To conduct Amphibious Assault, Light Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Engineer operations across the Range of Military Operations (ROMO) in the Pacific Area of Responsibility (AOR) in support of MAGTF expeditionary operations.
The battalion was decommissioned on November 17, 1945 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.[1] Less than a year later that battalion was reactivated on May 1, 1946 at MCB Camp Pendleton
Korean War
The battalion participated in the Korean War from the Pusan Perimeter in operations from Inchon to Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East to Central Front, and the Western Front. Following the war they participated in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone from August 1953 to March 1955. They were relocated during March 1955 to Camp McGill, Japan.
The battalion engaged in combat operations from July 1965 through July 1969.
In April 1967 the battalion was moved to Cửa Việt Base and under the name Operation Napoleon together with the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines was tasked with keeping waterways around the base open.[3]: 37 Operation Napoleon/Saline concluded on 9 December 1968.[3]: 445
They relocated during July 1969 to Camp Schwab, Okinawa. On April 1, 1976 the battalion was re-designated as the 1st Tracked Vehicle Battalion with two companies of M60A1 (RISE Passive) Tanks and two companies of AAV-7's as well as 1 Company TOW.
1980s and 1990s
On November 10, 1988 the battalion was redesignated as the 1st Armored Assault Battalion. On September 30, 1992 it was redesignated as the Combat Support Group and finally became Combat Assault Battalion on October 5, 1994.
Deactivation
Combat Assault Battalion was deactivated October 12, 2018 with the Battalion assets divided between the rest of the 3d Marine Division. Most of the Battalion's assets including AAVs and LAV-25 mechanized vehicles were transferred to 4th Marine Regiment. The Battalion's Combat Engineer Company was reallocated to other Marine units, including 3rd Marine Regiment and 1st Combat Engineer Battalion.[4]
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. The Battalion's flag is decorated with the appropriate streamers. Combat Assault Battalion, and those units for which it carries lineage and honors, was awarded the following:
^"Command Diary 1965"(PDF). 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Rein). 13 August 1965. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
^ abShulimson, Jack (1997). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: 1968 The Defining Year. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN0-16-049125-8.
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