[2] The unit was first activated during World War II, being formed on February 1, 1943, at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, under the designation of "Headquarters Company, 3d Separate Battalion".

During 1944, 3/24 was deployed to the Marshall Islands and participated in the Battles of Kwajalein, Saipan, Tinian, Roi Namur, and Iwo Jima.

The battalion was reactivated on July 1, 1962, at New Orleans, Louisiana, and assigned to the 4th Marine Division, USMCR.

Under the charter of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), five countries participated: Greece, Italy, Turkey, England, and the United States.

Courses included riverine boat operations, jungle living, mines and booby traps, expedient antennas, navigation, helo extract, rappelling, night jungle patrolling, POW rescue, reconnaissance, and rope bridges.

3/24 flew to Camp Lejuene, North Carolina, where they undertook weapons firing and chemical warfare training.

The regiment (minus 1/24 who were deployed to Okinawa) then flew into Al Jubayl, Saudi Arabia, on January 1, 1991.

Lieutenant General Walter Boomer, Commanding General of I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), assigned the 24th Marine Regiment the mission to defend the sprawling Al Jubayl Vital Area and other key points from Iraqi military and terrorist attacks.

Companies of 3/24 and individual augments deployed to Panama providing Op Tempo relief until the canal came under full Panamanian control in 1999.

3/24 was tasked with relieving elements of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Iraq.

3/24 was deployed to four different Forward Operating Bases in the Sunni Triangle area of Western Iraq with the 1st Marine Division (commanded by General James Mattis), which was under I Marine Expeditionary Force (commanded by General James T. Conway).

As a result of the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse in 2003, they replaced the existing National Guard units.

Global media coverage of the 2003 torture activities provoked a violent response by Iraqis in Baghdad.

Following exposure of the events, Abu Ghraib was under attack nearly every day, mainly from IED, car bomb and mortor attempts.

They trained with partner nation marines from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and soldiers from the Canadian Army as a part of Partnership of the Americas (POA) 2010.

[12] These marines are distinguished in being the last members of 3/24 to serve in a combat zone before the unit was officially retired in 2013.

[13] In May 2011, 3/24 deployed with 4th Force Reconnaissance Company to Ukraine/Black Sea in support of NATO Partnership for Peace Exercise Seabreeze 11.

[16] The Arctic exercise brought together 16,300 troops from 15 allied nations for simulated combat, terror threats and amphibious operations in snow and ice.