Eight Marines from 3rd Battalion were awarded the Medal of Honor (1) or the Navy Cross (7) during World War II; six of these medals (Navy Crosses) were for actions during the Bougainville campaign and the other two (the Medal of Honor and one Navy Cross) were for actions during the Battle of Guam.
Medal of Honoredit
Private Luther Skaggs Jr. received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on the beachhead on Guam during World War II. After the section leader became a casualty, Skaggs took over command and led the section through heavy enemy fire. Although wounded by a Japanese grenade that shattered the lower part of his leg, he continued to defend for a further eight hours through the night.
^While Hospital Corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, they are a fully shared resource with the Marine Corps, many serving as battlefield corpsmen with the Marines. Corpsman Kierznowski saved the life of a wounded Marine from three mortar rounds by shielding him with his own body.
Silver Staredit
Lance Corporal David W. Cutshall: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Machine Gun Team Leader with Company M, Third Battalion, Third Marines, Third Marine Division. On 6 March 1968, during a company-size operation near Con Thien, Lance Corporal Cutshall's platoon came under intense enemy automatic weapons, mortar and artillery fire from a well entrenched battalion of North Vietnamese Army Regulars. Observing enemy movement through the brush, he marked the area with machine gun tracer rounds which enabled an anti-tank assault team to destroy an enemy bunker with rocket fire. Throughout the five-hour fire fight, he maintained a critical position and directed highly effective machine gun fire upon the enemy. Ordered to withdraw to a more advantageous position, he provided covering fire for his companions as they moved to join their platoon. While preparing to throw a hand grenade, Lance Corporal Cutshall was severely wounded by enemy grenade fragments which caused him to drop his grenade. Without regard for his own safety, he immediately fell upon the activated grenade to shield his companions. Although he was killed when it exploded, he undoubtedly saved the lives of his three companions. By his extraordinary courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty, Lance Corporal Cutshall upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."[8]
Lance Corporal Dennis Scalici, a fire team leader with Lima Company, received two Silver Stars within a four-month period.
Lance Corporal Timothy Gene Carter †, Mortar Team Leader, was awarded the Silver Star along with 6 other medals posthumously (1969). Carter was the highest decorated Marine from Nevada of the Vietnam War. A mortar range in Hawthorne, Nevada, bears his name.
Sergeant Laurence Eugene Belko, with India Company, was awarded a Silver Star in May 1968 for coordinating a five-hour rescue of his comrades in Dong Ha, while wounded and under enemy fire.[9][10][11]
Afghan Waredit
Medal of Honoredit
As of March 2022[update], only one Marine from Third Battalion has been awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Afghanistan.
^ abEdward Day, LCPL, Marine Corps, Philadelphia PA, 26Aug68 46W028 - The Virtual Wall
^Roger Rosenberger, PFC, Marine Corps, Swartz Creek MI, 17Jun69 22W069 - The Virtual Wall
^"LCPL David Warren Cutshall, Rapid City, SD on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall". www.virtualwall.org. Retrieved 2020-10-16.