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The 1st Marine Division is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) and is stationed at Camp Pendleton in California.  

While some of the Old Breed Regiments were in existence as early as 1911, the 1st Marine Division was activated on February 1, 1941 aboard the battleship USS Texas (BB-35).

This was the first Division to be formed in U.S. Marine Corps history. Following the outbreak of World War II, the Division sailed to the Southwest Pacific.

On August 7, 1942, the Blue Diamond conducted the initial assault against the Japanese occupied islands of Guadalcanal and Tulagi. After defeating the Japanese in a six month long struggle, which cost over 3000 casualties, the Division moved to Australia for rest and reorganization. It was in Melbourne that the division adopted the Australian folk song "Waltzing Matilda" as its marching song. To this day, 1st Division Marines still ship out to this song being played.

-(Courtesy: militaryvetshop.com/History/1stMarDiv)

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