3rd Battalion 14th Marines

3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment
3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment insignia
Active	N/A - present
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Artillery
Role	Provide fires in support of 4th Marine Division
Part of	14th Marine Regiment 4th Marine Division
Garrison/HQ	Bristol, Pennsylvania
Engagements	World War II * Battle of Kwajalein * Battle of Saipan * Battle of Tinian * Battle of Iwo Jima Iraq Campaign
Commanders
Current commander	LtCol. D. A. Lovelace

3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment (3/14) is a reserve artillery battalion comprising four firing batteries and a headquarters battery. The battalion is based in Bristol, Pennsylvania and its primary weapon system is the M777 howitzer with a maximum effective range of 30 km. They fall under the command of the 14th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.

Third Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division was activated on 22 July 1942 as 3d Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division. It was re-designated 3d Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division on 20 February 1943. This makes it the first battalion in the 14th Marine Regiment to be activated for service in the Pacific War. The battalion initially trained at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. From September 1943 to January 1944, the entire 14th Marine Regiment conducted training at Camp Pendleton, Camp Dunlap, Aliso Canyon, and San Clemente in California. Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. MacFarlane was appointed commanding officer, and he would remain in that role for the duration of most combat operations during World War II

On 6 January 1944, 3d Battalion embarked ships for deployment in the Operation Flintlock, the U.S. campaign to take the Marshall Islands. On the morning of 31 January, elements of 1st Battalion, 25th Marines cleared the islet of Ennuebing, southwest of Roi-Namur in the Kwajalein Atoll. Then, 3d Battalion landed on Ennuebing with the mission of supporting the landing on Roi-Namur. During the landing, two 75mm howitzers were lost and four Marines died after two LVTs (Landing Vehicles, Tracked) sank; 3d Battalion surgeon Lieutenant Irad B. Hardy, Jr., USN, received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for repeatedly swimming out to the floundering LVTs in order to assist Marines and Sailors. Third Battalion began firing on enemy Japanese positions on Roi (the western half of the Roi-Namur island) at 6:58am on 1 February in support of 2d Battalion, 23d Marines. Roi was quickly taken by 23d Marines. The successful assault was largely due to supporting arms, including artillery from 3/14; after the battle it was estimated that supporting arms produced 60% of Japanese KIAs on Roi. Third Battalion embarked upon the USS La Salle, USS Sheridan, and USS Calvert, departing from the Kwajalein Atoll on 5 February and arriving at Maui, Territory of Hawaii on 16 February. While at Maui, 3d Battalion rested and refitted, received replacements, conducted training, and rearmed with M2A1 (M101A1) 105mm cannons.