1st Medical Battalion

1st Medical Battalion
1st Medical Battalion emblem
Active	September 6, 1940 - present
Country	United States
Branch	USN & USMC
Type	Medical
Part of	Combat Logistics Regiment 15 1st Marine Logistics Group
Garrison/HQ	Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Nickname(s)	"Cheaters of Death"
Engagements	World War II Korean War Vietnam War Operation Desert Storm Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Iraqi Freedom * 2003 invasion of Iraq
Commanders
Current commander	Captain T. P. Briski, MSC, USN

1st Medical Battalion is a unit of the United States Marine Corps operated by the United States Navy that provides medical support to Marine Corps forces forward deployed to operations or humanitarian missions. The unit is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and falls under the command of Combat Logistics Regiment 15 and the 1st Marine Logistics Group.

Mission

Provides health service support to the operating units of the First Marine Expeditionary Force to save every life

Subordinate units

• Headquarters and Services Company
• Alpha Surgical Company
• Bravo Surgical Company
• Charlie Surgical Company

Each Surgical Company is composed of 1 Embark Section 1 Forward Resuscitative Surgical System (FRSS) and 2 Shock Trauma Platoons.

History

1940 - 1941 ACTIVATED 06 SEPTEMBER 1940 AT QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AS THE 1ST MEDICAL BATTLION AND ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST MARINE BRIGADE DEPLOYED DURING OCTOBER 1940 TO GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA REASSIGNED DURING FEBRUARY 1941 TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION RELOCATED DURING APRIL 1941 TO QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AND PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA RELOCATED DURING SEPTEMBER 1941 TO NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA

1942 - 1947 DEPLOYED DURING JUNE - JULY 1942 TO WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II CAMPAIGNS GUADALCANAL EASTER NEW GUINEA NEW BRITAIN PELELIU OKINAWA PARTICIPATED IN THE OCCUPATION OF NORTH CHINA, SEPTEMBER 1945 - MAY 1947 REDEPLOYED DURING MAY 1947 TO GUAM

1947 - 1964 REACTIVATED 16 JULY 1947 AT CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, AND ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE DEPLOYED DURING AUGUST 1950 TO KOBE, JAPAN PARTICIPATED IN THE KOREAN WAR, SEPTEMBER 1950 - JULY 1953, OPERATING FROM INCHON-SEOUL CHOSIN RESERVOIR EAST-CENTRAL FRONT WESTERN FRONT PARTICIPATED IN THE DEFENSE OF THE KOREAN DEMILITARIZED ZONE, JULY 1953 - APRIL 1955 RELOCATED DURING APRIL 1955 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA

1965 - 1998 DEPLOYED DURING JUNE 1965 TO OKINAWA PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR IN VIETNAM, MARCH 1966 - APRIL 1971, OPERATING FROM CHU LAI DA NANG AN HOA QUANG TRI PHU BAI RELOCATED DURING APRIL 1971 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA PLACED UNDER THE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OF THE 1ST FORCE SERVICE SUPPORT GROUP, FLEET MARINE FORCE, ON 30 MARCH 1976 PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM, SOUTHWEST ASIA, AUGUST 1990 - APRIL 1991 PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION RESTORE HOPE, SOMALIA, DECEMBER 1992 - JANUARY 1993

HONORS AND AWARDS

PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER WITH ONE SILVER AND TWO BRONZE STARS

WORLD WAR II GUADALCANAL - 1942 PELELIU, NGESBUS - 1944 OKINAWA - 1945

KOREA 1950 1950 1951

VIETNAM 1966 - 1967 1967 - 1968

JOINT MERITORIOUS UNIT AWARD STREAMER

SOMALIA 1992 - 1993

NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER WITH ONE BRONZE STAR

KOREA 1952 - 1953

SOUTHWEST ASIA 1990 - 1997

MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER WITH TWO BRONZE STARS

VIETNAM 1968 - 1969 1984 - 1986 1995 - 1997

AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER WITH ONE BRONZE STAR

ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN STREAMER WITH ONE SILVER AND ONE BRONZE STAR

WORLD WAR II VICTORY STREAMER

NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE STREAMER WITH "ASIA"

CHINA SERVICE STREAMER

NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO BRONZE STARS

KOREAN SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO SILVER STARS

SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO BRONZE STARS

KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER

VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM STREAMER

VIETNAM MERITORIOUS UNIT CITATION CIVIL ACTIONS STREAMER

See also

• List of United States Marine Corps battalions

External links

• 1st Medical Battalion's official website