTORE HOPE, SOMALIA, DECEMBER 1992 - JANUARY 1993
Honors and Awards
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER WITH ONE SILVER AND TWO BRONZE STARS
WORLD WAR II
KOREA
VIETNAM
JOINT MERITORIOUS UNIT AWARD STREAMER
NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER WITH ONE BRONZE STAR
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER WITH TWO BRONZE STARS
AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER WITH ONE BRONZE STAR
ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN STREAMER WITH ONE SILVER AND ONE BRONZE STAR
WORLD WAR II VICTORY STREAMER
NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE STREAMER WITH "ASIA"
CHINA SERVICE STREAMER
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO BRONZE STARS
KOREAN SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO SILVER STARS
SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO BRONZE STARS
KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER
VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM STREAMER
VIETNAM MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION CIVIL ACTIONS STREAMER