A platoon led by First Lieutenant Steve J. Cibik moved ahead of the battalion, holding the ridge against several counterattacks for the next four days.

2/3 was crossing the Piva River on November 21 when the Marines were pinned down by heavy fire from a Japanese bunker complex.

By dawn, 2/3 Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Hector de Zayas learned of the potential of a second enemy attack and moved to the front lines to reposition his men.

2/3 deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Haditha "triad" region of Al Anbar Province in western Iraq in 2006–2007.

On June 26, 2008, the commanding officer of 2/3, LtCol Max Galeai and two other Marines (Captain Philip J. Dykeman and Cpl.

Marcus W. Preudhomme) from the battalion were killed when a suicide bomber dressed as an Iraqi policeman detonated an explosive vest at a meeting of tribal sheiks in the town of Karmah.

[7] 2/3 returned to Marine Corps Base Hawaii in late 2009, and redeployed to Afghanistan in November 2010 to Helmand province to the Nawa-I-Barakzayi District.

During this deployment, due to increased security in Nawa, Fox Company was attached to 3rd Battalion 9th Marines in Marjah.

In April 2012 Fox Company was the first US military unit to begin regular training rotations through northern Australia.

It is expected that eventually 2500 US Marines will be posted near Darwin, Northern Territory with the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, as part of increased security ties between the two nations (See Australia–United States relations).

[9][10] During World War II, PFC Leonard F. Mason, serving with the 2/3, despite being mortally wounded, single-handedly destroyed an enemy machine gun position during the Battle of Guam.

During the Vietnam War, Staff Sergeant Peter S. Connor was awarded the MOH (posthumously) for actions on 25 February 1966.