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1st Recon Battalion Lineage

1937 - 1940

• Activated 1 March 1937 At Quantico, Virginia as the 1st Tank Company and Assigned to the 1st Marine Brigade
• Deployed during January-March 1940 to the Caribbean on board the USS Wyoming
• Relocated during March 1940 to Quantico, Virginia
• Redeployed during November 1940 to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

1941 - 1949

• 1st Marine Brigade redesignated 1 February 1941 as the 1st Marine Division
• Redesignated 1 March 1941 as the 1st Scout Company, Division Special Troops
• Relocated during April 1941 to Quantico, Virginia
• Relocated during September 1942 to New River, North Carolina
• Reassigned during August 1942 to the 1st Tank Battalion
• Redesignated 1 April 1943 as Company E (Scout), 1st Tank Battalion
• Redesignated 10 April 1943 as Company D (Scout), 1st Tank Battalion
• Redesignated 9 May 1944 as Reconnaissance Company, Headquarters Battalion
• Participated in the Following World War II Campaigns
  • Guadalcanal
  • New Guinea
  • Bismarck Archipelago
  • Western Caroline Islands
  • Okinawa
• Redeployed during September - October 1945 to Tientsin, China
• Relocated during June - July 1947 to Camp Pendleton, California
• Redesignated 15 June 1948 as Reconnaissance Platoon, Headquarters Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion
• Redesignated 22 March 1949 as Reconnaissance Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion

1950 - 1964

• Deployed during August 1950 to Tokyo, Japan
• Participated in the Korean War, Operating From
  • Pusan Perimeter
  • Inchon-Seoul
  • Chosin Reservoir
  • East Central Front
  • Western Front
• Participated in the Defense of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, July 1953 - March 1955
• Relocated during March 1955 to Camp Pendleton, California
• Deactivated 30 April 1958
• Reactivated 1 May 1958 At Camp Pendleton, California as the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and Assigned to the 1st Marine Division
• Participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis, November - December 1962

1965 - 1981

• Deployed during August - September 1965 to Camp Schwab, Okinawa
• Redeployed during March 1966 to Chu Lai, Republic of South Vietnam
• Participated in the war in Vietnam, March 1966 - March 1971, operating From Chu Lai, Da Nang
• Relocated during March - April 1971 to Camp Pendleton, California

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Honors Awarded

• Presidential Unit Citation Streamer with One Silver and Three Bronze Stars
  • World War II
    • Guadalcanal 1942
    • Peleliu, Ngessbus 1944
    • Okinawa 1945
  • Korea 1950 (3 Times)
  • Korea 1951
  • Vietnam 1966 - 1967
  • Vietnam 1967 - 1968
• Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with Three Bronze Stars
  • Korea 1950
  • Korea 1952 - 1953
  • Vietnam 1967 - 1968
  • Vietnam 1970
• American Defense Service Streamer with One Bronze Star
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer with One Silver and One Bronze Star
• World War II Victory Streamer
• Navy Occupation Service Streamer with Asia Clasp
• China Service Streamer
• National Defense Service Streamer with One Bronze Star
• Korean Service Streamer with Two Silver Stars
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer
• Vietnam Service Streamer with Two Silver Stars and Two Bronze Stars
• Korean Presidential Unit Citation Streamer
• Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Streamer
• Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions Streamer
• Presidential Unit Citation Streamer with One Silver Star and Three Bronze Stars
  • Guadacanal 7 August - 9 December 1942
  • Peleliu, Ngesebus and Palau, 15-29 September 1944
  • Okinawa, 1 April - 21 June 1945
  • Pusan, Korea, 7 August - 7 September 1950
  • Inchon, Korea, 15 September - 11 October 1950
  • Chosin Reservoir, Korea, 27 November - 11 December 1950
  • Korea, 21 - 26 Apr,16 May - 30 June,11 - 25 September 1951
  • Vietnam, 29 March 1966 - 15 September 1967
  • Vietnam, 16 - 30 September 1967 and 2 - 31 October 1968
• Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with Three Bronze Stars
  • Korea, 12 - 25 August 1959
  • Korea, 11 August 1952 - 5 May 1953 and 7 - 27 July 1953
  • Vietnam, I October 1967 - 1 October 1968
  • Vietnam, 1 January - 31 December 1970
• American Defense Service Streamer with Base Clasp 8 September 1939 - 7 December 1941
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer with One Silver and One Bronze Star
  • Guadalcanal - Tulagi Landings, 7-9 August 1942
  • Capt.ure and Defense of Guadalcanal, 10 August - 8 December 1942
  • Finschhafen Occupation, 2 October 1943 - 31 December 1943
  • Cape Gloucester, New Britian, 26 December 1943 - 1 March 1944
  • Capture and Occupation of Southern Palau Islands, 15 September - 14 October 1944
  • Assault and Occupation of Okinawa Gunto, 1 April - 30 June 1945
• Victory Streamer World War II
• Navy Occupation Service Streamer with Asia Clasp Okinawa, 2 - 26 September 1945
• China Service Streamer 30 September 1945 - 22 January 1947
• National Defense Service Streamer with One Bronze Star
• Korean Presidential Unit Citation Streamer 2 August - 6 September 1950
• Korean Service Streamer with Two Silver Stars
  • North Korean Aggression, 15 September - 2 November 1950
  • Communist China Aggression, 3 November 1950 - 24 January 1951
  • Inchon Landing, 13 - 17 September 1950
  • First U.N. Counteroffensive, 25 January - 21 April 1951
  • Communist China Spring Offensive, 22 April - 8 July 1951
  • U.N. Summer - Fall Offensive, 9 July - 27 November 1951
  • Second Korean Winter, 28 November 1951 - 30 April 1952
  • Korean Defense, Summer - Fall 1952, 1 May - 30 November 1952
  • Third Korean Winter, 1 December 1952 - 30 April 1953
  • Korea, Summer - Fall 1953, 1 May - 27 July 1953
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer Cuba, 7 November - 27 November 1962
• Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm 26 March 1966 - 20 September 1969
• Vietnam Service Streamer with Two Silver and Two Bronze Stars
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive, 26 March - 30 June 1966
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase II, 1 July 1966 - 31 May 1967
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase III, 1 June 1967 - 29 Jan 1968
  • Tet Counteroffensive, 30 January - 1 April 1968
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive , Phase IV, 2 April - 30 June 1968
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase V, 1 July - 1 November 1968
  • Vietnamese Counteroffensive, Phase VI, 2 Nov 1968 - 22 Feb 1969
  • Tet 69 Counteroffensive, 23 February - 8 June 1969
  • Vietnam, Summer-Fall 1969, 9 June - 31 October 1969
  • Vietnam, Winter-Spring 1970, 1 November 1969 - 30 April 1970
  • Sanctuary Counteroffensive, 1 May 1970 - 30 June 1970
  • Vietnam Counteroffensive, Phase Vii, 1 July,1970 - 24 March,1971
• Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation Civil Actions Streamer

