1.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
2.
United States Marine Corps
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The U. S. Marine Corps is one of the four armed service branches in the U. S. Department of Defense and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military officer in the U. S. Armed Forces, is a Marine Corps general, the Marine Corps has been a component of the U. S. Department of the Navy since 30 June 1834, working closely with naval forces for training, transportation, and logistics. The USMC operates posts on land and aboard sea-going amphibious warfare ships around the world, two battalions of Continental Marines were formed on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as a service branch of infantry troops capable of fighting for independence both at sea and on shore. The role of the Corps has since grown and evolved, expanding to aerial warfare and earning popular titles such as, Americas third air force, and, second land army. By the mid-20th century, the U. S. Marine Corps had become a major theorist of and its ability to rapidly respond on short notice to expeditionary crises gives it a strong role in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy. As of 2016, the USMC has around 182,000 active duty members and it is the smallest of the U. S. The USMC serves as an expeditionary force-in-readiness and this last clause, while seemingly redundant given the Presidents position as Commander-in-chief, is a codification of the expeditionary responsibilities of the Marine Corps. It derives from similar language in the Congressional acts For the Better Organization of the Marine Corps of 1834, in 1951, the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee called the clause one of the most important statutory – and traditional – functions of the Marine Corps. In addition to its duties, the Marine Corps conducts Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure operations, as well as missions in direct support of the White House. The Marine Band, dubbed the Presidents Own by Thomas Jefferson, Marines from Ceremonial Companies A & B, quartered in Marine Barracks, Washington, D. C. The Executive Flight Detachment also provides transport to Cabinet members. The relationship between the Department of State and the U. S. Marine Corps is nearly as old as the corps itself, for over 200 years, Marines have served at the request of various Secretaries of State. After World War II, an alert, disciplined force was needed to protect American embassies, consulates, in 1947, a proposal was made that the Department of War furnish Marine Corps personnel for Foreign Service guard duty under the provisions of the Foreign Service Act of 1946. A formal Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Department of State and the Secretary of the Navy on December 15,1948, during the first year of the MSG program,36 detachments were deployed worldwide. Continental Marines manned raiding parties, both at sea and ashore, the Advanced Base Doctrine of the early 20th century codified their combat duties ashore, outlining the use of Marines in the seizure of bases and other duties on land to support naval campaigns. Throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, Marine detachments served aboard Navy cruisers, battleships, Marine detachments served in their traditional duties as a ships landing force, manning the ships weapons and providing shipboard security. Marines would develop tactics and techniques of amphibious assault on defended coastlines in time for use in World War II, during World War II, Marines continued to serve on capital ships
3.
III Marine Expeditionary Force
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III Marine Expeditionary Force is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to amphibious assault. It maintains a presence in Japan and Asia to support the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation. III MEF also conducts combined operations and training throughout the region in support of the National Security Strategy for Theater Security Cooperation and these exercises build partner capacity, develop and maintain strong regional alliances and military-to-military contacts. These exercises prepare III MEF to conduct operations ranging from combat operations to humanitarian assistance. III MEF has played a significant role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief throughout the region. The MEF assisted the efforts led by the Government of Japan during Operation Tomodachi after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. III MEF also conducted HA/DR missions in Thailand in October 2011, the Philippines in Oct.2010, more than 2,495 tons of relief supplies were delivered and over 21,000 people were evacuated. The Marines combine air, ground, and logistics forces to operate as a coherent, self-sufficient force, each mission dictates the MAGTFs scale and structure, giving the Marine Corps the flexibility to respond to any crisis and making a force in readiness. A MEF is the largest of all MAGTFs, III Marine Expeditionary Force was activated as I Amphibious Corps 1 Oct.1942 in Camp Elliott, San Diego, Calif. Later that month, they were deployed to Noumea, New Caledonia, the unit was redesignated as III Amphibious Corps 15 April 1944. III Amphibious Corps was deactivated 10 June 1946, III Marine Expeditionary Force was activated 6 May 1965 at Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. III MEF was re-designated to III Marine Amphibious Force 7 May 1965, III Marine Amphibious Force deployed to Camp Courtney, Okinawa April 1971. III MAF was redesignated to III Marine Expeditionary Force 5 Feb.1988 and it fought in some of the bloodiest battles, including the Solomon Islands Campaign, the Mariana and Palau Islands campaign and the Battle of Okinawa. III Amphibious Corps redeployed to Tientsin, China in Sept. of 1945 where it participated in the occupation of Northern China until June 1946, III Amphibious Corps was deactivated 10 June 1946. III MEF was reactivated 6 May 1965 in Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam,7 May 1965, III MEF was re-designated as III Marine Amphibious Force and consisted of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Division and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. The III MAFs area of operations was in the northern I Corps Tactical Zone, III MAF participated in the Vietnam War from May 1965 – April 1971 operating from Quang Tri, Thua Thien, Quang Nam, Quang Tin, and Quang Ngai. III MAF deployed to Camp Courtney, Okinawa in April 1971, since III MAF was redesignated to III Marine Expeditionary Force 5 February 1988, they have participated in many different operations
4.
Camp Hansen
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Camp Hansen is a United States Marine Corps base located in Okinawa, Japan. The camp is situated in the town of Kin, near the shore of Kin Bay. Camp Hansen holds the record for the most Marines that re-enlist in the Marine Corps, the camp houses approximately 6,000 Marines nowadays, and is part of Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, which itself is not a physical base and comprises all Marine Corps installations on Okinawa. Camp Hansen is named for Medal of Honor recipient Dale M. Hansen, Hansen was killed by a Japanese snipers bullet three days after his actions on Hill 60. Also located at Camp Hansen is a brig, a confinement facility that houses U. S. military members from around the Far East for short term sentences, according to documents leaked by Edward Snowden and published by The Intercept, site hosts NSA collection facility codenamed CAMELUS. In September 1995 a controversy erupted when three U. S. servicemen stationed in Camp Hansen rented a van, kidnapped and raped a 12-year-old Japanese girl, list of U. S. Marine Corps bases Camp Hansen. Archived from the original on 25 December 2008, an Insiders Guide to USMC Bases
5.
Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler
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Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler is a United States Marine Corps base located in the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa. It was named for legendary Marine Smedley D. Butler, Camp Smedley D. Butler is actually a collection of facilities and satellite installations spread throughout Okinawa. The renaming of Buckner to Butler occurred after most US Army troops left Okinawa, additionally, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and Marine Wing Liaison Kadena, while not part of the Camp Butler complex, shares many resources with it. Other Marine installations in Japan include Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, United States Forces Japan Butlers web site Camp S D Butler, GlobalSecurity. org
6.
Vietnam War
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It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and the government of South Vietnam. The war is considered a Cold War-era proxy war. As the war continued, the actions of the Viet Cong decreased as the role. U. S. and South Vietnamese forces relied on air superiority and overwhelming firepower to conduct search and destroy operations, involving ground forces, artillery, in the course of the war, the U. S. conducted a large-scale strategic bombing campaign against North Vietnam. The North Vietnamese government and the Viet Cong were fighting to reunify Vietnam and they viewed the conflict as a colonial war and a continuation of the First Indochina War against forces from France and later on the United States. The U. S. government viewed its involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam and this was part the domino theory of a wider containment policy, with the stated aim of stopping the spread of communism. Beginning in 1950, American military advisors arrived in what was then French Indochina, U. S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s, with troop levels tripling in 1961 and again in 1962. Regular U. S. combat units were deployed beginning in 1965, despite the Paris Peace Accord, which was signed by all parties in January 1973, the fighting continued. In the U. S. and the Western world, a large anti-Vietnam War movement developed as part of a larger counterculture, the war changed the dynamics between the Eastern and Western Blocs, and altered North–South relations. Direct U. S. military involvement ended on 15 August 1973, the capture of Saigon by the North Vietnamese Army in April 1975 marked the end of the war, and North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year. The war exacted a huge human cost in terms of fatalities, estimates of the number of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed vary from 966,000 to 3.8 million. Some 240, 000–300,000 Cambodians,20, 000–62,000 Laotians, and 58,220 U. S. service members died in the conflict. Various names have applied to the conflict. Vietnam War is the most commonly used name in English and it has also been called the Second Indochina War and the Vietnam Conflict. As there have been several conflicts in Indochina, this conflict is known by the names of its primary protagonists to distinguish it from others. In Vietnamese, the war is known as Kháng chiến chống Mỹ. It is also called Chiến tranh Việt Nam, France began its conquest of Indochina in the late 1850s, and completed pacification by 1893. The 1884 Treaty of Huế formed the basis for French colonial rule in Vietnam for the seven decades
7.
Operation Eagle Pull
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Operation Eagle Pull was the United States military evacuation by air of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on 12 April 1975. With a Khmer Rouge victory imminent, the US government made plans for the evacuation of US nationals. Operation Eagle Pull took place on the morning of 12 April 1975 and was a success carried out without any loss of life. Five days later the Khmer Republic collapsed and the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh, as part of their 1975 dry season offensive, rather than renewing their frontal attacks on Phnom Penh, the Khmer Rouge set out to cut off the crucial Mekong supply route. On 12 January 1975 the Khmer Rouge attacked Neak Luong, a key Khmer National Armed Forces defensive outpost on the Mekong. On 27 January, seven vessels limped into Phnom Penh, the survivors of a 16-ship convoy that had come under attack over the 100 kilometres journey from the South Vietnamese border. On 3 February a convoy heading downriver hit naval mines laid by the Khmer Rouge at Phu My approximately 74 kilometres from Phnom Penh. The FANK naval branch, the Khmer National Navy, had mine-sweeping capability, the MNK had lost a quarter of its ships, and 70 percent of its sailors had been killed or wounded. By 17 February, the Khmer Republic abandoned attempts to reopen the Mekong supply line, in future, all supplies for Phnom Penh would have to come in by air to Pochentong Airport. On 5 March, Khmer Rouge artillery at Toul Leap, north-west of Phnom Penh, shelled Pochentong Airport, Khmer Rouge forces continued to close in on the north and west of the city and were soon able to fire on Pochentong again. On 22 March rockets hit two supply aircraft, forcing the US Embassy to announce on 23 March a suspension of the airlift until the security situation improved. The Embassy, realizing that the Khmer Republic would soon collapse without supplies, reversed the suspension on 24 March, on 1 April the Khmer Rouge overran Neak Luong and Ban-am, the last remaining FANK positions on the Mekong. The Communists could now concentrate all their forces on Phnom Penh, Premier Lon Nol resigned that day and went into exile, the final collapse of the Khmer Republic was imminent. The evacuation plan was developed and refined by the US Military as Khmer Rouge forces closed in on Phnom Penh, on 27 June 1973 the Seventh Air Force published Contingency Plan 5060C Eagle Pull covering the evacuation of Phnom Penh. Conplan 5060C had three options, Option 1, the evacuation of Embassy personnel, US citizens and designated Cambodians by regular or chartered civilian airlift from Pochentong Airport, the LZs were to be adjacent to the US Embassy in Phnom Penh. On 6 February the reaction time was reduced to 48 hours and this was further reduced on 28 February to 24 hours, effectively meaning that the fleet had to remain within the Gulf of Thailand. On 21 March the Embassy predicted there would be 3,600 evacuees, the command element supervised the ongoing fixed-wing evacuation of more than 750 Cambodians over the next seven days in the face of 80–90 rounds of 105 mm artillery and 107 mm rocket fire each day. By 10 April Khmer Rouge fire had become so heavy that the evacuation was ended
8.
