3rd Battalion 23rd Marines 3rd Battalion , 23rd Marine Regiment ( 3 / 23 ) is a reserve infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps located throughout the Midwestern United States consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors . The battalion was first formed in 1943 for service in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II , taking part in a number of significant battles including those at Saipan and Iwo Jima before being deactivated at the end of the war . In the early 1960s , the unit was reactivated as a reserve battalion . The battalion is headquartered in Saint Louis , Missouri with outlying units throughout the Midwestern United States . 3 / 23 falls under the command of the 23rd Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division . Recent operations have included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan . Mission . The unit ' s mission is to provide a well - trained and credible force , capable of rapidly mobilizing to augment or reinforce active duty Marine Corps forces participating in missions ranging from humanitarian / peacekeeping operations to major conflicts , in time of war , national emergency or contingency operations and during peacetime to provide operation tempo relief for active forces throughout the spectrum of operations including Joint and Combined Operations . Infantry battalions are the heart and soul of the ground combat element . The mission of locating , closing with , and destroying the enemy with fire and maneuver and repelling the enemy ' s assault with fire and close combat lies with the " grunts " . Marine infantry battalions often have limited organic equipment outside of small arms ( maneuvering by foot as light infantry , and must be supplemented with additional trucks to become motorized infantry or Amphibious Assault Vehicle s to become mechanized infantry ) . Organization . A Marine infantry battalion is organized into three rifle companies , a weapons company , and a headquarters company . The rifle company has three or four rifle platoon s and a weapons platoon with medium machinegun s and mortar s . The weapons company includes a heavy machinegun platoon , a mortar platoon , and an assault platoon . Sometimes , the commander will mix these into Combined Anti - Armor Team s . The headquarters company includes all command , administration , intelligence , operations , logistics , and communication Marines and equipment , as well as the battalion ' s Surveillance and Target Acquisition teams ( which include scout snipers ) . History . World War II . 3rd Battalion , 23rd Marines was activated on July 22 , 1942 at what is now Marine Corps Air Station New River , North Carolina . In July 1943 , the battalion relocated to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California . In August 1943 , they were assigned to 4th Marine Division . This division was formed by the organization and redesignation of several other units . The 23rd Marine Regiment began as infantry detached from the 3rd Marine Division , and an artillery battalion of the 12th Marines became the genesis of the 14th Marines and engineer elements of the 19th Marines formed the nucleus of the 20th Marines . In March the 24th Marine Regiment was organized , and then in May it was split in two to supply the men for the 25th Marines . This war - time shuffling provided the major building blocks for 4th Marine Division . The units were originally separated , however , with the 24th Marines and a variety of reinforcing units ( engineer , artillery , medical , motor transport , special weapons , tanks , etc . ) at Camp Pendleton in California . The rest of the units were at Camp Lejeune , North Carolina . This East Coast echelon moved to Pendleton by train and transit of the Panama Canal in July and August 1943 . When all the units were finally together , the 4th Marine Division was formally activated on August 14 , 1943 , with Major General Harry Schmidt in command . After intensive training , 23rd Marines shipped out on 13 January 1944 , and in 13 months made four major amphibious assault s , in the battles of Kwajalein ( Roi - Namur ) , Saipan , Tinian , and Iwo Jima , with the division suffering more than 17 , 000 casualties . Roi - Namur . An account of 23rd Marines attack during the battle of Roi - Namur : As dawn broke on D plus 1 ( February 1 , 1944 ) , the LVT ' s waddled out of the jaws of the LST ' s and took up their circling , while the air strikes and naval bombardment mounted in fury . Originally , 1000 had been designated as H - hour , but , due to unforeseen difficulties ( such as the lack of usable LVT ' s ) , it was changed to 1100 . As It was , the first waves did not land till nearly 1200 . RCT 23 attacked Roi with its strategic airfield . After the earth - shaking barrage of naval shells and aerial bombs , climaxed by a deluge of rockets fired from LCI ' s , opposition on Roi was comparatively light , and the 0 - 1 line was reached at 1217 . After pulling back some over - extended units and reorganizing , RCT 23 continued the attack about 1530 . The twisted steel skeletons of the hangars and the shattered remnants of the Jap planes were overrun , and the northern edge of the island was reached by 1800 . All that remained was mopping up the enemy snipers who were still hiding in the drainage ditches . This was completed by the next morning , February 2 , and at 0800 Roi was declared secure . 