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Commanding Officers

• 1st Reconnaissance Battalion
  • Capt. Hartnoll J. Withers     1 March 1937 to 8 October 1937
  • 1stLt. Hector De Zayas     9 October 1937 to 24 May 1939
  • Maj. Carl J. Cagle     25 May 1939 to 17 July 1939
  • Capt. Charles G. Meints     18 July 1939 to 31 October 1940
  • Capt. Henry W. Buse, Jr.     1 November 1940 to 15 April 1942
  • Capt. Reed M. Pawell, Jr.     16 April 1942 to 10 August 1942
  • Capt. Thomas J. Mahoney     11 August 1942 to 11 January 1944
  • 1stLt. Howard R. Taylor, Jr.     12 January 1944 to 21 February 1944
  • 1stLt. George E. Jerue     22 February 1944 to 26 April 1944
  • 1stLt. John M. Hendley     27 April 1944 to 23 May 1944
  • Capt. Michael J. De Sandis     24 May 1944 to 11 December 1944
  • 1stLt. Robert J. Powell, Jr.     12 December 1944 to 23 October 1945
  • 1stLt. Robert E. Boies     24 October 1945 to 27 November 1945
  • 1stLt. Charles Abrams     28 November 1945 to 9 January 1946
  • 1stLt. Otis S. Dunn     10 January 1946 to 3 March 1946
  • 2ndLt. Barry G. Clark     4 March 1946 to 11 April 1946
  • 2ndLt. Olson E. Nesbitt     12 April 1946 to 17 December 1947
  • 1stLt. John S. Alexander     18 December 1947 to 30 April 1948
  • 1stLt. James A. MacDonald     1 May 1948 to 14 June 1948
  