Operation Frequent Wind
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It was carried out on 29–30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. More than 7,000 people were evacuated by helicopter from various points in Saigon, the airlift resulted in a number of enduring images. Evacuation plans already existed as a procedure for American embassies. At the beginning of March, fixed-wing aircraft began evacuating civilians from Tan Son Nhat Airport through neighboring countries, by mid-April, contingency plans were in place and preparations were underway for a possible helicopter evacuation. As the imminent collapse of Saigon became evident, Task Force 76 was assembled off the coast near Vung Tau to support a helicopter evacuation, by allowing the mostly-unopposed evacuation of Americans from Saigon. On 28 April, Tan Son Nhut Air Base came under artillery fire, the fixed-wing evacuation was terminated and Operation Frequent Wind commenced. The U. S. Embassy in Saigon was intended to only be an evacuation point for embassy staff. The evacuation of the embassy was completed at 07,53 on 30 April, tens of thousands of Vietnamese evacuated themselves by sea or air. With the collapse of South Vietnam, numerous boats and ships, VNAF helicopters, helicopters began to clog ship decks and eventually, some were pushed overboard to allow others to land. Pilots of other helicopters were told to drop off their passengers and then take off and ditch in the sea, during the fixed-wing evacuation 50,493 people were evacuated from Tan Son Nhut. In Operation Frequent Wind a total of 1,373 Americans and 5,595 Vietnamese, the total number of Vietnamese evacuated by Frequent Wind or self-evacuated and ending up in the custody of the United States for processing as refugees to enter the United States totalled 138,869. This operation was the combat deployment of the F-14 Tomcat aircraft. Planning for the evacuation of the Americans and their South Vietnamese allies from South Vietnam had begun prior to April,1975. When U. S. President Gerald Ford met with the National Security Council on 9 April,1975 he was told by Henry Kissinger that a maximum of 1. S. government, evacuation plans are standard for American embassies. The Talon Vise/Frequent Wind plan had developed over a number of years. Originally codenamed Talon Vise, the operation was renamed Frequent Wind when the original codename was compromised, there were approximately 17,000 at-risk Vietnamese on embassy rolls, which, using an average of seven dependents per family, meant that the number requiring evacuation was 119,000. Taken with other categories of Vietnamese, the number increased to over 200,000. Also on 1 April, Plan Alamo was implemented to utilize and defend the DAO compound and its annex as a holding area
9.
Multinational Force in Lebanon
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The ceasefire held until June 3,1982 when the PLO attempted to assassinate Shlomo Argov, Israels ambassador to London. Three days later, Israel reentered the PLO-controlled West Beirut and blockaded the city in order to contain insurgency, seven weeks into the blockade, the besieged PLO acceded to a new agreement for their withdrawal. The four-nation MNF was created as an interposition force meant to oversee the withdrawal of the Palestine Liberation Organization. The participants included the U. S. Additionally, the MNF was in charge of training units of the Lebanese Armed Forces. The relatively benign environment at the beginning of the gave way to chaos as the civil war re-escalated following the assassination of President-elect Bashir Gemayel in September 1982. Subsequent political and military developments on the ground caused the MNF to be viewed not as a peacekeeper and it was replaced by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon already present in Lebanon since 1978 under the leadership of Ghanaian Lieutenant General Emmanuel Erskine. Under its mandate, the MNF provides a multinational presence requested by the Lebanese Government to assist it, the MNF is not authorized to engage in combat but may exercise the right of self-defense. The USMNF follows a policy of active self-defense in response to attacks, in order to enhance the safety of MNF personnel, authority has been given to U. S. S. The MNF is currently composed of the units, which perform the functions indicated at the request of the Lebanese Government. Their precise functions within the MNF mission have varied over time, one U. S. Marine Amphibious Unit is ashore at Beirut International Airport as a 1, 400-man force which also provides external-security troops at U. S. diplomatic facilities in the greater Beirut area. Additional elements of the MAU in reserve, mainly combat support, as noted above, U. S. military personnel currently with the MNF will remain on the ground for the protection of our remaining personnel. Two Italian battalions are in a 1, 400-man force in southwest Beirut and also protect the Sabra. The Italian Government has nearly completed the process of returning the size of its force to that level from a high of 2,200 men. The Italians announced on Feb.8 their intention to withdraw further forces, the French battalions serve as a force in and near the port of Beirut. In addition, each contingent of the MNF has naval and/or air support forces in the region, the United States had previously been involved in Lebanon during the 1958 crisis. In May 1958 armed rebellion broke out in Beirut, supported mostly by Muslim elements, Marines and paratroopers were sent to Lebanon by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to keep the country from falling to Communism. President Chamoun left office in September after having completed his term, further instability ensued when Israel invaded Lebanon in June 1982, the invasion targeted the Palestine Liberation Organization bases in Beirut. In August 1982, he was successful in bringing about an agreement for the evacuation of Syrian troops, the agreement also provided for the deployment of a three-nation Multinational Force during the period of the evacuation
10.
Operation Southern Watch
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Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from Summer 1992 to Spring 2003. Nothing in the resolution spelled out the Iraqi no-fly zones or Operation Southern Watch, military forces from Saudi Arabia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France participated in Operation Southern Watch. An intensification was noted prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and it is now known that this increased activity occurred during an operation known as Operation Southern Focus. At first, Iraqi forces did not attack Coalition aircraft, later in the day, several Iraqi fighters dodged back and forth across the 32nd parallel, staying out of missile range of American fighters. However, an Iraqi MiG-25 crossed too far and was trapped inside the 32nd parallel by a flight of USAF F-16 Falcons of the 33rd Fighter Squadron, after intelligence verified the aircraft was hostile, the fighter pilot received clearance to fire. The lead plane piloted by then-Lieutenant Colonel Gary North, USAF and this was the first combat kill by an F-16 in USAF service, and the first combat kill using the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. On 17 January 1993, a USAF F-16C destroyed an Iraqi MiG-23 Flogger with an AMRAAM missile for the second USAF aerial victory, on 7 January 1993, Iraq agreed to American, British, and French demands to withdraw their surface-to-air missiles from below the 32nd parallel. However, they did not remove all of them, and U. S. President George H. W. Bush ordered U. S. aircraft to bomb the remaining missile sites. On 13 January, more than 100 American, British, and French aircraft attacked Iraqi missile sites near Nasiriyah, Samawah, Najaf, around half the Iraqi sites south of the 32nd parallel were hit. On 29 June, a USAF F-4G Phantom II destroyed an Iraqi radar which had illuminated it, the first nine months of 1994 were quiet, and the USAF began to withdraw forces from the region. Saddam later withdrew the Iraqi Republican Guard out of the Kuwati border due to massive American military buildup and this served to increase Coalition resolve to enforce the no-fly zones and contain Iraqi aggression. On 25 June 1996, terrorists bombed the U. S. base at Khobar Towers in Dhahran, the attack killing 19 American airmen and injured an additional 372 people. In August 1996, Iraqi forces invaded the Kurdish regions of northern Iraq, as a result, the no-fly zone was extended north to the 33rd parallel. This marked renewed conflict with Iraqi air defenses and several more radars were destroyed by F-16 fighters, on 15 December 1998, France suspended participation in the no-fly zones, arguing that they had been maintained for too long and were ineffective. On 16 December, U. S. President Bill Clinton ordered execution of Operation Desert Fox and this resulted in an increased level of combat in the no-fly zones which lasted until 2003. On 30 December 1998, Iraqi SA-6 missile sites fired 6 to 8 surface-to-air missiles at American military aircraft, USAF F-16s responded by bombing the sites. On 5 January 1999, four Iraqi MiG-25s crossed into the southern no-fly zone, the American fighters fired a total of six missiles at the Iraqi aircraft, but they were able to evade them all and escape back to the north. Over the same period, American aircraft had attacked Iraqi targets on 73 occasions
11.
