3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment (3/14) is a reserve artillery battalion comprising four firing batteries and a headquarters battery. The battalion is based in Bristol, Pennsylvania and its primary weapon system is the M777 howitzer with a maximum effective range of 30 km. They fall under the command of the 14th Marine Regiment and the 4th Marine Division.

Name	Location
Headquarters Battery	Bristol, Pennsylvania
Battery G (Golf Battery)	Fort Dix, New Jersey
Battery H (Hotel Battery)	Richmond, Virginia
Battery I (India Battery)	Allentown, Pennsylvania
Battery M (Mike Battery)	Chattanooga, Tennessee

Third Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division was activated on 22 July 1942 as 3d Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division. It was re-designated 3d Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division on 20 February 1943. This makes it the first battalion in the 14th Marine Regiment to be activated for service in the Pacific War. The battalion initially trained at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. From September 1943 to January 1944, the entire 14th Marine Regiment conducted training at Camp Pendleton, Camp Dunlap, Aliso Canyon, and San Clemente in California. Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. MacFarlane was appointed commanding officer, and he would remain in that role for the duration of most combat operations during World War II

On 6 January 1944, the 3rd Battalion embarked ships for deployment in Operation Flintlock, the U.S. campaign to take the Marshall Islands. On the morning of 31 January, elements of the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines cleared the islet of Ennuebing, southwest of Roi-Namur in the Kwajalein Atoll. Then, the 3rd Battalion landed on Ennuebing with the mission of supporting the landing on Roi-Namur. During the landing, two 75mm howitzers were lost and four marines died after two LVTs (Landing Vehicles, Tracked) sank; 3d Battalion surgeon Lieutenant Irad B. Hardy, Jr., USN, received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for repeatedly swimming out to the floundering LVTs to assist marines and sailors. The third Battalion began firing on enemy Japanese positions on Roi (the western half of the Roi-Namur island) at 6:58 am on 1 February in support of 2d Battalion, 23d Marines. Roi was quickly taken by 23d Marines. The successful assault was largely due to supporting arms, including artillery from 3/14; after the battle, it was estimated that supporting arms produced 60% of Japanese KIAs on Roi. The third Battalion embarked upon the USS La Salle, USS Sheridan, and USS Calvert, departing from the Kwajalein Atoll on 5 February and arriving at Maui, Territory of Hawaii on 16 February. While at Maui, 3d Battalion rested and refitted, received replacements, conducted training, and rearmed with M2A1 (M101A1) 105mm cannons.

On 12 May 1944, all of the 14th Marines, including the 3d Battalion, embarked on board the USS Leonard Wood and stopped at Pearl Harbor before setting sail towards Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands to participate in Operation Forager. On 15 June, infantry units of the 4th Marine Division began landing on the southwestern coast of Saipan. As the assault on the beaches stalled, the 14th Marines were ordered at approximately 1:15 pm to land. The third Battalion loaded onto DUKWs and was the first artillery unit to arrive on the shore. By 2:45 pm, the 3d Battalion had pushed 50 yards inland of Yellow Beach 2 and began firing in support of the 25th Marine Regiment. At approximately 3:30 am on 16 June, the 3d Battalion was critical in stopping the Japanese counterattack against Company C, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines. The 4th Marine Division then made a drive towards Mt. Tapochau and Magicienne (now Laolao) Bay; all 14th Marines artillery was directed to support these assaults. The island was declared secure and the battle was over on 9 July.

Tinian, a little more than three miles south of Saipan, was the next objective for U.S. forces. During the beginning phases of the battle, the 3rd Battalion was positioned on the southwestern corner of Saipan, where it provided supporting fires to the 4th Marine Division as it landed on the northwestern corner of Tinian on J-Day, 24 July 1944. On the afternoon of 26 July, the 3rd Battalion became the first artillery unit with guns larger than 75mm to land on Tinian; the 3rd Battalion was given a general support role for the 4th Marine Division. The island was declared secure on 1 August, but on 4 August, Battery I of the 3rd Battalion repulsed a Japanese attack, marking the last combat action of the Mariana Islands campaign for the 14th Marines. The third Battalion boarded USS Jean Lafitte from 5–14 August and arrived at Kahului on the island of Maui sometime between 24 and 31 August. For its actions during the Battles of Saipan and Tinian, the 3rd Battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation.

In November 1990, Battery H, commanded by Capt. Paul W. Brier, and Battery I were two of four reserve artillery batteries mobilized to augment active component formations during the Gulf War. They deployed to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in December, and subsequently deployed to Saudi Arabia in January 1991. Battery H was attached to the 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division, and Battery I to 10th Marine, 2d Marine Division, becoming parts of Task Force Papa Bear and Task Force Ripper, respectively, for the ground assault on 24 February through two obstacle belts and subsequent operations to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi forces. These active component augmentations were necessary as both of these artillery regiments lacked one of their organic direct support artillery batteries, as they each had a battery attached to embarked and deployed Marine Expeditionary Units.

