The 1st Marine Division is the oldest and most decorated division-sized unit in the USMC.  Guadalcanal was the first major offensive of the World War II for the United States.  It was at Guadalcanal that the 1st Marine Division won it’s first of three Presidential Unit Citations awarded during World War II.  There were four Congressional Medals of Honor awarded to Marines of the 1st Marine Division for valor during the battle of Guadalcanal. “Guadalcanal” is on the insignia of the 1st Marine division to this day.  The other Presidential Unit Citations won by the 1st Marine Division during W.W. II were for the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa. In Korea, the 1st Marine Division was awarded three more Presidential Unit Citations. The first one was for Inchon Landing.  Then Red Chinese surrounded the 1st Marine Division at the Chosin Reservoir.  The 1st Marine Division’s famous attack to the rear pitted them against eight Chinese Divisions.  They inflicted an astonishing 37500 Chinese casualties.  The 1st Marine Division suffered 430 dead and approximately 4300 wounded at the “Frozen Chosin”.   Many of these wounded survived because of their blood froze keeping them from bleeding to death.   Practically all suffered from frost bite and many got pneumonia.  The “Frozen Chosin” earned them the 5th Presidential Unit Citation.  The sixth Presidential Unit Citation won by the 1st Marine Division was won for their actions during Hwachon and Punchbowl campaigns in the spring/summer of 1951. References: U.S. Marine Raider Museum 1142 West Grace St. Richmond, VA 23220 Marine Corps Heritage Foundation Post Office Box 420 Quantico, VA 22134 “The Marines” Edwin Howard Simmons, Editor in Chief Home   Questions & comments tsealey@hotmail.com