Bombing of Iraq (1998)
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The December 1998 bombing of Iraq was a major four-day bombing campaign on Iraqi targets from 16 December 1998, to 19 December 1998, by the United States and United Kingdom. The contemporaneous justification for the strikes was Iraqs failure to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions, the operation was a major flare-up in the Iraq disarmament crisis. The bombing campaign had been anticipated since February 1998 and incurred wide-ranging criticism and support, at home, saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates initially announced they would deny U. S. military the use of local bases for the purpose of air strikes against Iraq. The new Act appropriated funds for Iraqi opposition groups in the hope of removing Saddam Hussein from power, despite the acts intention being support of opposition groups, Clinton justified his order for US action under the Act. The Act also said that, Nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorize or otherwise speak to the use of United States Armed Forces in carrying out this Act. Just prior to Desert Fox, the U. S. nearly led a campaign against Saddam called Operation Desert Thunder. It was abandoned at the last minute when the Iraqi leader allowed the UN to continue weapons inspections, Clinton administration officials said the aim of the mission was to degrade Iraqs ability to manufacture and use weapons of mass destruction, not to eliminate it. We are lessening, degrading his ability to use this, the weapons of mass destruction are the threat of the future. I think the president explained very clearly to the American people that this is the threat of the 21st century, hat it means is that we know we cant get everything, but degrading is the right word. Also, one of Saddams lavish presidential palaces came under attack, Iraqi air defense batteries, unable to target the American and British jets, began to blanket the sky with near random bursts of flak fire. The air strikes continued unabated however, and cruise missile launched by naval vessels added to the bombs dropped by the planes. By the fourth night, most of the targets had been damaged or destroyed and the Operation was deemed a success. U. S. Navy aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Three, flying from USS Enterprise, on the second night of Operation Desert Fox, aircrews flying 12 B-52s took off from the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and launched 74 conventional air-launched cruise missiles. The following evening, two more B-52 crews launched 16 more CALCMs, over a two-night period aircrews from the 2nd and 5th Bomb Wings launched a total of 90 CALCMs. The B-1 bomber also made its debut by striking at Republican Guard targets. Also on 17 Dec, USAF aircraft based in Kuwait participated, the British contribution totaled 15 percent of the sorties flown in Desert Fox. By 19 December, U. S. and British aircraft had struck 97 targets, supported by Secretary Cohen, as well as United States Central Command commander General Anthony C. Zinni and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Henry H. Shelton, in total, the 70-hour campaign saw U. S. forces strike 85 percent of their targets,75 percent of which were considered highly effective strikes
12.
Iraq War
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The Iraq War was a protracted armed conflict that began in 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that toppled the government of Saddam Hussein. The conflict continued for much of the decade as an insurgency emerged to oppose the occupying forces. An estimated 151,000 to 600,000 or more Iraqis were killed in the first 3–4 years of conflict and it became re-involved in 2014 at the head of a new coalition, the insurgency and many dimensions of the civil armed conflict continue. The invasion began on 20 March 2003, with the U. S. joined by the United Kingdom and several allies, launching a shock. Iraqi forces were overwhelmed as U. S. forces swept through the country. The invasion led to the collapse of the Baathist government, President Hussein was captured during Operation Red Dawn in December of that same year, the United States responded with a troop surge in 2007. The winding down of U. S. involvement in Iraq accelerated under President Barack Obama, the U. S. formally withdrew all combat troops from Iraq by December 2011. Select U. S. officials accused Saddam of harboring and supporting al-Qaeda, while others cited the desire to end a repressive dictatorship, after the invasion, no substantial evidence was found to verify the initial claims about WMDs. The rationale and misrepresentation of pre-war intelligence faced heavy criticism within the U. S. in the aftermath of the invasion, Iraq held multi-party elections in 2005. Nouri al-Maliki became Prime Minister in 2006 and remained in office until 2014, the al-Maliki government enacted policies that were widely seen as having the effect of alienating the countrys Sunni minority and worsening sectarian tensions. The Iraq War caused hundreds of thousands of civilian, and thousands of military casualties, the majority of casualties occurred as a result of the insurgency and civil conflicts between 2004 and 2007. A1990 Frontline report on The arming of Iraq said, Officially, most Western nations participated in an arms embargo against Iraq during the 1980s. Western companies, primarily in Germany and Great Britain, but also in the United States, sold Iraq the key technology for its chemical, missile, any Western governments seemed remarkably indifferent, if not enthusiastic, about those deals. N Washington, the government consistently followed a policy which allowed and perhaps encouraged the growth of Saddam Husseins arsenal. The Western arming of Iraq took place in the context of the Iran-Iraq War, prior to September 2002, the CIA was the George W. Bush administrations main provider of intelligence on Iraq. The agency was out to disprove linkage between Iraq and terrorism the Pentagon adviser told me, the U. N. had prohibited Iraq from developing or possessing such weapons after the Gulf War and required Iraq to permit inspections confirming compliance. This was confirmed by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, during 2002, Bush repeatedly warned of military action against Iraq unless inspections were allowed to progress unfettered. In accordance with U. N. Security Council Resolution 1441, Iraq agreed to new inspections under United Nations Monitoring, as part of its weapons inspection obligations, Iraq was required to supply a full declaration of its current weapons capabilities and manufacturing
13.
