Sep 26 - Sep 28, 2024:
Marine Corps Engineer Association (MCEA)More Details
Patch
Unit Details
Strength
Battalion
Type
Engineer
Year
1942 - Present
Description
3rd Combat Engineer Battalion (3rd CEB) was a combat engineer battalion of the United States Marine Corps
"Demolition is the Mission"
The battalion was first formed on 16 September 1942 as 1st Battalion, 19th Marine Regiment.
Two years later on 16 August 1944 they were re-designated the 3d Engineer Battalion.
The battalion was deactivated at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California on 30 November 1945.
From August 1957 until January 1962, the battalion was designated 3d Pioneer Battalion.
On 15 May 1976 the battalion was redesignated as the 3d Combat Engineer Battalion
Years Active:
September 1942 - 6 June 1995
1 October 2007 - 5 August 2014
Description
This campaign was from 9 June to 31 October 1969. During the summer and fall of 1969, conduct of operations was increasingly turned over to Vietnamese, US troops withdrew in greater numbers amid reaffirmations of support for the Republic of South Vietnam government. President Nixon announced the reduction of the U.S. military presence in South Vietnam which would be demonstrated initially by the withdrawal of 25,000 troops by 31 August 1969.
American troop strength had peaked at 543,400 in April 1969 but dropped to 505,500 by mid October. More scattered than before, enemy attacks were concentrated on South Vietnamese positions. U.S. combat deaths were down in the early fall as American units switched to small unit actions. The trend was not constant, however, because U.S. troops deaths which had fallen well below l00 a week in the fall, rose above 100 later in the year.