5th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion

rdf:langString 5th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion

rdf:langString 5th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion

rdf:langString World War II

rdf:langString *Battle of Okinawa

rdf:langString *Gilbert Islands Campaign

rdf:langString United States Marine Corps

rdf:langString N/A

rdf:langString *1 Dec 1940 – Nov 1945

rdf:langString ~1100 men

rdf:langString Air Defense/Coastal Defense

rdf:langString The 5th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (5th AAA Bn) was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1940 as the 5th Defense Battalion, its original mission was providing air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. Prior to World War II the battalion deployed to Iceland as part of the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade in order to defend the neutral country from possible German attack. Following the Iceland deployment and a period of rest and refitting at home the battalion again deployed overseas to provide air defense for Funafuti in the Ellice Islands from September 1942 through February 1944. Also in 1942, two batteries from the 5th were dispatched to support operations on Tulagi during the Guadalcanal Campaign. These two batteries were later reorganized as part of the newly formed 14th Defense Battalion. The 5th Defense Battalion was re-designated as the 5th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion in April 1944 and took part in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. After the war the battalion returned to the United States where it was decommissioned in November 1945. Because the 14th Defense Battalion was formed from batteries belonging to the 5th Defense Battalion the two units retained close ties throughout the war. The 14th was nicknamed "Five:Fourteenth" and after the war the battalions formed a single alumni association.