23rd Marine Regiment was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and a Navy Unit Commendation , and then deactivated on November 10 , 1945 . Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm . 3rd Battalion , 23rd Marines was activated in Nov 1990 and deployed to Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield . 3 / 23 was commanded by LtCol Ray Dawson , of Baton Rouge , Louisiana , and attached to the 8th Marine Regiment of the 2nd Marine Division and deployed along the Kuwait / Saudi Arabian border conducting patrolling and security operations . 2 days before G - Day , 3 / 23 attacked into Kuwait at Umm Gudair to secure forward artillery positions for the support of the attack into Kuwait . With this action , 3 / 23 became the first unit of the 2nd Marine Division to enter combat since World War II . 3 / 23 continued to advance as part of 8th Marines , fighting actions into Kuwait City when the ceasefire was called . Detailed synopsis of 3 / 23 Desert Storm Assault . 3d Battalion , 23d Marines was assigned the G - Day missions of ( 1 ) providing security in the division zone forward of the Saudi defensive berm , which was located on the Saudi - Kuwait border , prior to G - Day ; ( 2 ) passing through the breach lanes , and : ( 3 ) clearing its zone of action to support the attack north , and ( 4 ) screening to the northeast in order to allow 3d Battalion , 10th Marines ( 3 / 10 ) to establish artillery firing positions to provide preparation fires for offensive operations . Phase One was the conduct of the route reconnaissance by TOWs , heavy machine guns ( HMG ) , combat engineers , snipers , and artillery reconnaissance assets . Phase Two was the introduction of one motorized infantry company , the battalion command element , and the 81 mm mortar platoon in the forward sector . The motorized company would be placed in a blocking position oriented northwest , facing possible Iraqi units being flushed out by 2nd LAR screening to the northwest . The teams were tasked to position themselves between the Iraqi defenses and friendly artillery to screen the Iraqi forward defensive belt , and orient to the northeast . Phase Three would be the movement of the artillery units to their firing positions on 23 February 1991 , G - 1 , under the cover of darkness . On 22 February 1991 ( G - Day minus two ) , 3 / 23 commenced combat operations as bulldozers cut three gaps in the Saudi berm to allow 3 / 23 and 3 / 10 to execute their missions . Approximately halfway through Phase One , the 8th Marines further tasked 3 / 23 to provide a Forward Air Controller close to the Iraqi defenses to control an air strike on a pumping station in the Umm Gudair oil field , which had been determined to be a high priority target . This required the 81 mm mortar element to move forward of their assigned position in order to range the target for back - up marking capability . A number of Iraqi infantry and trucks were observed in and around the Iraqi trench line . In the waning daylight of 22 February 1991 , the Iraqis were engaged by the forward 3 / 23 81 mm mortars . Simultaneously , the 3 / 23 Forward Air Controller ( FAC ) attempted to direct close air support ( CAS ) onto the assigned target . However , smoke and haze from the burning oil field obscured the target from the FAC , making laser designation impossible . Company I 3 / 23 quickly and effectively searched and cleared a large compound located forward of the Iraqi defenses discovering that , although unoccupied , it had been recently used by Iraqi forces as a major supply cache and observation point . The compound was prepared for demolition by combat engineers , and subsequently completely destroyed . Artillery fire was requested on the Iraqi defenses and Battery F , 2 / 14 responded as well as organic 3 / 23 81 mm mortar fire . The direct fire capability of 3 / 23 combined with the indirect fire destroyed five BTR - 60s , three BDRMS , eight tanks ( T - 55 / T - 62 ) and inflicted approximately 52 Iraqi KIAs . 10 - 20 Iraqis emerged from their trenches and made their way through their minefields to members of the 81 mm mortar platoon , 3 / 23 quickly mobilized enemy prisoners of war ( POW ) processing teams which sped the POWs to the rear . The POWs were determined to be from the Iraqi 1st Battalion , 83d Brigade , 29th Infantry Division . Ultimately , the battalion captured 238 POWs , to include an Iraqi Battalion Commander , and sustained no friendly casualties . At 0615 on 25 February 1991 , G + 1 , 3 / 23 passed through the breach with 8th Marines , with the bulk of the battalion mounted on M923 5 - ton trucks . During the execution of this part of the operation , Company H capture 20 POWs , sustaining no friendly casualties . 3 / 23 was directed to continue the movement to contact north with 8th Marines as the motorized battalion reserve . The 8th Marine Regimental Commander ' s intent was to utilize 3 / 23 for an envelopment , blocking force , MOUT operations , MSE security , flank screen / security , or POW security . As the tactical situation developed during the movement to contact on G + 1 , it became evident that 2d Marine Division was outdistancing 1st Marine Division , creating a gap between the two divisions . 