1st Tank Battalion Patch

Forged in the fire of World War II and tempered through every major conflict since, the 1st Tank Battalion stands as one of the Marine Corps’ most battle-hardened and legendary units. From the deserts of Iraq to the islands of the Pacific, the roar of their engines has marked the arrival of American strength—steel and resolve moving as one.

Activated in November 1941, the 1st Tank Battalion entered combat months later on Guadalcanal, where the Marines faced brutal jungle warfare against a determined enemy. Their M3 Stuart light tanks rumbled through swamps and mud, providing crucial firepower in battles where every yard was fought for by hand. In later campaigns—Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa—the battalion’s tanks spearheaded assaults under relentless fire, crushing fortifications and opening paths for infantry. These early campaigns forged a reputation that would follow them through history: the 1st Tanks never broke.

In Korea, they climbed mountains and crossed frozen rivers, their tanks pushing through bitter cold to support Marines surrounded at the Chosin Reservoir. In Vietnam, they traded jungles for rice paddies, their tracks carving through terrain that defied movement, providing protection and overwhelming force in ambushes and counterattacks alike. Wherever the Corps needed armor, the 1st Tank Battalion was there—unyielding and unshaken.

During Operation Desert Storm, their M60A1s led the charge into Kuwait, smashing through enemy defenses in one of the fastest ground campaigns in history. Years later, they returned to the Middle East in Operation Iraqi Freedom, now commanding M1A1 Abrams tanks—the most powerful on earth. They thundered across the desert once again, proving that decades of tradition and training had created an unstoppable force.

Though the Marine Corps deactivated its tank battalions in 2021, the legacy of the 1st Tank Battalion endures. It lives on in the Marines who served within its ranks, in the history written by its battles, and in the proud motto carried across generations: "First Tanks—The Best!"

The 1st Tank Battalion patch honors the Marines who turned armor into artistry, who fought in steel and sweat from Guadalcanal to Baghdad, and who embodied the relentless power of the Corps’ warrior spirit.