  
• 15 June 1948 Reconnaissance Company Reduced to Platoon
  
  
• 22 March 1949 Redesignated as Reconnaissance Company
  
  
  • 1stLt. John S. Alexander     22 March 1949 to 5 October 1949
  • Capt. Neil M. Hansen     6 October 1949 to 7 March 1950
  • Capt. Kenneth J. Houghton     8 March. to 11 July 1950
  • 1stLt. Ralph B. Crossman     12 July 1950 to 29 July 1950
  • 2ndLt. Philip D. Shutler     30 July 1950 to 6 September 1950
  • 1stLt. Ralph B. Crossman     7 September 1950 to 27 November 1950
  • Maj. Walter Gail     28 November 1950 to 29 March 1951
  • Capt. Robert L. Autry     30 March 1951 to 11 September 1951
  • Maj. Ephraim Kirby-Smith     12 September 1951 to 10 June 1952
  • Capt. James O. Webb     11 June 1952 to 10 September 1952
  • Capt. James H.A. Flood     11 September 1952 to 5 December 1952
  • Maj. Dermott H. MacDonnell 6 December 1952 to 20 June 1953
  • Maj. Marvin D. Perskie 21 June 1953 25 November 1953
  • Maj. Eric S. Holmgrain 26 November 1953 29 January 1954
  • Capt. Walter V. Walsh 30 January 1954 3 November 1954
  • Capt. William M. Herrin, Jr. 4 November 1954 25 May 1955
  • Capt. David D. Finne, Jr. 26 May 1955 9 February 1956
  • 1stLt. John C. Wickham 10 February 1956 -21 May 1956
  • Capt. George S. Belli 22 May 1956 4 December 1956
  • 1stLt. Dennis A. Meenan 5 December 1956 16 January 1957
  • Capt. Dale N. Davis 7 January 1957 9 March 1957
  • 1stLt. Dennis A. Meenan 10 March 1957 13 March 1957
  • Capt. Charles D. McMichael 14 March 1957 30 April 1957
  • LtCol. Kirt W. Norton 1 May 1957 -24 June 1957
  • Maj. Leland G. Alexander 25 June 1957 11 July 1957
  • LtCol. William G. Chip 12 July 1957 1 August 1958
  
  
• Deactivated 30 April 1958
  
  
• Reactivated 1 May 1958 as Battalion
  
  
  • LtCol. Henry J. Woessner 2 August 1958 14 November 1959
  • Maj. James M. Jefferson 15 November 1959 - 14 November 1960
  • LtCol. Ross R. Miner 15 November 1960 -1 June 1961
  • Maj. Richard M. Johnson 2 June 1961 -20 June 1961
  • Maj. Redford C. Sears 21 June 1961 15 March 1962
  • Maj. Richard M. Johnson 16 March 1962 20 March 1962
  • Maj. Charles F. King 21 March 1962 6 September 1962
  • LtCol. Ross M. MacAskill 7 September 1962 -23 August 1963
  • Maj. Donald V. McCloskey 24 August 1963 -6 September 1963
  • LtCol. David A. Clement 7 September 1963 -21 August 1964
  • Maj. Harlan E. Trent 22 August 1964 -30 October 1964
  • LtCol. Jerome N. Pieti 31 October 1964 16 June 1965
  • Maj. Harlan E. Trent 17 June 1965 14 July 1965
  • LtCol. Arthur J. Sullivan 15 July 1965 -6 August 1966
  • LtCol. Donald N. Mckeon 7 August 1966 20 May 1967
  • Maj. Bill G. Lowrey 21 May 1967 -8 July 1967
  • Maj. Gordon R. Johnston 9 July 1967 -10 July 1967
  • LtCol. Broman C. Stinemetz 11 July 1967 10 July 1968
  • LtCol. Larry P. Charon 27 July 1968 7 February 1969
  • LtCol. Richard D. Mickelson 8 February 1969 -7 October 1969
  • LtCol. John J. Grace 8 October 1969 20 January 1970
  • Maj. Terry Turner 21 January 1970 -25 January 1970
  • LtCol. William C. Drumright 26 January 1970 -9 August 1970
  • LtCol. Edmund J. Regan 10 August 1970 12 September 1970
  • LtCol. William G. Leftwich, Jr. 13 September 1970-18 November 1970
  • Maj. Ronald L. Bub 19 November 1970
  • LtCol. Bernard E. Trainor 20 November 1970 11 May 1971
  • Capt. Richard E. Miller 12 May 1971 -31 May 1971
  • Maj. Harlan C. Cooper 1 June 1971 -12 July 1971
  • Capt. Richard E. Miller 13 July 1971 -22 August 1971
  • Maj. Clifford R. Dunning 23 August 1971 -17 August 1972
  • Maj. James L. Williams 18 August 1972 10 August 1973
  • LtCol. Bernard B. Brause, Jr. 11 August 1973 1 March 1974
  • Maj. William F. Snyder 2 March 1974 28 August 1974
  • Maj. James E. Reilly 29 August 1974 20 November 1975
  • Maj. William D. Shuman 21 November 1975 15 April 1977
  • LtCol. Robert A. Carnes 16 April 1977 27 April 1978
  • LtCol. Richard C. Rich 28 April 1978 -3 July 1979
  • LtCol. James R. Davis 4 July 1979 as of 30 June 1980