Second Battle of Fallujah
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It was led by the U. S. Marine Corps against the Iraqi insurgency stronghold in the city of Fallujah and was authorized by the U. S. -appointed Iraqi Interim Government. The U. S. military called it some of the heaviest urban combat U. S, Marines have been involved in since the Battle of Huế City in Vietnam in 1968. This operation was the major operation in Fallujah. Earlier, in April 2004, coalition forces fought the First Battle of Fallujah in order to capture or kill insurgent elements considered responsible for the deaths of a Blackwater Security team. In February 2004, control of Fallujah and the area in the Al-Anbar province was transferred from the U. S. 82nd Airborne Division to the 1st Marine Division. Shortly afterward, on 31 March 2004, four American private military contractors from Blackwater USA were ambushed and killed in the city, images of their mutilated bodies were broadcast around the world. Within days, U. S. Marine Corps forces launched Operation Vigilant Resolve to take control of the city from insurgent forces. On 28 April 2004, Operation Vigilant Resolve ended with an agreement where the population was ordered to keep the insurgents out of the city. The Fallujah Brigade, composed of local Iraqis under the command of a former Baathist officer named Muhammed Latif, took control of the city. Before beginning their attack, U. S. and Iraqi forces had established checkpoints around the city to prevent anyone from entering the city, in addition, overhead imagery was used to prepare maps of the city for use by the attackers. American units were augmented by Iraqi interpreters to assist them in the planned fight, after weeks of withstanding air strikes and artillery bombardment, the militants holed up in the city appeared to be vulnerable to direct attack. U. S. Iraqi and British forces totaled about 13,500, the U. S. had gathered some 6,500 Marines and 1,500 Army soldiers that would take part in the assault with about 2,500 Navy personnel in operational and support roles. Regimental Combat Team 7 comprised the 1st Battalion/8th Marines, 1st Battalion/3rd Marines, about 2,000 Iraqi troops assisted with the assault. All were supported by aircraft U. S. Marine and U. S. Army artillery battalions, the 850-strong 1st Battalion of the Black Watch was ordered to help U. S. and Iraqi forces with the encirclement of Fallujah. In April, Fallujah was defended by about 500 hardcore and 1, by November, it was estimated that the numbers had doubled. Another estimate put the number of insurgents at 3,000, however, three groups, had their nationwide headquarters in Fallujah. An estimated 2,000 insurgents were from the Army of Mohammed, Ansar al-Sunna, the Iraqi insurgents and foreign mujahadeen present in the city prepared fortified defenses in advance of the anticipated attack. They dug tunnels, trenches, prepared spider holes, and built and they blocked streets with Jersey barriers and even emplaced them within homes to create strong points behind which they could attack unsuspecting troops entering the building
14.
Operation Tomodachi
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Operation Tomodachi was a United States Armed Forces assistance operation to support Japan in disaster relief following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The operation took place from 12 March to 4 May 2011, involved 24,000 U. S. servicemembers,189 aircraft,24 naval ships, many if not most of the U. S. military bases in Japan were involved in some manner in Operation Tomodachi. Yokota Air Base in Fussa, western Tokyo, is the command center. Kadena Air Base, Okinawa Prefecture is the hub of airpower in the Pacific, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, operated as an aviation hub for many aircraft traveling to northern installations. S. Army Japan and I Corps Sasebo Naval Base in Nagasaki Prefecture, USS Essex, Yokosuka Naval Base inside of Tokyo Bay, is home to the Seventh Fleet, composed of 11 warships, including USS George Washington and command ship USS Blue Ridge. The US aid efforts are conducted under the direction of Japanese government or military authorities, the United States Navy quickly responded to provide aid. Aircraft from three FLSW squadrons were in theatre during the earthquake at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, vR-62s C-130 delivered 127 tons of material to aid in relief efforts and VR-58s C-40 delivered 366,000 pounds of food and water and 1400 passengers. During this time, the Taskmasters were airborne for 19 out of 26 hours transporting personnel, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group were moved to the east coast of Honshu. As well as the groups own helicopters, the Ronald Reagan served as a platform for Japan Self-Defense Forces helicopters. Yokota Air Base was used in the aftermath of the earthquake as a field for commercial flights as Tokyo Narita Airport was closed. P-3 Orion aircraft were used to do damage surveys, amphibious landing craft and utility landing craft were used to deploy U. S and Japanese troops and supplies to areas where docks were damaged. Japan electrical company trucks were moved by U. S. LCUs from USS Essex, the destroyers USS McCampbell and USS Curtis Wilbur, which were off the Bōsō Peninsula at the time of the earthquake, and their helicopters were made available for search and rescue. The landing ships USS Essex and USS Germantown, with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from Okinawa, were moved from the Sea of Japan to the east coast of Japan. USS Blue Ridge, which had just arrived in Singapore at the time of the earthquake, was loaded with relief supplies, USS Tortuga, an amphibious dock ship, embarked two MH-53E Heavy Lift Helicopters assigned to HM-14 DET1 stationed in Pohang South Korea. The entire DET was on board Tortuga less than 18 hours after the earthquake, Tortuga transported 800 Japanese civil defense workers from Hokkaido to Honshu with 90 vehicles. Military Sealift Command ships also took part in the operation by transferring relief supplies, the ships that took part in the operation were USNS Carl Brashear, USNS Pecos, USNS Rappahannock, USNS Matthew Perry, USNS Bridge. USNS Safeguard, which was stationed at U. S, Fleet Activities Sasebo, arrived at Hachinohe, Japan with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5 and Underwater Construction Team 2 to clear wreckage from a local commercial channel. The US Navy dispatched aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and other vessels which flew a series of helicopter operations, a spokesman for U. S. 7th Fleet naval personnel stated that monitoring equipment indicated that the warship had been exposed to radiation
15.
