This plaque accompanies a tall flagpole with an American flag and reads:
"City of San Juan Capistrano
Historic Town Center Flag
First Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment. United States Marine Corps. Camp Pendleton, California 2010. 'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem.' President Ronald Reagan. God Bless America. Boy Scout Eagle Project: Gunnar Ohlund, Troop 724."
This website (
visit link)
provides a history:
"1st Battalion, 11th Marines
1st Marine Division
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER WITH TWO SILVER AND ONE BRONZE STAR
WORLD WAR II
GUADACANAL – 1942
PELELIU, NGESEBUS – 1944
OKINAWA – 1945
KOREA
1950
1950
1950
1951
VIETNAM
1966
1966 – 1967
1968
1968
NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER WITH TWO BRONZE STARS
WORL WAR II CAPE GLOUCESTER – 1943 – 1944 KOREA 1952 1953 SOUTWEST ASIA 1991
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION STREAMER WITH ONE BRONZE STAR
VIETNAM 1968 1994
YANGTZE SERVICE STREAMER
CHINA SERVICE STREAMER
AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER WITH ONE BRONZE STAR
ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN STREAMER WITH ONE SILVER STAR
WORLD WAR II VICTORY STREAMER
NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE STREAMER WITH "ASIA"
NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE STREAMER WITH THREE BRONZE STARS
KOREAN SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO SILVER STARS
ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
VIETNAM SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO SILVER AND TWO BRONZE STARS
SOUTH WEST ASIA SERVICE STREAMER WITH TWO BRONZE STARS
IRAQ CAMPAIGN STREAMER
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM EXPEDITIONARY STREAMER
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE STREAMER
KOREAN PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION STREAMER
VIETNAM CROSS-OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM STREAMER
VIETNAM MERITORIOUS CITATION CIVIL ACTIONS STREAMER
1923 – 1934
ACTIVATED 3 DECEMBER 1923 AT QUANTICO, VIRGINA, AS THE 1ST BATTALION, 10TH REGIMENT
PARTICIPATED IN MAIL GUARD DUTY IN THE MIDWESTERN UNITED STATES, OCTOBER 1926 – FEBRUARY 1927
DEPLOYED DURING APRIL – JUNE 1927 TO TIENTSIN, CHINA, AND ASSIGNED TO THE 3D MARINE BRIGADE
RETURNED DURING SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER 1928 TO QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, AND DETACHED FROM THE 3D MARINE BRIGADE
REDESIGNATED 10 JULY 1930 TO THE 1ST BATTALION, 10TH MARINES
1935 – 1941
ASSIGNED DURING SEPTEMBER 1935 TO THE 1ST MARINE BRIGADE
REDESIGNATED 1 SEPTEMBER 1940 AS THE 1ST BATTALION, 11TH MARINES
DEPLOYED DURING OCTOBER 1940 TO GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA
1ST MARINE BRIGADE REDESIGNATED 1 FEBRUARY 1941 AS THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION
RELOCATED DURING APRIL 1941 TO NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA
1942 – 1947
REASSIGNED DURING MARCH 1942 TO THE 3D MARINE BRIGADE
DEPLOYED DURING MARCH 1942 TO THE WESTERN SAMOA
REASSIGNED DURING SEPTEMBER 1942 TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION
PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING WORLD WAR II CAMPAIGNS
GUADALCANAL
NEW BRITAIN
FINSCHHAFEN
PELELIU
OKINAWA
REDEPLOYED DURING SEPTEMBER 1945 TO TIENTSIN, CHINA
PARTICIPATED IN THE OCCUPATION OF NORTH CHINA, SEPTEMBER 1945 – JANUARY 1947
REDEPLOYED DURING JANUARY 1947 TO GUAM, AND DETACHED FROM THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION
REASSIGNED DURING JUNE 1947 TO THE 1ST MARINE BRIGADE
DEACTIVATED 1 OCTOBER 1947
1949 – 1964
REACTIVATED 1 OCTOBER 1949 AT CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, AND ASSIGNED TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION
REASSIGNED DURING JULY 1950 TO THE 1ST PROVISIONAL MARINE BRIGADE
DEPLOYED DURING JULY – AUGUST 1950 TO PUSAN, KOREA
PARTICIPATED IN THE KOREAN WAR, AUGUST 1950 – JULY 1953, OPERATING FROM
PUSAN PERIMETER
INCHON – SEOUL
EAST – CENTRAL FRONT
CHOSIN RESERVOIR
PARTICIPATED IN THE OCCUPATION OF THE KOREAN DEMILITARIZED ZONE, AUGUST 1953 – MARCH 1955
REDEPLOYED DURING APRIL 1955 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA
PARTICIPATED IN THE CUBAN MISSLE CRISIS, OCTOBER – DECEMBER 1962
1965 – 1985
DEPLOYED DURING AUGUST 1965 TO CAMP HANSEM, OKINAWA
REDEPLOYED DURING JANUARY 1966 TO CHU LAI, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, AND REASSIGNED TO THE 3D MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE
REASSIGNED DURING MARCH 1966 TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION, FLEET MARINE FORCE
PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR IN VIETNAM, JANUARY 1966 – MAY 1971, OPERATING FROM
CHU LAI
DA NANG
QUANG TRI
PHU BAI
CA LU
KHE SAHN
CUA VIET
DONG HA
QUANG NAM
REASSIGNED DURING APRIL 1971 TO THE 3D MARINE AMPHIBIOUS BRIGADE
REDEPLOYED DURING MAY 1971 TO CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, AND REASSIGNED TO THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION
PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS TRAINING EXERCISES THROUGHOUT THE 1970’S AND INTO THE 1980’S
1972 – 2010
PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM, SOTHWEST ASIA, JANUARY – MARCH 1991
PARTICIPATED IN FIRE – FIGHTING EFFORTS IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES JULY – SEPTEMBER 1994
ELEMENTS PARTICIPATED IN OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM AND IRAQI FREEDOM, AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ 2002 – 2007
DEPLOYED DURING JANUARY 2003 TO KUWAIT IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM
PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, IRAQ MARCH – JULY 2003 AND JUNE 2007 – APRIL 2008
DEPLOYED DURING MAY 2010 TO AFGHANISTAN IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM"