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The 1st Marine Division was activated aboard the battleship USS Texas on 1 February 1941. It is the oldest, largest, and most decorated division in the United States Marine Corps, with nine Presidential Unit Citations (PUCs). The 1st Marine Division comprises a Headquarters Battalion, the 1st, 5th, 7th, and 11th Marine Regiments, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st and 3d Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalions, 1st Tank Battalion, and 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion. Their original purpose was intended to be a combat-ready force of more than 22,000 Marines and Sailors for land and amphibious attacks

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Presidential Unit Citation Streamer with one Silver and three Bronze Stars
Joint Meritorious Unit Award Streamer
Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with one Bronze Star
Mexican Service Streamer
Dominican Campaign Streamer
Haitian Campaign Streamer with one Bronze Star
Marine Corps Expeditionary Streamer
World War I Victory Streamer with one Bronze Star
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 with one Bronze Star
National Defense Service Streamer with three Bronze Stars
Korean Service Streamer with two Silver Stars
Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer
Vietnam Service Streamer with two Silver and three Bronze Stars
Southwest Asia Service Streamer with two Bronze Stars
Iraq Campaign Streamer
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Streamer
Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer
Korea Presidential Unit Citation Streamer
Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Streamer
Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions Streamer

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The 1st Marine's nickname is "the Old Breed" and "Blue Diamond"
No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy

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The Guadalcanal campaign in 1942 was the first major American Pacific campaign in World War II and the first time the 1st Marine Division conducted combat operations as a division. The division received its first PUC for its actions and sacrifices on Guadalcanal. 1st Marine Division also received PUCs for the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa. Three weeks after Japan surrendered, the division was dispatched to North China for occupation duty.

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The 2d Battalion, 1st Marines deployed to Guantanamo Bay for two months in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In 2012, 1st Marine Division deployed to Afghanistan to serve as the headquarters for Task Force Leatherneck, the ground combat element for Regional Command
March 1966 saw 1st Marine Division Headquarters established at Chu Lai.
Between March 1966 and May 1967, the division conducted 44 named and unnamed operations.

After six hard years, the 1st Marine Division returned to California in 1971, closing another chapter of dedicated service to Corps and country. In 1975, the division supported the evacuation of Saigon by providing food and temporary shelter at Camp Pendleton for more than 50,000 Vietnamese refugees as they arrived in the United States.

In 1990, the 1st Marine Division formed the core of the force sent to Southwest Asia in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

Today, the 1st Marine Division continues to support overseas combat operations by providing fully trained units and personnel in support of on-going Operation

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The 1st Marine Division shoulder patch originally was authorized for wear by members of units who served with or were attached to the Division in the Pacific in World War II; it was the first patch to be approved in that war and specifically commemorated the division's sacrifices and victory in the Battle for Guadalcanal. It features the National Colors - red, white, and blue - in its diamond-shaped blue background with red numeral "1" inscribed with white lettering, "GUADALCANAL." The white stars featured on the night-sky blue background are in the arrangement of the Southern Cross constellation, under which the Guadalcanal fighting took place.

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In 1991, the division fought alongside the 2d Marine Division under I MEF and with the rest of the Coalition Forces in Operation DESERT STORM. In 100 hours of offensive ground combat, 1st Marine Division destroyed the enemy in its path as it led the breakthrough to Kuwait City.

Immediately following the Persian Gulf conflict, the division sent units to assist in disaster relief efforts in Bangladesh (Operation SEA ANGEL) and the Philippines (Operation FIERY VIGIL). In 1992, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines and the 15th MEU brought relief to famine-stricken Somalia.

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The advanced echelon of the 1st Marine Division commanded by Major General Alexander A. Vandergrift arrived in Wellington, New Zealand from the USA on 14 June 1942. On 26 June 1942, Major General Vandergrift received his initial warning order of a projected Guadalcanal-Tulagi landing invasion.
The men from this division