Photo By Sgt. Christopher J. Moore | Marines and sailors with Charlie Company, 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, stand at...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion bid farewell to Charlie Company during a deactivation ceremony here, Nov. 1.
Sergeant Patton Butler, a platoon sergeant with Charlie Co., presented the company guidon to 1st Sgt. Marcus Fleming, the company first sergeant, signifying the deactivation of the unit more than 70 years of service while Marines with the company looked on.
The company was deactivated as part of the force drawdown, but the Marines will continue to serve the battalion.
“The battalion is not losing the Marines,” said Capt. Matthew Hohl, the company commander. “A company without Marines is just a letter. Charlie Co. by letter is going away, but the Marines and ethos will live on in Echo Co.”
The battalion will be able to function with the loss of an entire company, Fleming said. He added the deactivation will not affect the battalion’s readiness. They will continue to march forward with the Marines they have and conduct business as usual.
Charlie Co. was activated during Sept. 16, 1942, and took part in every major battle the battalion fought. During World War II, they fought in the battle of Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima.
The Marines with the company said they were proud to be a part of a unit that always does their best.
“It’s a great company,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Rose, a platoon commander with the company. “We always go big or go home and we’re always number one with what we do. Charlie Company means a lot to me.”
During the Vietnam War, they distinguished themselves in the battles of Chu Lai, Da Nang, An Hoa and Hoi An. They also supported Operation Desert Storm in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and landed on the beach of Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope.
“Charlie Co. has an illustrious history, tradition, ethos and way about themselves,” said Hohl, a native of Clinton, Mass. “I believe the Marines carried on that tradition over the past year and a half I’ve been with them. It’s been a wild ride and the Marines have made me proud to serve with them.”
Charlie Co. participated in the invasion of Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Marines deployed to Kuwait and crossed the border to Iraq, attacking all the way to Baghdad.
Hohl said he believes the company will be reactivated when they are needed and this is just a pause in their history. He said the company’s motto is “go big or go home” and the Marines will live up to that motto while serving with Echo Co. as they prepare for their six month deployment to Okinawa, Japan, next week and any other mission that may arise.
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2013 18:34 |
| Story ID: | 116408 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US |
| Hometown: | CLINTON, MA, US |
| Hometown: | MONTGOMERY, AL, US |
| Web Views: | 4,383 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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