R 161240Z SEP 22
ALMAR 025/22
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/3D MARINE DIVISION 80TH ANNIVERSARY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  On behalf of all Marines, I am pleased to congratulate the Marines and Sailors of the 3d Marine Division as you observe your 80th Anniversary on 16 September.
2.  Activated at Camp Elliot, California in 1942, the dedicated and faithful Marines of the 3d Marine Division proved their skill and prowess on the beaches and battlefields of the Pacific Theater.  From amphibious assaults at Bougainville, Guam, and Iwo Jima, to combat operations in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the men and women of the 3d Marine Division have time and again earned the spirited title, “The Fighting Third.”
3.  To all the Marines and Sailors serving in the 3d Marine Division today, continue to strive to carry on the Division’s tradition of excellence and faithful service.  As you celebrate your many accomplishments, also take time to reflect on the storied history of the Division and the Marines and Sailors who have gone before us.
4.  Happy anniversary and Semper Fidelis, David H. Berger, General, U.S. Marine Corps, Commandant of the Marine Corps.//