Marine expeditionary unit
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A Marine expeditionary unit, formerly called Marine amphibious unit, is the smallest Marine air-ground task force in the United States Fleet Marine Force. Each MEU is a quick reaction force, deployed and ready for immediate response to any crisis. Troop strength is about 2,200 and usually commanded by a colonel, for further protection and strong air support, such an ESG is often deployed along with one or more carrier battle groups. This air-ground task force concept is designed to exploit the combat power inherent in air. The MEU brings all the supplies and logistical support it needs to sustain itself for quick mission accomplishment or to pave the way for any follow-up forces. Deployments on U. S. Navy amphibious assault ships allows MEUs to seabase around the globe, a typical MEU has approximately 2,200 Marines and sailors. It is equipped with, Many types of equipment are, or will soon, some examples include the Marine Personnel Carrier replacing the LAV-25, the F-35 Lightning II replacing the AV-8B Harrier, and the CH-53K Super Stallion replacing the CH-53E. The total strength is approximately 1,100 Marines and Sailors, the reconnaissance platoon provides the basic element for the Maritime Special Purpose Force. This force consists of four elements, the assault platoon, security, reconnaissance and surveillance assets, and a headquarters section. The total strength is approximately 350 Marines and Sailors, total strength is approximately 600 troops. The logistics combat element is based on the MEU combat logistics battalion and it contains all the logistics specialists and equipment necessary for the MEU to support and sustain itself for up to 15 days in an austere expeditionary environment. It consists of approximately 300 Marines and Sailors, the command element, which includes the MEU commander and his supporting staff, provides command and control over the other three elements. The overall strength is about 200 Marines and sailors, recently, MEUs have been deployed within an expeditionary strike group in the Mediterranean, the Western Pacific, and periodically, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. An ESG is typically composed of three ships that embark the necessary troops and equipment and are escorted by a guided missile cruiser and guided missile destroyers. These cycles ensure that at least two of the seven MEUs are deployed forward at any given time and they are not, however, considered a special operations unit by the Department of Defense. The MEU then releases its major elements, retaining only its command element. This period provides the element a chance to rotate select personnel and begin planning for the addition of newly assigned MSEs. When the MSEs are received, the MEU begins six months of intense pre-deployment training, work-up period, Training during the six-month work-up period is often referred to as crawl, walk, run
16.
Okinawa Prefecture
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The larger are mostly high islands and the smaller ones are mostly coral islands. The largest of the islands is Okinawa, the climate of the islands ranges from humid subtropical climate in the north to tropical rainforest climate in the south. Precipitation is very high, and is affected by the rainy season, the islands beyond the Tokara Strait are characterized by their coral reefs. The Amami, Okinawa, Miyako, and Yaeyama Islands have a native population collectively called the Ryukyuan people, the varied Ryukyuan languages are traditionally spoken on these islands, and the major islands have their own distinct languages. In modern times, the Japanese language is the language of the islands. The northern islands are called the Satsunan Islands, while the southern part of the chain are called the Ryukyu Islands in Japanese. Following are the grouping and names used by the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department of the Japan Coast Guard, the islands are listed from north to south where possible. Nansei Islands Satsunan Islands Ōsumi Islands with, Tanegashima, Yaku, Kuchinoerabu, Mageshima in the North-Eastern Group and they agreed on February 15,2010, to use Amami-guntō for the Amami Islands, prior to that, Amami-shotō had also been used. The English and Japanese uses of the term Ryukyu differ, in English, the term Ryukyu may apply to the entire chain of islands, while in Japanese Ryukyu usually refers only to the islands that were previously part of the Ryūkyū Kingdom after 1624. Nansei-shotō is the name for the whole island chain in Japanese. Japan has used the name on nautical charts since 1907, based on the Japanese charts, the international chart series uses Nansei Shoto. Nansei literally means southwest, the direction of the chain from mainland Japan. Some humanities scholars prefer the uncommon term Ryūkyū-ko for the island chain. In geology, however, the Ryukyu Arc includes subsurface structures such as the Okinawa Trough, the name of Ryūkyū is strongly associated with the Ryūkyū Kingdom, a kingdom that originated from the Okinawa Islands and subjected the Sakishima and Amami Islands. The name is considered outdated in Japanese although some entities of Okinawa still bear the name. In Japanese, the Ryukyu Islands cover only the Okinawa, Miyako, the northern half of the island chain is referred to as the Satsunan Islands in Japanese, as opposed to Northern Ryukyu Islands in English. Humanities scholars generally agree that the Amami, Okinawa, Miyako, there is, however, no good name for the group. The native population do not have their own name, since they do not recognize themselves as a group this size, Ryukyu is the principal candidate because it roughly corresponds to the maximum extent of the Ryūkyū Kingdom
17.
Ground combat element
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In 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, the ground combat element, composed primarily of infantry units. The GCE also contains combat support units, including artillery, armor, combat engineer, at the division level, the GCE also contains limited organic combat service support, including a truck company, a military police/law enforcement company, and the division band. The size of the GCE varies in proportion to the size of the MAGTF, a Marine Expeditionary Force has a division. A Marine Expeditionary Brigade holds an infantry Regiment, often reinforced with equipment, the various Marine Expeditionary Units command a reinforced infantry battalion. Generally, MEF postings are permanent, while MEBs and MEUs rotate their GCE, ACE, and LCE twice annually. the art of MAGTF Operations
18.
