On 1 November 1943, the 3d Tank Battalion participated in the landing at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville. The 3d Tank Battalion landed on Guam on 21 July and immediately went into action against the Japanese forces. The last campaign in World War II for the 3d Tank Battalion was Iwo Jima. Arriving on the island on 20 February 1945. As American involvement in Vietnam increased, the 3d Tank Battalion was again called into action. By July 1965, the entire battalion had arrived in Vietnam and set up a command post at Da Nang. The battalion also had units involved in the defense of Khe Sanh and Con Thien and Hue City. During October 1969, the battalion left Vietnam for Okinawa. The 3d Tank Battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia in wake of the Iraqi seizure of Kuwait in August, 1990. The battalion  joined the 1st Marine Division upon that unit's arrival in Saudi Arabia, but remained in support of the 7th Marines regimental Task Force "Ripper." The battalion fought the four day campaign of 24-28 February 1991, and returned to the US in April.