The 3rd Marine Division is an infantry division of 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.
During its history, four commanding generals became the Commandant of the Marine Corps (David M. Shoup, Robert E. Cushman Jr., Louis H. Wilson Jr. and Robert Neller) and another four commanding generals became Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps (Charles D. Barrett, Allen H. Turnage, Lewis W. Walt and Raymond G. Davis).
Three commanding generals were recipients of Medal of Honor, the United States of America's highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who distinguished themselves by acts of valor. They were: David M. Shoup, Louis H. Wilson Jr. and Raymond G. Davis.
Commanding generals World War II
#PictureNameRankStartEndNotabilityRef 1BarrettCharles D. BarrettO-04 Major generalVeteran of World War I and Banana Wars; oversaw the formation of the division; Served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and later assumed command of I Marine Amphibious Corps; Navy Distinguished Service Medal 2TurnageAllen H. TurnageO-04 Major generalVeteran of World War I, Banana Wars, Yangtze Patrol; led the division during Bougainville Campaign and recapture of Guam. Later served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps or Commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific; Navy Cross, Navy Distinguished Service Medal and Legion of Merit. Allen H. Turnage, a Marine General, NY Times 3NobleAlfred H. Noble (Acting)O-04 Brigadier generalVeteran of World War I, Banana Wars, Bougainville Campaign and recapture of Guam; While serving as Assistant Division Commander he assumed temporary command; later commanded Department of the Pacific or Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic; Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, two awards of Silver Star, two awards of Legion of Merit with Combat "V".– 3rd Marine Division and its regiments 4ErskineGraves B. ErskineO-04 Major generalVeteran of World War I, Banana Wars, battles of Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian or Guam; led the division during Battle of Iwo Jima; later commanded 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton or Fleet Marine Force, Pacific; Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, two awards of Legion of Merit with Combat "V" or two awards of Purple Heart. 5RileyWilliam E. RileyO-04 Brigadier generalVeteran of World War I, Banana Wars, campaigns of Bougainville and the Philippines; led the division back to the United States for deactivation; later served as a chief of staff of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in Palestine; Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of Silver Star, two awards of Legion of Merit with Combat "V" or two awards of Purple Heart.
Reactivation