2nd Battalion, 5th Marines
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2nd Battalion 5th Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps consisting of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. They are based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and fall under the command of the 5th Marine Regiment, 2/5 is the most highly decorated battalion in the Marine Corps and their motto, Retreat, Hell. Comes from the French trenches of World War I, when a Marine officer named Lloyd W. Williams was advised by a French officer to retreat and replied, Retreat. 2nd Battalion 5th Marines was formed on July 1,1914 and immediately sailed to the Caribbean to quell political turmoil in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. In June 1917, as part of the United States entry into World War I, the sailed for France with the rest of the 5th Marine Regiment. At the time the battalion was composed of four companies, the 18th, 43rd, 51st and they fought during the Battle of Belleau Wood, Soissons, and the Meuse-Argonne campaign and were twice awarded the French Croix de guerre with Palm. To this day, members of the Battalion wear the French Fourragère representing this award, following the armistice of 1918, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines was assigned to occupation duties in Germany until their return to Quantico, Virginia in August 1919. Beginning in 1920, the Battalion began guarding US Mail trains throughout the United States, in 1927, the Battalion was sent to Nicaragua to fight bandits and to supervise the 1928 Nicaraguan national elections. In 1941, the joined the newly formed 1st Marine Division at New River, North Carolina. During World War II the battalion fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal, Battle of Cape Gloucester, Battle of Peleliu, following the Japanese surrender, the battalion was assigned to occupation duty in Northern China until 1947, at which time they returned to the United States. The Battalion also participated in the landing at Inchon, the liberation of Seoul, the Chosin Reservoir Campaign, and the defense of the East, Central, and Western Fronts before the war was over. From July 1953 to February 1955, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines assisted in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, in April 1966, the Battalion deployed to the Republic of Vietnam and served there until 1971. During this time, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines participated in operations at Huế, Quế Sơn, Phu Bai, Đông Hà. Immediately after their return to Camp Pendleton in 1971, the Battalion joined Operation New Arrivals, for the next fifteen years, the battalion deployed regularly as part of the Marine Corps Unit Deployment Program. In December 1990, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines sailed for the Persian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield / Desert Storm and they were staged in Saudi Arabia and participated in the liberation of Kuwait. During the return transit to the United States, the battalion was diverted to Bangladesh where it provided humanitarian relief as part of Operation Sea Angel. In 1995, the battalion began regular deployments to Okinawa for service as the Battalion Landing Team for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, on February 2,2003, 2/5 left MCB Camp Pendleton for Kuwait where they staged prior to the beginning of the war in Iraq. On March 20,2003 at approximately 2,30 am local time 2/5, as an element of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, for this operation they were attached with Royal Marines from the 3 Commando Brigade crossing into Iraq the first night of the invasion
19.
Aviation combat element
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In 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 commander. The majority of usage within the MAGTF is for close air support or transport for the ground combat element or logistics combat element. The six main functions include, assault support, anti-air warfare, offensive air support, electronic warfare, control of aircraft and missiles, the aviation combat element, which contributes the air power to the MAGTF, includes all aircraft and aviation support units. The units are organized into detachments, squadrons, groups, and wings, except for low altitude air defense units, which are organized into platoons, detachments, batteries, the size of the ACE varies in proportion to the size of the MAGTF. A Marine Expeditionary Force has a Marine Aircraft Wing or MAW, a Marine Expeditionary Brigade holds a Marine Aircraft Group or MAG, reinforced with a variety of aircraft squadrons and support personnel. The various Marine Expeditionary Units command a squadron, with various types of aircraft mixed into a single unit. Generally, MEF postings are permanent, while MEBs and MEUs rotate their ACE, GCE, and LCE twice annually. 1st and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wings are unique in that they are subordinate to III MEF and I MEF, respectively, while all other equivalent units numerical designators match the MEF to which attached
20.
VMM-262
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Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The squadron, known as the Flying Tigers, is based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 36 and the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Provide assault support transport of troops, supplies, and equipment during expeditionary, joint. Be prepared for short-notice, worldwide employment in support of Marine Air-Ground Task Force operations, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 was activated in September 1951 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina and designated Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 262. Although activated during the Korean War, the squadron remained on the U. S. east coast providing support for the Fleet Marine Force units of that area. In February 1952, the Squadron was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 26, during July 1954, the Squadron was relocated to Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina where it remained until 1966. HMM-262 was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in December 1966 and subsequently reassigned to Marine Aircraft Group 36, with the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam, HMM-262 relocated to MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii during 1971 and was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 24. While stationed at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, HMM-262 provided helicopter support to the 1st Marine Amphibious Brigade, in December 1976, HMM-262 was designated as the first Hawaii-based helicopter squadron to deploy to the western Pacific as a composite squadron. The squadron deployed aboard the USS Tripoli on 17 November and remained the “Cutting Edge” of the 31st MAU for the eight months. The Flying Tigers boarded the USS Belleau Wood in March 1990 to become the first Hawaii-based helicopter squadron to deploy aboard ship since 1985, the Squadron participated in emergency flood/earthquake relief efforts and was extended overseas due to Operation Desert Shield/Storm and returned to Hawaii on June 4,1991. In September 1992, the Flying Tigers once again embarked aboard the USS Belleau Wood, on September 27,1992, the Squadron transferred its home base to MCAS Futenma, MAG-36, 1st MAW, Okinawa. This effectively transitioned the Flying Tigers to become the first permanently assigned HMM squadron in the region since 1978, in October 2001, HMM-262 sent a detachment of personnel and aircraft aboard the USS Harpers Ferry to the new nation of East Timor for humanitarian assistance operations. After 18 months as the ACE of the 31st MEU, the Squadron was again reassigned to MAG-36 and was named a Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award winner for calendar year 2002. In December 2004, HMM-262 deployed to the Philippines as part of Joint Task Force-535 in support of its Humanitarian Aid/Disaster Relief mission, operating off the northwestern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, HMM-262 supported the effort by delivering aid and supplies to the victims of the massive tsunamis. During the period from January 14 to February 9, the Squadron delivered over 493,755 pounds of food, water, and other supplies to an area that spanned over 120 miles of coastline. In February 2006, the squadron was again on board the USS Essex as part of the 31st MEU when called to provide assistance to those affected by the 2006 Southern Leyte mudslide. In January 2007, HMM-262 deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and this marked the first combat deployment of the squadron since the Vietnam War. The squadron was based at Al Taqaddum Air Base and their mission was to assault support for II Marine Expeditionary Force units in Al Anbar Province
21.
