Operation Iraqi Freedom

3rd Battalion, 1st Marines deployed to Kuwait in January 2003. In March of that year the battalion took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, including the Battle of Nasiriyah. The battalion re-deployed to Camp Pendleton in the summer of 2003.

The unit then re-deployed to Iraq in mid-2004, and was based near Fallujah. They were the main effort in November 2004 during Operation Al Fajr (pronounced Al Fad-jer), the retaking of the city of Fallujah. Before the assault commenced, the operation was known as Operation Phantom Fury. 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines was part of the composition of RCT 1. RCT 1 was partly responsible for clearing the infamous Jolan District among others. Alongside RCT 7, four Marine battalions (including 1/3, 1/8, and 3/5) and various US Army units reclaimed the city of Fallujah from unrest.

The battalion re-deployed back to Iraq in September 2005 and were attached to 2nd Marine Regiment (known as Regimental Combat Team 2), and on 20 February 2006 were attached to the 7th Marine Regiment (known as Regimental Combat Team 7) in western Iraq, carrying out security and stabilization operations. The Battalion returned to Camp Pendleton at the end of March.^[4]

On 10 April 2007, 3/1 deployed as the ground combat element of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. They were ordered into Iraq as part of Operation Phantom Thunder. Operating north of Fallujah and Karmah in the Tharthar region in AO Anaheim, MARSOC units attached to the MEU were operating for several days before the ground combat element began operating on 15 June 2007. They were to establish a Coalition presence in an area that had only had 14 days of Coalition presence since the invasion in March 2003. 3/1 concluded operations in Iraq after 90 days on 20 September 2007 and soon after re-embarked on the naval strike group and set sail for the United States and returned to Camp Pendleton on 17 November 2007.

3/1 deployed to Okinawa in July 2008 as part of the ground combat element of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

3/1 training at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif., Aug. 29, 2014. 3/1 will become the 15th MEU's ground combat element in October.

Haditha killings

In 2006, Time magazine published an article about an incident that took place on 19 November 2005 in which a group of Marines from 3/1 Kilo Company allegedly killed 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians in the city of Haditha as retribution for an IED attack that killed Lance Corporal Miguel Terrazas.^[5][6][7]

An initial Marine Corps communique reported that 15 civilians were killed by the bomb's blast and eight insurgents were subsequently killed when the Marines returned fire against those attacking the convoy. However, other evidence uncovered by the media contradicted the Marines' account, prompting the United States military to open an investigation into the incident.^[6]

On 21 December 2006, eight Marines from 3/1 were charged in connection with the incident.^[8][9] By 17 June 2008, six defendants had had their cases dropped and a seventh found not guilty.^[10] The exception was former Staff Sergeant, now-Private Frank Wuterich, who was convicted of a single count of negligent dereliction of duty on 24 January 2012.^[11][12] Wuterich received a rank reduction and pay cut but avoided jail time.^[13][14]

Operation Enduring Freedom

In April 2010, 3/1 deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The battalion conducted combat operations in the area, including activity in Koshtay and Safar in Garmsir District,^[15] and returned to Camp Pendleton in November 2010.^[16]