On 25 February, Battery H engaged, with direct howitzer fire, and destroyed an Iraqi mobility rocket launching system at a range of 800m, which was subsequently found to be in the center of an Iraqi brigade of D20 152mm howitzers. Battery H had just occupied an exposed firing position, having received multiple shelling which significantly wounded one cannoneer, Sgt. Chris LaCivita. The 8-gun battery’s 1000m by 700m position was on the far side of the second obstacle belt, well in front of the tank and infantry maneuver units it supported, with the burning Burqan oil field to its immediate east. This positioning far forward of the forward line of troops was selected to support the 1st Marine Division’s northward momentum and Task Force Papa Bear’s continued and rapid assault into Kuwait City.

The battery was laid on an azimuth of fire to the north when it received a battalion mass fire mission on a target 30 km to its south. Unknown tto he battery’s Marines, an Iraqi Brigade was launching a counterattack through the burning oil field on the 1st Marine Division Command Post. On battery’s east flank piece (Gun #1) Gunner Sgt Shawn Toney and Section Chief Sergeant Thomas Stark, IV, spotted two enemy multiple rocket launchers as they were shifted trails to fire to the south. They engaged and destroyed launchers with heavy automatic weapons and direct fire from their M198 155mm howitzer, while the rest of the battery continued to support the fire mission to the south and defend the battery position from ground assault.

LtCol. Jay Sollis, 1/11 Commander, arrived in the battery position, requested air support and directed a section of AH-1W Sea Cobra to engage the Iraqi counterattack force in the oil field.

On the night of 25 February, the Battalion CP occupied a new position in support of Task Force Papa Bear. A security patrol, which included Lance Corporal Troy L. Gregory of Battery H, was organized to investigate an enemy bunker adjacent to the new CP position. While conducting this patrol, Gregory stepped on an Iraqi land mine and was critically wounded. Despite quick evacuation to a Naval Hospital, he died the following day of his wounded, just a few days before his 21st birthday. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal and Combat Action Ribbon and was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in section 60, Grave 7723. The Navy-Marine Corps Reserve Center in Richmond was renamed in his honor.

Battery H’s final position was just south of the Kuwait International Airport when the ceasefire was announced. The Battery was subsequently retrograded to the 1st Marine Division Support Area in Saudi Arabia. In April, the battery was redeployed to the United States and was released from active duty.

Operation Desert Shield

They later deployed again in 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During this second deployment, they were attached to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, and operated in the vicinity of Ar Rutbah under the callsign, “Excalibur” Palehorse. The same callsign that Mike Battery used when it was a part of the 4th Battalion 14th Marines during the battle of Fallujah in 2004. In 2007, the unit suffered one casualty, Cpl Dustin J. Lee.

On July 16, 2015, four Marines with Mike Battery’s Inspector-Instructor staff were killed by a gunman who was targeting military installations. In addition, a sailor died from his wounds two days later.

Some of the 3/14 Marines killed in action were reportedly killed while returning fire at the gunman, providing cover for a larger group of potential victims who were escaping over a fence. They were identified as:

Name	Age	Hometown	Branch	Rank
Carson A. Holmquist	25	Grantsburg, Wisconsin	Marine Corps	Sergeant
Thomas J. Sullivan	40	Springfield, Massachusetts	Marine Corps	Gunnery Sergeant
Squire K. “Skip” Wells	21	Marietta, Georgia	Marine Corps	Lance Corporal
David A. Wyatt	37	Russellville, Arkansas	Marine Corps	Staff Sergeant

In addition, Sergeant DeMonte Cheeley was shot in the leg.

The Battery Commander during the shootings, Major Mike Abrams, declared during the memorial service that his Marines “were selfless in their efforts to take care of one another, and they acted with unquestionable courage.”

MajGen Paul W. Brier, Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division, spoke at the nationally televised press conference held in Chattanooga on 22 July 2015. He praised the Marines and Sailors who risked their lives to help others and stop the gunman. “The legacy that day is one of valor.”  “‘I can tell you that our Marines reacted the way you would expect,’ the major general said. ‘Rapidly going from room to room, they got their fellow Marines to safety. Once they had gotten to safety, some willingly ran back into the fight.'”

3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment
3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment insignia
Active	July 22, 1942 – present
Country	United States of America
Branch	United States Marine Corps
Type	Artillery
Role	Provide fire support for 4th Marine Division
Part of	14th Marine Regiment 4th Marine Division
Garrison/HQ	Bristol, Pennsylvania
Engagements	World War II Battle of Kwajalein Battle of Saipan Battle of Tinian Battle of Iwo Jima Operation Desert Shield Operation Desert Storm Iraq War
Commanders
Current commander	LtCol Kyle D. Lynch
Notable commanders	Carl A. Youngdale Paul W. Brier

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

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