3rd Combat Engineer Battalion 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion ( 3rd CEB ) is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps . The unit is based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms , California . The battalion began reactivation on 7 October 2007 and continues to build to full mission capability planned for 2009 . The battalion is expected to be based on Guam once construction of facilities are complete . Mission . Provide mobility , counter mobility , survivability , and limited general engineering support . History . World War II . The battalion was first formed on 16 September 1942 as 1st Battalion , 19th Marine Regiment . Two years later on 16 August 1944 they were re - designated the 3d Engineer Battalion . The battalion was deactivated at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California on 30 November 1945 From August 1957 until January 1962 , the battalion was designated 3d Pioneer Battalion . Vietnam War . The 3d Engineer Battalion deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in July 1965 and remained in country until October 1969 During this time the battalion operated from Da Nang , Dong Ha , Gia Le , Quang Tri , Cua Viet , Camp Carroll , Cam Lo , and the Vandegrift Combat Base . After Vietnam the battalion was moved to Camp Schwab , Okinawa , only to be relocated in November 1970 to Camp Hansen , Okinawa . On 15 May 1976 the battalion was redesignated as the 3d Combat Engineer Battalion . 1970s through the 1990s . In September 1975 , the Battalion was redesignated as 3d Combat Engineer Battalion . 3d CEB provided three companies to Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm between August 1990 and March 1991 . “ Alpha ” Company deployed from Marine Corps Base Hawaii with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade , “ Bravo ” Company deployed via amphibious shipping 15 August 1990 from Okinawa , and “ Charlie ” Company landed in Saudi Arabia five days before the air war began . The Marines from 3d CEB participated in breaching operations with “ Task Force Grizzly ” and “ Task Force Papa Bear . ” Once in country , Alpha Co , 3rd CEB was soon assigned to 1st CEB and was referred to as " Alpha 3rd " , to distinguish them from Alpha Company , 1st CEB . One platoon from Bravo Company , 3rd CEB , 3rd Mar Div , Okinawa , arrived in country via amphibious shipping and was added to " Alpha 3rd ' " to become the company ' s 3rd platoon . 1st CEB supported Taskforce Ripper , [ the lead element of 1st Mar Div during Desert Storm ] . " Alpha 3rd ' " , was designated an Obstacle Clearing Detachment and was assigned to operate along with 1st Battalion 5th Marines , Company A , 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion and Company A 1st Tank Battalion as the lead element of Task Force Ripper to breach minefields . Alpha Company 3rd ' performed one minefield breach on the 1st mine field belt , and one breach on the second minefield breach which was defended by the Iraqi forces . " Alpha Company ' 3rd " also supplied a squad of engineers to conduct breaching operations for Task Force Shepard . In 1995 , 3d CEB was deactivated . Their numbers were dispersed to other combat engineers units throughout the Marine Corps . The battalion was renamed Combat Engineer Company and was folded into Combat Assault Battalion of the 3rd Marine Division . Reactivation and the Global War on Terror . Alpha Company was stood up in Twentynine Palms , California in the autumn of 2007 . The company , minus its 2nd Platoon , deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and fell under the command of Regimental Combat Team 5 during 2008 . The 2nd Platoon deployed at about the same time to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with the 2nd Battalion , 7th Marines operating throughout Helmand and Farah Province s . Bravo Company was stood up in November 2008 with three full strength line platoons . The battalion will also have a full company to facilitate the use of the new Assault Breacher Vehicle ( ABV ) . 3d Combat Engineer Battalion deployed to Helmand Province , Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom during 2010 . Unit awards . A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited . Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the appropriate ribbon of the awarded unit citation . 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion has been awarded the following :