1st TOW COMPANY

The 1st TOW Company was a United States Marine Corps anti-tank unit established in the late 1970s to provide dedicated, mobile anti-armor capabilities using the Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire-guided (TOW) missile system. Based at Camp Pendleton, California, the company played a key role in enhancing the Marine Corps' ability to defeat enemy armored threats during the Cold War and subsequent conflicts. Throughout its service, 1st TOW Company participated in numerous training exercises and deployments, including Operation Desert Storm in 1991, where it provided crucial anti-tank support. The unit was eventually deactivated in the late 1990s as the Marine Corps reorganized its anti-armor assets, but its legacy endures in the Corps’ continued emphasis on mobile anti-armor warfare.