Country United States | Type Artillery | |
 | ||
Active February 1, 1944 - present Allegiance United States of America Branch United States Marine Corps Role Provide fires in support of 3rd Marine Division | ||
3rd Battalion 12th Marines (3/12) is an artillery battalion comprising three firing batteries and a Headquarters Battery. The firing batteries are not permanently assigned to the battalion- they are all on 6 month rotations in Okinawa from the 10th Marine Regiment and the 11th Marine Regiment (known as the Unit Deployment Program (UDP)). The battalion is stationed at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan and its primary weapon system is the M777 lightweight howitzer with a maximum effective range of 30 km. The battalion utilizes the Unit Deployment Program to fill its three firing batteries with detachments from artillery units across the Marine Corps.
Contents
Mission
Provide direct support of the 3rd Marine Division in time of conflict. That support may come in the traditional fashion of artillery support to maneuver forces, or by providing batteries to serve as provisional rifle companies. They also have the secondary mission of being the primary providers of civil-military operations (CMO). CMO is defined as the activities of the commander that establish, maintain, influence, or exploit relations between military organizations, Government and civilian organizations and the civilian populace.
Current units
World War II
3rd Battalion 12th Marines was activated on September 16, 1942 at Camp Elliott, California as part of the 3rd Marine Division.
Deployed during January - February 1943 to Auckland, New Zealand
Participated in the following World War II Campaigns Bougainville Northern Solomons Guam Iwo Jima
Deactivated 28 December 1945
Reactivation and the Vietnam War
Reactivated 7 January 1952 at Camp Pendleton, California, as the 3rd Marine Division
Redeployed during August 1953 to Camp Gifu, Japan
Redeployed during February 1956 to Camp Courtney, Okinawa
Redeployed during April - May 1965 to the Republic of Vietnam
Participated in the war in Vietnam, April 1965 - November 1969, operating from Quang Tri Province Quang Nam Province Thua Thien Province
Redeployed during November 1969 to Camp Courtney, Okinawa
Elements participated in evacuation operations in Vietnam and Cambodia, March - May 1975
India Btry 3/12 deployed and placed in reserve during the Mayaguez Incident May '75
1970s - 1990s
Elements participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Southwest Asia, 1990–1991
Elements participated in Operations Sea Angel, Bangladesh, May - June 1991
Elements Participated in Operation Fiery Vigil, Republic of the Philippines, June - July 1991
War on Terror
Elements participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan and Philippines, 2001 into 2006
Elements participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq, 2003 into 2007
Elements participated in Operation Unified Assistance, Southeast Asia, December 2004 - February 2005
Elements participated in humanitarian relief efforts, Philippines, February - March 2006
Elements participated in Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, 2010