III Marine Expeditionary Force

The III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a forward-deployed Marine Air-Ground Task Force headquartered in Okinawa, Japan. Established in 1942 during World War II, III MEF played a critical role in the Pacific Theater, including key battles such as Bougainville and Iwo Jima. Throughout the Cold War and into the 21st century, III MEF has maintained a robust presence in the Asia-Pacific region, supporting contingency operations, humanitarian missions, and joint exercises with allied nations. Today, III MEF remains vital to U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy, providing rapid-response capabilities for crisis response and regional security.