U.S. 3rd Marine Division
| 3rd Marine Division | |
|---|---|
3rd Marine Division insignia
|
|
| Active | 1942–1945, 1952–present |
| Country |
 United States of America |
| Branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Type | Marine ground combat element forces |
| Role | Command and control organization containing three Marine regiments and several separate combat support battalions |
| Size | Marine Division (Approximately 13,000) |
| Part of | III Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Garrison/HQ | Camp Courtney |
| Nickname(s) |
"Fighting Third" "Caltrap" |
| Motto(s) | Fidelity, Valor, Honor |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Major General Craig Q. Timberlake |
| Notable commanders |
MajGen Charles D. Barrett, MajGen Graves B. Erskine, BrigGen William E. Riley |
"Fighting Third"
The 3rd Marine Division is an infantry division in the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler and Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty divisions in the Marine Corps and together with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1stMAW) and the 3rd Marine Logistics Group (3rd MLG) forms the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF). The division was first formed during World War II and saw four years of continuous combat in the Vietnam War.
The 3rd Marine Division was officially activated on 16 September 1942 at Camp Elliott, San Diego, California. Most of the original members of the division were drawn from the cadre staff of the 2nd Marine Division. The division was initially built around the 9th Marine Regiment, commanded by Colonel Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr. who later became the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps. Major General Charles D. Barrett was the first commanding general of the division.
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