4th Marines

4th Marines
Unit name	4th Marine Regiment
Caption	Emblem of the 4th Marines
Dates	1914–present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Infantry
Role	Light infantry, security
Size	Regiment
Command structure	3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force
Garrison	Marine Corps Base Camp Butler
Motto	"Hold Fast"
Notable commanders	Smedley Butler, Holland M. Smith, Joseph H. Pendleton

4th Marines is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps with a lineage stretching from pre-World War I interventions in China to contemporary garrison and combat duties in the Asia-Pacific. The regiment has been engaged in expeditionary operations, amphibious warfare, garrison security, and joint operations alongside units from the United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, United States Coast Guard, Republic of Korea Marine Corps, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Philippine Marine Corps. The unit’s history intersects with major events such as the Boxer Rebellion, World War I, World War II, the Chinese Civil War, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.

History

The regiment traces its antecedents to deployments during the Boxer Rebellion alongside forces from the United Kingdom, France, Imperial Germany, Imperial Russia, and the Empire of Japan in support of the Eight-Nation Alliance at Tianjin and Beijing. In the early 20th century, elements served in the Banana Wars with operations linked to interventions in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the Occupation of Veracruz, operating with contingents from the United States Navy and the United States Army. During World War II, the regiment was integral to Pacific campaigns including the Philippines campaign, the Battle of Guadalcanal, the Battle of Leyte, and operations in Okinawa supporting the United States Pacific Fleet and United States Army Forces Pacific. Postwar duties involved garrison missions during the Chinese Civil War period in Shanghai in coordination with the United States Sixth Fleet and with interactions involving Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong, and British forces in Hong Kong. In the Korean War era and Cold War period, the regiment’s elements supported deterrence missions connected to the Republic of Korea, the Nationalist Chinese forces on Taiwan, and contingency planning with the Central Intelligence Agency and NATO allies. During the Vietnam War, attached companies participated in counterinsurgency operations with ARVN, United States Army units, and Combined Action Platoons. In the 1990s and 2000s the regiment supported operations in the Middle East, Balkans, and Pacific theater, embedding with United States Special Operations Command, Marine Expeditionary Units, and joint task forces.

Organization and Structure

The regiment falls under the command of 3rd Marine Division and III Marine Expeditionary Force, operating from Marine Corps Base Camp Butler on Okinawa alongside Marine Aircraft Group elements and logistics support from Combat Logistics Regiment units. Its structure integrates infantry battalions, weapons companies, headquarters companies, and support detachments that coordinate with United States Navy amphibious squadrons, Military Sealift Command vessels, Marine Corps Security Force Regiment detachments, and Fleet Marine Force Pacific staff. Command relationships have linked the regiment to Expeditionary Strike Group operations, Amphibious Ready Groups, and Combined Joint Task Force headquarters during multinational exercises such as Cobra Gold, RIMPAC, Keen Sword, and Balikatan. Training and doctrine engagement includes schools like Marine Corps University, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Infantry Officer Course, and the School of Infantry to maintain readiness aligned with doctrine from Headquarters Marine Corps and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Combat Operations

The regiment has participated in amphibious assaults and urban security missions during the Battle of Shanghai, the defense of the International Settlement, and the defense of naval installations with coordination from the Royal Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy in interwar Asia. In World War II, its combat history encompassed campaign phases in the Solomon Islands, Leyte Gulf operations with Task Force elements, and supporting follow-on operations during the Philippines liberation alongside United States Seventh Fleet and Sixth Fleet assets. The regiment engaged in cold-weather and nuclear-era contingency planning during the Korean conflict and supported Vietnam-era operations including coastal interdiction with United States Coast Guard units and riverine operations in conjunction with Mobile Riverine Force elements. In the Global War on Terror, subunits conducted stability operations, force protection, and partnered training missions in Iraq and Afghanistan while interoperating with United States Army Special Forces, NATO ISAF partners, and multinational coalition contributors including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

Units and Subunits

The regiment comprises subordinate infantry battalions, weapons companies, and headquarters elements. Historically and in present alignment it has included battalion-sized units that have worked with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadrons, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons, Combat Engineer companies, Reconnaissance elements, Light Armored Reconnaissance troops, and Military Police platoons. Liaison and augmentation often involve attachment to Navy construction battalions such as United States Navy Seabees, medical detachments from Naval Hospital units, and aviation support from Marine Wing Support Squadrons. During amphibious campaigns the regiment operated in coordination with landing craft and amphibious shipping from Amphibious Squadrons, including LSTs and LCUs, and received fire support from naval gunfire and carrier air wings assigned to Task Force commanders.

Honors and Decorations

The regiment and its subordinate units have been awarded campaign streamers and unit citations for participation in major campaigns including recognized honors from World War II Pacific campaigns, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign decorations, Philippine Presidential Unit Citations, and unit commendations for expeditionary actions in China and Central America. Individual members have been decorated with awards drawn from the Department of the Navy list such as the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, and Purple Heart in various conflicts. Unit-level commendations have been presented by United States Pacific Command, United States Central Command, and multinational partners for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and combined exercises.

Notable Commanders and Alumni

Prominent leaders associated with the regiment include Major General Smedley Butler, General Holland M. Smith, Brigadier General Joseph H. Pendleton, and other leaders who later shaped Marine Corps doctrine and expeditionary policy. Alumni have gone on to serve in high-level billets within the Department of Defense, Joint Staff, and diplomatic posts, and have been involved in historical writings, memoirs, and historiography alongside authors and scholars covering Pacific War history, Marine Corps institutional development, and Cold War studies.

Category:United States Marine Corps regiments