United States Marine Corps 1st Defense Battalion
Cachets should be listed in chronological order based on earliest known usage. Use the postmark date or best guess. This applies to add-on cachets as well.
HISTORICAL NOTE
The 2d Antiaircraft Battalion was activated at MCB Quantico, VA on 20 July 1937. The battalion was relocated to MCB Parris Island, SC in December 1937 and again relocated to MCB San Diego, CA in May 1938. The battalion was re-designated as the 2d Battalion, 15th Marines on 15 November 1938 and again as the 1st Defense Battalion on 1 November 1939 under LtCol. Bertram A. Bone. The 1st Defense Battalion departed San Diego and arrived at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in mid-February 1941. On 10 March 1941 a portion of the battalion (Detachment A) arrived at Palmyra Island. In July 1941 the battalion sent another detachment from Pearl Harbor to Johnston Island. The Marine Detachment, 1st Defense Battalion, Wake Island was organized on 8 August 1941 at Honolulu, Hawaii, and arrived at Wake Island on 19 August 1941. 7 December 1941 found the battalion defending four points: Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, Johnston Island and Palmyra Island.
In February 1942 the 1st Defense Battalion Marines at Pearl Harbor set sail for Palmyra Island. On 1 March 1942 the battalion was reorganized with the detachments at Johnston and Palmyra being disbanded. The 1st Defense Battalion remained at Palmyra Island until 13 October 1943 when it was relieved by US Army garrison forces. Shortly thereafter the battalion set sail for Pearl Harbor. It remained there until January 1944 when it sailed again, this time for Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands. On February 26 the battalion assumed patrolling duty for the islands beaches. On 7 May 1944 the 1st Defense Battalion was re-designated as the 1st Antiaircraft Battalion. A month and a half later it was again re-designated, this time to the 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion. On 24 October 1944 the battalion was relieved of all of its duties and on 15 November 1944 the 1st Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was decommissioned.
On 12 January 1953 the battalion was reactivated as 1st 75mm Antiaircraft Artillery Battery at MCB Camp Lejeune, NC. They relocated to Marine Corps Training Center 29 Palms, CA in October 1953. The battery was reclassified as a battalion on 1 April 1959. On 2 May 1960, at MCB 29 Palms, CA the 1st Light Antiaircraft Missile Battalion (LAAM) was activated. 1st LAAM Battalion was deactivated on 30 November 1970. 1st LAAM was reactivated 11 March 1987 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. On 28 September 1990 1st LAAM was again decommissioned, however, on 1 September 1994, 1st LAAM Battalion was reactivated at MCAS Yuma, AZ. 1st LAAM Battalion was decommissioned for the last time on 11 July 1997.
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1942 and 1960 logos |
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Unit Crests |
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1940-04-22 |
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Collectors request |
At MCB San Diego CA. From the Greg Ciesielski collection.
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1940-04-22 |
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Collectors request |
At MCB San Diego CA. From the Greg Ciesielski collection.
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1941-05-07 |
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Detachment "B" Disbanded |
At Pearl Harbor HI. Cachet by Jacques Minkus. From the Greg Ciesielski collection.
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