Combat Assault Battalion

Combat Assault Battlaion
CAB's Insignia
Active	February 16, 1942 – present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Mechanized/Engineering battalion
Role	Amphibious assault
Part of	3rd Marine Division III Marine Expeditionary Force
Garrison/HQ	Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan
Nickname(s)	The Iron Fist
Motto(s)	"Sui Generis"
Engagements	World War II Battle of Guadalcanal Battle of New Britain Battle of Peleliu Battle of Okinawa Korean War Vietnam War
Commanders
Current commander	LtCol Terry M. Paustenbaugh

Combat Assault Battalion is a mechanized battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Their primary weapon systems are the Amphibious Assault Vehicle, LAV-25 and various engineering vehicles. CAB is a subordinate element part of the 3rd Marine Division and the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The unit is based at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan.

Mission

To conduct and support amphibious operations and other operations as required by landing and transporting to inland objectives the surface assault elements and their equipment, conducting close combat engineer support; and by conducting light armored reconnaissance and limited offensive and defensive operations. When task-organized with infantry, tanks and other forces, the battalion conducts combined arms operations as a separate maneuver element in support of the 3rd Marine Division.

Subordinate units

• Headquarters and Services Company
• Combat Engineer Company
• Light Armored Reconnaissance Company
• Assault Amphibian Vehicle Company

History

World War II

Combat Assault Battalion was activated February 16, 1942 at New River, North Carolina as the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion, 1st Marine Division. They relocated during May 1942 to Wellington, New Zealand and participated in the following World War II campaigns:

• Guadalcanal
• Finschhafen
• New Britain
• Peleliu
• Okinawa

The battalion was deactivated November 17, 1945 at San Diego, California but were again reactivated May 1, 1946 at Camp Pendleton, California as the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion, 1st Marine Division.

Korean War

Participated in the Korean War from the Pusan Perimeter in operations from Inchon to Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East to Central Front, and the Western Front. Following the war they participated in the defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone from August 1953 to March 1955. They were relocated during March 1955 to Camp McGill, Japan.

Vietnam War

CAB was reassigned March 16, 1965 to the 3rd Marine Division and relocated to Camp Hansen, Okinawa. They deployed during July 1965 to Danang, Republic of Vietnam where they were engaged in combat operations from July 1965 through July 1969. They relocated during July 1969 to Camp Schwab, Okinawa. On April 1, 1976 they were re-designated as the 1st Tracked Vehicle Battalion with two companies of M60A1(RISE Passive) Tanks and two companies of AAV-7's.

1980s and 1990s

Re-designated November 10, 1988 as the 1st Armored Assault Battalion. Again re-designated September 30, 1992 as the Combat Support Group and finally became Combat Assault Battalion on October 5. 1994.

Unit awards

A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the appropriate ribbon of the awarded unit citation. The Battalion's flag is decorated with the appropriate streamers. Combat Assault Battalion, and those units for which it carries lineage and honors, have been awarded the following:

Streamer	Award	Year(s)	Additional Info
	Presidential Unit Citation Streamer with one Silver and one Bronze Star	1942, 1944, 1945, 1950, 1951, 1965–1967, 1968	Guadalcanal, Peleliu, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam War
	Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with two Bronze Stars	1952–1953, 1968, 2002–2003	Korea, Vietnam, Western Pacific
	Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer with one Bronze Star	1967–1968, 1968	Vietnam War
	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer with one Silver Star and one Bronze Star	1942–1945	Guadalcanal, Finschhafen, New Britain, Peleliu, Okinawa
	World War II Victory Streamer	1942–1945	Pacific War
	Navy Occupation Service Streamer with "ASIA"
	National Defense Service Streamer with three Bronze Stars	1950–1954, 1961–1974, 1990–1995, 2001–present	Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, War on Terrorism
	Korean Service Streamer with two Silver Stars	August 1950 - March 1955	Pusan Perimeter, Inchon-Seoul, Chosin Reservoir, East-Central Front, Western Front, Defense of the Demilitarized Zone
	Vietnam Service Streamer with two Silver Stars	July 1965 - July 1969	Da Nang, Cua Viet
	Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer	2001–present
	Korea Presidential Unit Citation Streamer
	Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Streamer

See also

• List of United States Marine Corps battalions
• Organization of the United States Marine Corps

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

Web

• CAB's official website