Logistics combat element
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It provides equipment and personnel to keep the MAGTF running logistically. The size of the LCE varies in proportion to the size of the MAGTF, a Marine expeditionary force has a Marine logistics group or MLG. A Marine expeditionary brigade holds a combat logistics regiment or CLR, often reinforced with equipment, the various Marine expeditionary units command a reinforced combat logistics battalion. Generally, MEF postings are permanent, while MEBs and MEUs rotate their GCE, ACE, and LCE twice annually
22.
Combat Logistics Battalion 31
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Combat Logistics Battalion 31 is a logistics battalion of the United States Marine Corps. CLB-31 is the Logistics Combat Element of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, as the Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 31 provides all elements of the MEU with combat service support. Additionally, CLB-31 provides the 31st MEU with ammunition, postal, although CLB-31 is assigned to the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, the battalion remains permanently assigned to the 31st MEU. CLB-31 is based on Camp Hansen in Okinawa, Japan, provide ground combat service support to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to conduct special operations as directed and to act as the nucleus for expanded combat service support operations. In ancient Greek mythology, Atlas was the primordial Titan who held up the celestial spheres and his burden, according to myth, would be to forever carry the weight of the universe on his shoulders. Atlas represents the spirit of a battalion that keeps the rest of the moving forward. CLB-31 adopted the title of Atlas Battalion in June 2012, Like Atlas, CLB-31 upholds, supports, as one of the most constantly deployed battalions and the Combat Service Support for the only continually forward-deployed MEU in the Marine Corps, CLB-31 continually earns the title Atlas Battalion. The unit was re-designated 17 October 1979 as Marine Amphibious Unit Service Support Group 31, mSSG-31 was deactivated with the other elements of the 31st Marine Amphibious Unit in Spring 1985. MSSG-31 was officially reactivated on 1 August 1992 at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan, without a break, september 2004-March 2005, Conducted combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, to include participation in Operation Phantom Fury. It was truly hell. ″ February 2006, Provided Disaster Relief assistance to the Philippines following mudslides in southern Leyte, may–June 2008, Provided Disaster Relief assistance as part of Operation Caring Response followingCyclone Nargis in Myanmar. October 2009, Provided Disaster Relief assistance in Luzon, Philippines after Typhoons Ketsana, October 2010, Provided Disaster Relief assistance in Luzon, Philippines after Super Typhoon Megi. March 2011, Operation Tomodachi - Sailed from Indonesia to mainland Japan to assist recovery efforts following the 9.0 Tohoku earthquake, while in Saipan, the battalion used organic water production equipment to produce 279,375 gallons of water. The battalion ensured the operation of the islands emergency services communication network by delivering generator power to a communication tower on the highest point of the island. April 2016, CLB-31 sent the Humanitarian Assistance Survey Team with the Forward Command Element to Kumamoto, march 2016, CLB-31 participated in Exercise Ssang Yong 16. June 2016, LtCol Niewenhous assumed command of CLB-31, september 2016, CLB-31 participated in Exercise VALIANT SHIELD providing enablers for the MEUs raids and missions. October 2016, CLB-31 participated in PHIBLEX-33, CLB-31 operated out of various areas to include, Crow Valley, Clark Air Force Base, NETC, and Subic Bay which allowed them to participate in Joint Training Exercises with the Pilipino Marine Corps. CLB-31 also provided support to BLT 2/4 for various mission requirements
23.
Presidential Unit Citation (United States)
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The unit with the most Presidential Unit Citations is the USS Parche with 9 citations. The Army citation was established by Executive Order 9075 on 26 February 1942, superseded by Executive Order 9396 on Dec.2,1943, as with other Army unit citations, the PUC is in a larger frame than other ribbons, and is worn above the right pocket. All members of the unit may wear the decoration, whether or not they participated in the acts for which the unit was cited. Only those assigned to the unit at the time of the action cited may wear the decoration as a permanent award, for both the Army and Air Force, the emblem is a solid blue ribbon enclosed in a gold frame. The Air Force PUC was adopted from the Army Distinguished Unit Citation after the Air Force became a military branch in 1947. By Executive Order 10694, dated Jan,10,1957 the Air Force redesignated the Distinguished Unit Citation as the Presidential Unit Citation. The Air Force PUC is the color and design as the Army PUC but slightly smaller. The Citation is carried on the units colors in the form of a blue streamer,4 ft long and 2.75 in wide. For the Army, only on rare occasions will a larger than battalion qualify for award of this decoration. The Navy citation was established by Executive Order 9050 on 6 February 1942, the Navy version has blue, yellow, and red horizontal stripes, and is the only Navy ribbon having horizontal stripes. These are only worn by persons who meet the criteria at the time it is awarded to the unit, unlike the Army, those who later join the unit do not wear it on a temporary basis. The current decoration is known as the Department of Homeland Security Presidential Unit Citation. A Coast Guard version of the award was awarded to all U. S. Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary personnel responding to Hurricane Katrina by President George W. Bush for rescue, the United States Public Health Service Presidential Citation was established in 2015. The design was finalized by the Army Institute of Heraldry on 17 August 2015, two units of the Free French Forces were awarded Presidential Unit Citations during World War II. On April 22,1986, the 1st Fighter Group Força Aérea Brasileira was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in the Po Valley region of Italy in World War II. The Brazilians, operating in Italy in support of Allied forces, destroyed in one day over 45 vehicles, strafed pontoon bridges on the River Po, eleven missions of 44 sorties were flown destroying nine motor transports and damaging 17. One Belgian-Luxembourgian battalion of the Belgian United Nations Command was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation once for actions during the Battle of the Imjin River, the Colombia Battalion received the citation while attached to the American 21st Infantry Regiment in 1951. One Dutch unit, the Netherlands Detachment United Nations, part of the Regiment Van Heutsz, was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation twice for actions during the Korean War, the first citation was awarded after the battle near Wonju and Hoengson in February 1951
United States of America
United States Marine Corps
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Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic
Fleet Marine Force, Pacific
