Dear Mr. Kimble and all members of the 3d Battalion 4th Marines Association,

Today, October 1, 2015, marks the official reactivation of the Thundering Third.  Our Battalion was born 90 years ago today on October 1, 1925 in San Diego, Ca.  Since that day the battalion has served with distinction in many a clime and place.  Places like China, Corregidor and the Philippines, Guam, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Iraq, and Afghanistan.  Marines and Sailors of the Thundering Third fought in the last battle of WWII at Okinawa, battled a determined enemy in Vietnam, and toppled Saddam Hussein's statue in Baghdad.  Over the course of 90 years, the Battalion has been deactivated on seven occasions, only to be resurrected when the Corps and the Nation needed her most.

Today we begin to write the next chapter.  As we officially begin the resurrection of the DARKSIDE, the Marines and Sailors of the Battalion want to thank you for your sacrifices to carry on the Battalion's legacy.  We also want to express our deepest gratitude for your support as we prepared for reactivation, and we are honored to have been so graciously hosted by you at this year's reunion.

Additionally, we thoroughly enjoyed having Mr. Travis Fryzowicz and his wife Sergeant Major Grace, Mr. Joe Fallon, Mr. Ted Barragan, Mr. Michael Siebentritt, Mr. Cloyce Kelly, and Mr. Steve Reynolds at the reactivation ceremony on September 17th.  Those of us who carry the torch today welcome the challenges ahead and look forward to updating you on our progress into the future.

Semper Fidelis,
LtCol Middleton "DARKSIDE 6"
1stSgt Anderson "DARKSIDE 9"