III Marine Expeditionary Force
Encyclopedia
The III Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force
of the United States Marine Corps
that is forward-deployed and able to deploy rapidly and conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault and high intensity combat. III MEF maintains a forward presence in Japan and Asia to support the U.S. – Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security and other alliance relationships of the United States. III MEF also conducts combined operations and training throughout the region in support of the National Security Strategy for Theater Security Cooperation.
, MEB
and MEF
, across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault and High Intensity Combat. III MEF maintains a forward presence in Japan and Asia to support the U.S. – Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security and our other alliance relationships. III MEF conducts combined operations and training throughout the region in support of our National Security Strategy for Theater Security Cooperation.
The III Marine Expeditionary Force is a descendant of the I Marine Amphibious Corps, activated during World War II.
in the Pacific theater during World War II
. It fought in some of the bloodiest battles, including the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
and Okinawa
. Following the termination of hostilities, it occupied northern China, where it was deactivated on 10 June 1946.
in 1965. From 1966 to 1970, III AC was renamed III Marine Amphibious Corps (III MAF) and consisted of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Division and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
. The MAF's area of operations was in the northern I Corps Tactical Zone. Redeployed to a permanent forward base on Okinawa in 1988, the III Marine Expeditionary Force helps to fulfill the 1952 United States treaty obligation to defend Japan.
, III MEF has served in 1990 Operation Desert Shield to help protect Saudi Arabia
. More recently the Marines have also engaged in humanitarian work, such as evacuating civilians in the Philippines
following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo
in 1991, and providing disaster relief in the Japanese city of Kobe
following a devastating earthquake
in January 1995.
More recently III MEF elements provided the headquarters of Joint Task Force 536, later redesignated Combined Support Force 536, which was established at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
in Thailand in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
, the 'Asian Tsunami.'
Marine Air-Ground Task Force
The Marine Air-Ground Task Force is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that...
of the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
that is forward-deployed and able to deploy rapidly and conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault and high intensity combat. III MEF maintains a forward presence in Japan and Asia to support the U.S. – Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security and other alliance relationships of the United States. III MEF also conducts combined operations and training throughout the region in support of the National Security Strategy for Theater Security Cooperation.
Mission
III Marine Expeditionary Force, as the Marine Corps’ forward-deployed Air-Ground-Logistics-Base Team, is a force in readiness able to deploy rapidly by any and all means and conduct operations from Special Purpose MAGTF through MEUMarine Expeditionary Unit
A Marine expeditionary unit , formerly called Marine amphibious unit , is the smallest Marine air-ground task force in the United States Fleet Marine Force...
, MEB
Marine Expeditionary Brigade
A Marine Expeditionary Brigade is a formation of the United States Marine Corps, a Marine Air-Ground Task Force of approximately 14,500 Marines and Sailors constructed around a reinforced infantry regiment, a composite Marine aircraft group, a logistics group and a command element...
and MEF
Marine Expeditionary Force
A Marine Expeditionary Force or MEF is the largest type of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force...
, across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault and High Intensity Combat. III MEF maintains a forward presence in Japan and Asia to support the U.S. – Japan Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security and our other alliance relationships. III MEF conducts combined operations and training throughout the region in support of our National Security Strategy for Theater Security Cooperation.
History
World War II
The III Marine Expeditionary Force was originally activated as the I Marine Amphibious Corps on 1 October 1942. Consisting of the 3rd Marine Division, the 37th Infantry Division of the United States Army, and a brigade of the 3rd New Zealand Division, it conducted the invasion of Bougainville. It was renamed the III Amphibious Corps on 15 April 1944 and as such took part in fighting against the Japanese EmpireEmpire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
in the Pacific theater during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It fought in some of the bloodiest battles, including the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
Mariana and Palau Islands campaign
The Mariana and Palau Islands campaign, also known as Operation Forager, was an offensive launched by United States forces against Imperial Japanese forces in the Mariana Islands and Palau in the Pacific Ocean between June and November, 1944 during the Pacific War...
and Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
. Following the termination of hostilities, it occupied northern China, where it was deactivated on 10 June 1946.
Vietnam War
The force was reactivated to serve in the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1965. From 1966 to 1970, III AC was renamed III Marine Amphibious Corps (III MAF) and consisted of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Division and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
1st Marine Aircraft Wing
The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan...
. The MAF's area of operations was in the northern I Corps Tactical Zone. Redeployed to a permanent forward base on Okinawa in 1988, the III Marine Expeditionary Force helps to fulfill the 1952 United States treaty obligation to defend Japan.
Post-Cold-War Period
Since the end of the Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, III MEF has served in 1990 Operation Desert Shield to help protect Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. More recently the Marines have also engaged in humanitarian work, such as evacuating civilians in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is west of the dormant and...
in 1991, and providing disaster relief in the Japanese city of Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
following a devastating earthquake
Great Hanshin earthquake
The Great Hanshin earthquake, or Kobe earthquake, was an earthquake that occurred on Tuesday, January 17, 1995, at 05:46 JST in the southern part of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. It measured 6.8 on the moment magnitude scale , and Mj7.3 on JMA magnitude scale. The tremors lasted for approximately 20...
in January 1995.
More recently III MEF elements provided the headquarters of Joint Task Force 536, later redesignated Combined Support Force 536, which was established at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield
U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield is a military airfield of the Royal Thai Navy located approximately southeast of Bangkok, near Sattahip on the Gulf of Siam...
in Thailand in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
, the 'Asian Tsunami.'
Structure
III Marine Expeditionary Force is part of Marine Forces, PacificUnits
- Ground combat elementGround combat elementIn the United States Marine Corps, the Ground combat element is the land force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides power projection and force for the MAGTF.-Role within the MAGTF:...
: 3rd Marine Division - Aviation combat elementAviation combat elementIn the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element is the air arm of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft, support equipment, pilots, maintenance personnel, as well as command and control assets to the...
: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing1st Marine Aircraft WingThe 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan... - Logistics combat elementLogistics Combat ElementIn the United States Marine Corps, the Logistics Combat Element , formerly combat service support element, is the portion of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force responsible with providing logistical support...
: 3rd Marine Logistics Group3rd Marine Logistics GroupThe 3rd Marine Logistics Group is a logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered at Camp Smedley Butler, Okinawa, Japan. 3d MLG was formerly the 3rd Force Service Support Group , with official redesignation on 28 October 2005... - Command elementCommand element (United States Marine Corps)In the United States Marine Corps, the command element or CE is the command and control force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides C3I for the MAGTF.-Role within the MAGTF:...
: III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group- III MEF command staff
- 3rd Intelligence Battalion3rd Intelligence Battalion3rd Intelligence Battalion is a United States Marine Corps military intelligence and counter intelligence unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan...
- 7th Communication Battalion7th Communication Battalion7th Communication Battalion is a communications battalion in the United States Marine Corps.-Mission:7th Communication Battalion currently supports III Marine Expeditionary Force in order to provide communications for command and control over all exercises conducted throughout the Pacific area of...
- 3rd Radio Battalion
- 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
- 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (United States)The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade is a United States Marine Corps unit that is the "middleweight" crises response force of choice in the Pacific Area of Operation...
- 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit31st Marine Expeditionary UnitThe 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel...