3rd Littoral Anti-Air Battalion (3d LAAB) is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control and air defense unit that is optimized for operations in the first island chain. The battalion is based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii and falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment and the 3rd Marine Division.
Originally formed prior to World War II, the battalion was known as the 3rd Defense Battalion and took part in combat operations at Pearl Harbor, Midway, Guadalcanal and Bougainville. The unit was deactivated in late 1944 but was brought back into service as the Marine Corps began to transition to surface to air missiles for their air defense needs in the early 1950s. During the mid to late 1950s, the battalion was based at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in California and was one of two Marine Corps units that operated the land-based version of the RIM-2 Terrier Missile. In January 1963 3rd LAAM battalion was moved to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina and would eventually fall under the command of Marine Air Control Group 28 (MACG-28) and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW). 3rd LAAM Battalion's final combat tour saw it providing air defense for the Marine Corps area of operations during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. 3rd LAAM Battalion was decommissioned on September 30, 1994 as part of the post-Cold War draw down of forces and because the Marine Corps had made the decision to divest itself of its medium-range air defense.
The battalion was again reactivated on February 11, 2022 as part of the Commandant of the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 initiative.
History
Early years
The defense battalions were first conceived from the fixed defense concept during the Marine Corps's, as well the United States Navy's, critical change in their traditional sea service role to a more "aggressive" amphibious landing force. The first battalions were created in 1939, when the outbreak of World War II caused concerns that overseas bases might be attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The 1st Antiaircraft Battalion was commissioned on 20 July 1937 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. 1st Battalion, 15th Marines was officially organized at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia on 19 December 1938 with the establishment of a Headquarters and Service Battery on top of the already existing" "A Battery (3" AA Guns) and "B" Battery (Machine Guns). The battalion moved to Marine Corps Base Paris Island, South Carolina in early October 1939 and was redesignated as the 3rd Defense Battalion on 10 October 1939 under Lieutenant colonel Robert H. Pepper. By December 1939 the battalion consisted of a Headquarters & Services Battery, the 5" Artillery Unit (H&S, A, B, and C Batteries), the 3" AAA Unit (H&S, D, E, and F Batteries), Battery G (Searchlights), Battery H (.50 cal Machine Guns) and Battery I (.30 cal Machine Guns). After winter training on Parris Island and Hilton Head Island, the battalion boarded USS Chaumont on 5 April 1940 at Charleston, South Carolina. They sailed for Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii arriving on 7 May 1940. A number of Marine Corps defense battalions were sent to the Pacific during this time period in order to defend outlying American possessions as detailed in War Plan Orange. During their first 8 months in Hawaii the battalion supplied numerous reconnaissance and advance parties to begin the preliminary work of supplying and defending the installation on Midway Island. On 27 January 1941 the Chief of Naval Operations directed the 3rd Defense Battalion to move to Midway. They arrived at Midway on 14 February 1941 and remained garrisoned there 11 September when they were relieved by the 6th Defense Battalion. 3rd Defense Battalion returned to Hawaii on 15 September 1941 on board .
World War II
Pearl Harbor & Midway
The battalion was stationed at the Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor during the 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Immediately following the events at Pearl Harbor, 3rd Defense Battalion provided reinforcements for the outlying US garrisons at Midway, Johnston, and Palmyra Islands. During this time the battalion also added two additional batteries in May 1942, Battery K under the Machine Gun Group and Battery L (20 mm AA Btry).