Wake Island burns after a Japanese air attack in December 1941, a portion of the 3rd Defense Battalion helped defend Wake
Authors Note: As I compiled this information I have put myself as author, but this document is essentially a verbatim compilation of data from the 4 sources listed at the end of this piece. Thus I qualify more as "copier" than author.
Wake Island burns after a Japanese air attack in December 1941, a portion of the 3rd Defense Battalion helped defend Wake
USMC Defense battalions were specialized organizations designed for defense of bases and beaches in the far flung areas of the Pacific. Weighted with artillery, especially coastal defense guns, these units served well.
When the Pacific War broke out, 5 defense battlions (often referred to as "the" Rainbow 5 in relation to the war plan) were the main ground force the Marines had in the Pacific.
While there was no one table of organization in 1941 that
all defense battalions followed, most had the following
elements in common: No infantry component, gun crews doubled in this task This TOO reflected emphasis of 90 mm and 40 mm
anti-aircraft weapons
A 40mm anti-aircraft gun of the 3rd Defense Battalion on Bougainville, note kills indicated on gun barrel
During the war provisional rifle companies served with
the 6th, 7th, 51st and 52nd defense battalions. Light tank
platoons served with the 9th, 10th, and 11th defense
battalions. Eventually surviving defense battalions would be
redesignated anti-aircraft units late in the war. Only three
battalions remained defense battalions until the end of the
war, the 6th, 51st and 52nd.
At Outbreak of War
When the Pacific War began there were 7 defense battalions in existence. Five of them were in the Pacific Theater, and were referred to as the "Rainbow 5", which was a reference to the war plan the United States adopted on 26 May 1941, and was being followed prior to and immediately after initiation of hostilities.
The 5 defense battalions in the Pacific fell under control of the 14th Naval District, and command of Col PICKETT of the Pearl Harbor Marine Barracks. Their primary purpose was to defend Pearl Harbor, Midway, Johnston, Palmyra and Wake.
7th Defense Battalion was a composite infantry-artillery
unit and used the following alternate table of
organization: The training detail was a small group of men with the
mission of organizing and training a battalion of Samoan
reservists. The 1st Samoan Battalion, Marine Corps Reserve
was formed in August 1942.
Deployment of Heavy Weapons AOW - In general the garrisons were all understrength and did not have enough men to adequately man all heavy weapons at the same time.
A Browning M2 water cooled anti-aircraft machine gun manned by 9th Defense Battaion Marines on Redova, this particular crew was credited with shooting down the first Japanese plane after the Marines had landed on this island
Defended Wake vigorously, driving off first invasion
force, succumbing to a 2nd invasion force. This detachment
earned the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions at
Wake, which earned the battalion the nickname "Wake Island
Defenders". Detachments faced occasional hit and run raids, usually
submarines performing brief bombardments. In March 42 the various detachments of this unit were
redesignated garrison forces, and the unit was reconstituted
in Hawaii with new recruits. Elements on Johnston Island
later used to form core of the 16th Defense Battalion when
it was activated. Apparently the reformed battalion remained in Hawaii
until February 1944, when it moved to Kwajalein and
Eniwetok. In March 44, moved to Majuro. Redesignated 1st
Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion on 7 May 44, at which time
it moved to Guam and remained there as part of the garrison
through 1947.
SCR 268 radar deployed on Guadalcanal by 3rd Defense Battalion
This battalion was the first to make use of the SCR 268
and SCR 270 Signal Corps radar, receiving them while at
Rekjavik Iceland. Later in the war this battalion was
nicknamed the 5-14th, because of the change in designation
from 5th to 14th Defense Battalion.
Dates on which most of the wartime commanders assumed
control of the unit unknown. This battalion earned a Navy Unit Commendation for its
actions during the battle of Midway.
This was a composite infantry-artillery unit and had a smaller fixed number of men than the other defense battalions extant at this time.
Nicknamed the "Fighting Ninth". After moving to Guadalcanal this
battalion reorganized to emphasize mobility and artillery at the
expense of the coastal defense mission usually expected of defense
battalions. This included a battalion light tank
unit. This unit was awarded the Navy Unit Citation for its
actions on Guadalcanal, Rendova, New Georgia and Guam.
Table of organization included a light tank unit.
Marines can sleep anywhere !
This unit was formed from elements of the 5th Defense Battalion, gaining this unit the nickname 5-14th.
This unit had the nickname 1st-15th gaines as a result of being formed using the 1st Airdrome Battalion as a core of trained men.
Nicknamed 2-17th, and had the motto "One of a Kind". The 2nd Airdrome Battalion which this unit was formed from, had previously served in the Ellice Islands before returning to Hawaii.
Members of the 51st Defense Battalion training at Montford Point, Camp Lejeune
The United States military remained segregated along color lines through much of the war. The extreme prejudice against blacks resulted in a military that did not allow blacks to serve in the same units as whites, and did not allow blacks to attain high rank or combat postings.
A champion against this deep rooted racism was the presidents wife, Elenor Roosevelt. She personally intervened on behalf of the first black pilots who would later become famous as the Tuskeegee Airmen. These pilots would form several fighter units that fought in Europe. They would become the only fighter units who never allowed a single bomber they were assigned to escort to be shot down. This included missions over Berlin and other well protected sites deep in Germany, and no white unit came close to this record.
Eventually buckling to plotical pressure from the Roosevelt administration, and the pressing need for additional manpower, more and more black units were formed for combat duty, usually with white officers commanding. As part of this change in policy, the USMC agreed to accept African-Americans for the first time since the Revolutionary War in the 1770's and 1780's.
There was resistance in the USMC from the top (Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen HOLCOMB) down through the ranks. As a result the Corps decided to form a black unit that would train in isolation and fight almost independently. The only whites in these units would be the officers. This would allow the Marine Corps to make military use of these men without violating the silent policy of racial segregation.
This was a racially segregated facility at New River (which would later be named Camp LeJuene. The first black unit in the Marine Corps in approximately 170 years.
Jan 46 - Disbanded at Montford Point
This unit was planned as a composite battalion but in actuality formed using the conventional table of organization.
Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal, History of US Marine Corps Operations in World War II Vol 1., by Lt Col Frank O. Hough, USMCR, Maj Verle E. Ludwig, USMC, and Henry L. Shaw, Battery Press
Infamous Day, Marines at Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, by Robert J. Cressman and J. Michael Wenger, History and Museums Division, Headquarters, USMC, Washington, DC
Condition Red, Marine Defense Battalions in World War II, by Maj Charles D. Melson, USMC (ret), History and Museums Division, Headquarters, USMC, Washington, DC
Opening Moves, Marines Gear Up for War, by Henry I. Shaw, Jr., History and Museums Division, Headquarters, USMC, Washington, DC
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