17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion

17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion File:17th AAA Battalion insignia.jpg 17th AAA Battalion insignia 28 Oct 1942Rottman 2002 216 – 6 Dec 1945Rottman 2002 217 United States of America Flag_of_the_United_States_Marine_Corps.svg United States Marine Corps Air Defense/Coastal Defense ~1100 men N/A Two:Seventeen Melson 1996 32 "One of a Kind" Melson 1996 32 World War II Battle of Tarawa Occupation of Tinian The 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (17th AAA Bn) was an antiaircraft unit in the United States Marine Corps that served during World War II. The battalion was originally formed in 1942 as the 2d Airdrome Battalion and has the distinction of being the last defense battalion formed in the Marine Corps during the war. Its original mission was to provide air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion spent significant time defending Nukufetau and took part in combat operations at Tarawa and Tinian. The battalion was decommissioned on December 6, 1945. right right 30% 2d Airdrome Battalion Table of Organization:Rottman 2002 215 Headquarters and Service Battery Light tank platoon 90mm Gun Group 3 x 90mm Gun batteries Searchlight Batteries 2 x batteries each w/ six lights Special Weapons Group 40mm Battery (w/ 12 guns) 2 x machine gun platoons 12 x .50cal water-cooled antiaircraft guns 12 x .30cal water-cooled antiaircraft guns History Organization The 2d Airdrome Battalion was commissioned on October 28, 1942 at Camp Linda Vista, San Diego, California.Henry, Jr. 1985 39 It was one of two airdrome battalions formed by the Marine Corps specifically to defend airfields in the China Burma India Theater. Those airfields were overrun by the Japanese before the battalions deployed, so the Marine Corps quickly changed their tasking to missions in the Pacific Theater.Rottman 2002 215 The battalion's table of organization was very similar to that of a defense battalion minus coastal artillery.Snyder 2026 185 The first thirteen men in the battalion came over from the 12th Defense Battalion joining the newly formed Headquarters and Service Battery under the authority of Area General Order 15-42.Henry, Jr. 1985 39 While organizing and training in Southern California the battalion spent extensive time at Camp Callan, near La Jolla and Camp Dunlap in the Imperial Valley.Henry, Jr. 1985 41 The 2d Airdrome Battalion departed the United States near the end of May 1943 onboard the USS Henderson (AP-1) and SS Cape Clear (AK-5039).Henry Bartlett 1985 36 The battalion arrived in Oahu, Hawaii on May 31, 1943. The battalion remained there for ten weeks of additional training as it waited for initial deployment orders. On August 14, 1943 the battalion embarked on the USS Ormsby (APA-49) and the SS Whistler and sailed west for the Ellice Islands.Henry Bartlett 1985 36Henry, Jr. 1985 45 Nukefetau and Tarawa thumb|right|40mm antiaircraft gun from the 2d Airdrome Battalion on the beach at Nukufetau guarding the offload of an LST on August 28, 1943. Arriving at Funafuti on August 21, the 2d Airdrome Battalion only stayed a few days before moving to Nukufetau on August 25, 1943 along with the first elements of the Navy's 16th Naval Construction Battalion.Henry, Jr. 1985 46 Crowl Love 1993 52Henry Bartlett 1985 36 Nukufetau was a small atoll 75 miles northwest of the airfield that had been established on Funafuti.Sherrod 1952 223 The battalion was responsible for air defense of the area while the Seabees constructed Nukufetau Airfield. The airfield was opened on October 6, 1943.Bartlett 1986 63 Half of the 2d Airdrome Battalion was detached from duty on Nukufetau and sailed for Tarawa. The detachment went ashore four days after the 2nd Marine Division assaulted the beaches.Rottman 2004 54-55 The remainder of the battalion departed Nukufetau in March 1944 after being relieved by elements of the 51st Defense Battalion. The 2d Airdrome Battalion sailed for Hawaii, landing at Nawiliwili Harbor on March 21, 1944.Henry Bartlett 