1st Medical Battalion

1st Medical Battalion is a unit of the United States Marine Corps operated by the United States Navy that provides expeditionary Health Service 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 1st Marine Logistics Group.

1st Medical Battalion
1st Medical Battalion emblem
ActiveSeptember 6, 1940 - present
CountryUnited States
BranchUSN & USMC
TypeMedical
Part of1st Marine Logistics Group
Garrison/HQMarine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Nickname(s)"Cheaters of Death"
EngagementsWorld War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
Operation Desert Storm
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
* 2003 invasion of Iraq
Commanders
Current
commander		Captain S. T. Schoen, MSC, USN

Mission

Provides expeditionary health service support to the operating units of the First Marine Expeditionary Force to preserve and save every life and support the war fighting capability of the MEF.

Subordinate units
  • Headquarters and Services Company (HSC)
  • Surgical Company A(A Company)
  • Surgical Company B(B Company)
  • Surgical Company C(C Company)

Each lettered Surgical Company consists of 4 Surgical Platoons that provide Role II Light Maneuver capabilities consisting of command and control, damage control resuscitation, damage control surgery, limited patient holding, radiology, laboratory and blood banking capabilities and MEDEVAC personnel and equipment. Typically, the Surgical Companies and Surgical Platoons are task organized to support the full range of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force units.

History

1940 - 1941

ACTIVATED 06 SEPTEMBER 1940 AT QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AS THE 1ST MEDICAL BATTALION 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 - 1993

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
  • 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

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See also
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