3 / 23 was assigned the mission of providing flank security for the eastern flank of 2d Marine Division and 1 / 5 on the western flank of 1st Marine Division . As the battalion continued north to re - establish contact with 1 / 8 after being slowed down by NBC alerts , the main body of the battalion received fire from a farm complex to its right front . Upon receiving incoming small arms rounds , Company H deployed to clear its zone of sniper and harassing fire . The Iraqis broke contact and the battalion prepared to continue its movement north . Upon observing armored vehicles through the TOW thermal sights , the thermal signatures of at least nine Iraqis were identified . 3 / 23 was cleared to engage and destroy . Direct fire weapons were used to destroy a number of enemy vehicles . The exact number of kills could not be determined due to the darkness , smoke , and numerous secondary explosions ; however , it was readily apparent that these vehicles had been well stocked with munitions . At 2330 on 26 February 1991 , 3 / 23 was subsequently directed to continue clearing the farm complex from which fire had been received the previous day . The number of Iraqi troops in the area was still undetermined due to the large number of bunkers and buildings in the complex . 8th Marine Regimental headquarters dispatched tanks from Company C , 4th Tank Battalion , and directed that the tanks lead the infantry sweep order to minimize possible friendly casualties . At 1400 , the tank platoon engaged at least eight enemy tanks . The secondary explosion of an enemy vehicle caused one WIA and one KIA from 4th Tank Battalion . The operation was ceased and the battalion was directed to be prepared to execute the clearing mission in Al Shadadiyah , Kuwait the following day . The total Battle Damage Assessment ( BDA ) at the farm complex to that point was the destruction of 12 BMPs , two BRDMs , 9 T - 62 tanks , two T - 72 tanks , and one ammunition bunker . 3 / 23 moved further northeast to an assembly area in preparation for execution of the Al Shadadiyah MOUT operation . On their way , the lead element of the main body , Company G , came under sniper and RPG fire . Company G immediately returned fire . Company H , in the rear of the column , was immediately directed to conduct an infantry sweep of the area from which fire had been received . At 0800 on 28 February 1991 , G + 4 , offensive hostilities were officially suspended . Third Battalion , 23d Marines were directed by 8th Marines to return to the farm complex with an infantry force , sweep the area , and then move combat engineers in to destroy the balance of remaining enemy equipment . Global War on Terror . Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom 2003 - 2008 . 3 / 23 was mobilized for Operation Enduring Freedom on March 5 , 2003 , and deployed to Iraq with the 2nd Marine Division ' s Task Force Tarawa located in Al Kut . Commanded by LtCol David Couvillon of Brusly , Louisiana , 3 / 23 conducted a relief - in - place with Task Force Tarawa , becoming responsible for the entire Wassit Province of Iraq . Subsequently attached to the 1st Marine Division , 3 / 23 conducted Stability and Security Operations ( SASO ) through August , 2003 . LtCol Couvillon , acting also as Military Provincial Governor , and the Marines of 3 / 23 ( supported by Marine and Army Civil Affairs Groups , as well as an Army Military Police Company ) set about reestablishing government services , security actions , humanitarian actions , border security ( Iraq / Iran ) , and general governance until relieved by a Ukrainian Infantry Brigade in September , 2003 . 3 / 23 was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom on May 17 , 2007 . They were then stationed in Camp Lejeune , NC to begin training for upcoming Combat Operations in Al Anbar , Iraq . 3 / 23 and all supporting units deployed to Haditha , Iraq , in late September , 2007 , conducting Counter - IED Operations , patrols , convoys , raids , and basic Support and Stability Operations throughout Haditha and surrounding Al Anbar areas until April , 2008 , when they returned to the United States and demobilized . Africa 2009 . 3 / 23 deployed to Morocco and the Republic of Benin , West Africa , during May and June ( 2009 ) for annual training . They participated in Exercise African Lion and Shared Accord 2009 . The mission of the Marine Corps , under command of Marine Forces Africa , was to provide security for humanitarian operations and train side - by - side with their Moroccan counterparts , the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces , and the Republic of Benin Armed Forces . Exercise African Lion is an annually scheduled , joint , combined U . S . - Moroccan exercise . It brings together nearly 2 , 000 U . S . service members from locations throughout Europe and North America with more than 900 members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces . It is the largest exercise within the U . S . Africa Command area of responsibility , and is designed to promote interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation ’ s military tactics , techniques and procedures . Hurricane Katrina . The headquarters for 3rd Battalion , 23rd Marine Regiment , was caught in the middle of Hurricane Katrina in late 2005 . The majority of the battalions members were authorized to provide security for their families and leave the immediate area . A contigent of Marines from 3 / 23 volunteered to stay behind and assist the local community , as well as act as a liaison for the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit , who was deployed to the region to assist with disaster relief .