1985 38 Reorganization and Tinian The 2d Airdrome Battalion was redesignated as the 17th Defense Battalion on March 22, 1944, and assigned to the V Amphibious Corps.Henry Bartlett 1985 38 On April 19, 1944, it was again re-designated as the 17th Antiaircraft Battalion. In Hawaii, the battalion trained for the occupation and defense of small islands in the Pacific. Between June 10–18 the battalion departed Hawaii in three echelons. The unit spent the next 54 days at sea enroute to its final objective.Henry Bartlett 1985 38 While anchored in the harbor at Eniwetok on July 1, 1944 the battalion's moniker was changed for the final time, this time to the 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.Henry Bartlett 1985 38 thumb|left|17th AAA Battalion sign on Tinian in 1945. The 17th Defense Battalion landed on Tinian on August 2, 1944. The battalion immediately established anti-aircraft positions north of the airfield and in the harbor. The 17th remained on occupation duty on Tinian for the next year. During this time, it conducted routine patrols and took a number of Japanese prisoners of war remaining on the island after the battle. Three Japanese aircraft bombed and strafed the island on November 3, 1944; however, the battalion's batteries were unable to successfully engage any of the aircraft. When the USS Indianapolis arrived at Tinian on July 26, 1945, Marines from the battalion were tasked with unloading the atomic bombs from the ship.Henry, Jr. 1985 91 The battalion was guarding the airfield on August 6, 1945, when the Enola Gay launched to drop the first ever nuclear weapon against Hiroshima in mainland Japan. On August 15, 1945, the 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was relieved of its tactical duties on Tinian. It finally departed the island on November 1, 1945, on the USS Griggs (APA-110).Henry Bartlett 1985 38-39 The battalion sailed back to the United States and was officially decommissioned on December 6, 1945, at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.Rottman 2002 217 Gallery Unit awards A unit citation or commendation is an award bestowed upon an organization for the action cited. Members of the unit who participated in said actions are allowed to wear on their uniforms the awarded unit citation. The 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion has been presented with the following awards: Streamer Award Year(s) Additional Info200pxAsiatic-Pacific Campaign StreamerTinian200pxWorld War II Victory Streamer1941–1945Pacific War See also Marine Defense Battalions List of United States Marine Corps aviation support units Citations References Bibliography Crowl Philip Love Edmund G. Seizure of the Gilberts and Marshalls United States Army in World War II Center of Military History - United States Army Washington, D.C. 1993 Henry, Jr. Charles L. One of a Kind Mercury Printing Company Memphis, Tennessee 1985 U.S. Marine Corps World War II Order of Battle: Ground and Air Units in the Pacific War, 1939–1945 Rottman Gordon L. 2002 Greenwood Press 0-313-31906-5 US Marine Corps Pacific Theater of Operations 1943-44 Rottman Gordon L. 2004 Osprey Press 1-84176-651-8 Marine Defense Battalions in World War II: From Wake Island to Guadalcanal Snyder Marshall K. 2026 Naval Institute Press Annapolis, MD 979-8-89919-005-6 Journal Henry Charles Bartlett Tom 1985 One of a Kind Leatherneck LXVIII 6 34–39 Bartlett Tom 1986 2d Airdrome/17th AAA Reunion Leatherneck LXIX 9 62–63 Web Melson Charles D. Condition Red: Marine Defense Battalions in World War II Marines in World War II Commemorative Series Marine Corps Historical Center Washington, D.C. 1996 https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/Condition%20Red%20Marine%20Defense%20Battalions%20in%20World%20War%20II%20%20PCN%2019000313300_2.pdf 34920984 96174419 2020-05-25 Part 2 Further reading Henry Jr., Charles E. (1971) One Of A Kind: 2d Airdrome Battalion Fleet Marine Force United States Marine Corps Mercury Printing Company AAA17 Category:Military units and formations established in 1942 AAA 17