3rd Battalion, 8th Marines

The mission of the Marine Corps rifle squad is to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver and/ or repel enemy assault by fire and close combat.

The battalion was activated on November 1, 1940, in San Diego and was assigned to the 2nd Marine Brigade.

3/8 was reactivated on January 15, 1951, at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as 3rd and was assigned to the 2nd Marine Division.

During the 1960s they participated in the Cuban Missile Crisis from October to December 1962 and Operation Powerpack in the Dominican Republic in 1965.

Commandant Gen. David H. Berger, former Commanding Officer of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, released a press statement stating,"Developing a force that incorporates emerging technologies and a significant change to force structure within our current resource constraints will require the Marine Corps to become smaller and remove legacy capabilities".

Marine from 3/8 breaching a door in 2005.
A Marine from Company I, 3/8, holds onto a parachute attached to a supply of water and food dropped by CLB-3 Marines from a C-130 cargo transport aircraft during Operation Backstop in Helmand province, Afghanistan, December 11, 2008.
3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment conduct a local security patrol in the abandoned village, Afghanistan, on April 12, 2009
Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, partnered with Afghan National Police, patrol through Garmsir District, Helmand province, Afghanistan, June 1, 2012