The 1st Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. The regiment, sometimes known as "Inchon", falls under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. 1st Marine Regiment deploys as the Ground Combat Element (GCE) for the 1st Marines Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) in support of crisis response operations and provides mission capable battalions in support of enduring and emerging operational requirements in order to meet operational commitments across the range of military operations.
Active Years 1913 – 1916; 1917 – 22; 1922 – 24; 1925 – 31; 1941 – 49; 1950 – present
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In January 2003, 1st Marines deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Organized as a 5,000-man combined arms task force, known as Regimental Combat Team One [RCT-1], the regiment fought its way from Kuwait to Baghdad, with significant actions at An Nasariyah, Al Kut, and Baghdad. On 5 April, commanding officer Colonel Joe D. Dowdy was relieved by Major General James Mattis and replaced by Colonel John Toolan, a highly unusual act. Subsequent to the collapse of the regime, the RCT conducted security and stability operations in Baghdad and Al Hillah until returning home throughout the summer of 2003.
