1st Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group

Last updated
1st Provisional AAA Group
Japanese night raiders are greeted with a lacework of anti-aircraft fire by the Marine defenders of Yontan airfield... - NARA - 532363.tif
Anti-aircraft fire from Marine AAA Battalions in the vicinity of Yontan Airfield lace the sky during the Battle of Okinawa.
Active
  • 1 Nov 1944 – 5 Dec 1945 [1] [2]
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States of America
BranchFlag of the United States Marine Corps.svg United States Marine Corps
Type Anti-aircraft warfare
Size~5400 personnel
Engagements Battle of Okinawa
Commanders
Current
commander		N/A
Notable
commanders		 Henry R. Paige
Kenneth W. Benner

The 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group was a provisional unit that served as the headquarters for all United States Marine Corps antiaircraft battalions that participated in the Battle of Okinawa. The group was formed on Kauai, Territory of Hawaii in November 1944 under the command of the III Marine Amphibious Corps. For the Battle of Okinawa, the group was under the command of the 53d Antiaircraft Artillery Brigade of the Tenth United States Army and was responsible for air defense of the area surrounding Yontan & Kadena Airfields. Following the end of the war, the group returned to the United States and was decommissioned on December 5, 1945. [2] To date, no other Marine Corps unit has carried the group's lineage and honors

Contents

History

Organization

The 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group was commissioned on November 1, 1944, in Kauai, Territory of Hawaii by the authority of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPAC), Special Order Number 75-44. [3] [1] It was formed as the antiaircraft headquarters for the III Amphibious Corps. On November 11 the group assumed tactical control of the 2d, 5th, 8th, 10th, and 16th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalions. [1] The 10th AAA Battalion was detached from the group on November 25, 1944, when it was decommissioned by authority of FMFPAC, Special Order Number 104-44. [1]

Training, embarkation, and movement west

Prior to the group forming, the 5th and 8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalions had returned from deployments to Funafuti and Apamama and had been conducting extensive air defense training for most of 1944. [4] Training for the group's battalions consisted of firing air defense artillery and automatic weapons at towed target sleeves, drones and waterborne targets, field artillery exercises, and training in radar and radar countermeasures. [1] In December 1944, the 2d and 8th Antiaircraft Battalions were tasked with temporarily augmenting antiaircraft defenses in forward areas prior to the group's next amphibious operation. The 5th Antiaircraft Battalion was sent to Guam while the 16th was sent to Tinian. [5]

On January 17, 1945, the group headquarters boarded the USS Meriwether (APA-203) for transport to Pearl Harbor arriving on January 19. On January 20, the group received FMFPAC Special Order Number 25-45 ordering movement to Saipan. The group's equipment departed Pearl Harbor on January 28 on board the SS Donald M. Dickinson while the group's personnel departed a day later on the SS Typhoon from Honolulu Harbor. [5] The group's personnel arrived off the coast of Eniwetok Atoll on February 6 and they remained there until February 12. The convoy arrived at Saipan on February 16. [6] On March 14, the group's headquarters began loading USS LST-641 in Tanapag Harbor. [7]

Battle of Okinawa

For the Battle of Okinawa the 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Group was tasked with providing antiaircraft defenses for Yontan Airfield and the III Marine Amphibious Corps beaches in the Yontan Area, Southern Okinawa. [9]

On D-Day, April 1, the assault echelons of the Group Headquarters and the 2d and 16th Antiaircraft Battalions were loaded onto seven Landing Ship, Tanks (LST). [9] During the assault, the first antiaircraft artillery battalions ashore were initially placed under the tactical control of the division they were assigned to support. The assault echelon of the 2nd Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was tasked with supporting the 6th Marine Division while the assault echelon of the 16th was in direct support of the 1st Marine Division. [10] The battalions were delayed coming ashore because the landing beaches were not good and the Marine Corps prioritized other assault units before them. Reconnaissance parties were finally able to get ashore on April 3 however the majority of personnel and equipment from both of these battalions did not start flowing ashore until April 8 with both battalions being fully operational by April 12. [4] [9] On April 20, operational and tactical control of the 1st Provisional AAA Group was transferred from III MAC to the 53rd AAA Brigade under Tenth Army AAA. [4] [9] The first echelon of the 8th AAA Battalion arrived on April 17 coming ashore at Nago on the neck of the Motobu Peninsula. The battalion completed offloading on April 20 and was fully operational capable y April 22. [9] the 8th AAA Battalion was followed by the 5th AAA Battalion on May 5 which also established positions in the vicinity of Yontan and Kadena Airfields. [11] On May 8, the 53rd AAA Brigade, higher headquarters for the group, issued an order that antiaircraft battalions were now expected to use only variable time fuses for 90mm antiaircraft ammunition. [12]

Some of the heaviest air raids of the battle occurred on the evening of 24-25 May during the Giretsu Kuteitai raid on Yontan Airfield. That evening, five Imperial Japanese Army Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Allied reporting name "Sally") bombers headed for the Yontan-Kadena area. Four of these planes were shot down by the guns of the 1st Provisional AAA Group. One of the Japanese planes crash landed on Yontan Airfield and 10-12 Japanese commandos escaped. Before they were all killed, the commandoes were able to destroy or damage thirty eight aircraft. [13]

From April to July 1945 the Group was credited with destroying 31.5 Japanese aircraft, probably destroying 6 more and damaging 23. [14]

Post war and decommissioning

On October 1, the 1st Provisional AAA Group was transferred under the command of the Commanding General, Service, Command, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. [15] On October 4, the group received FMFPac Special Order 334-5 authorizing the group and its subordinate battalions to return to the United States. On October 9, Typhoon Louise struck Okinawa causing extensive damage to deployed American Forces. There were three Marines from the Group that sustained minor injuries while the group and its battalions lost 50-75% of tents and buildings. [15]

The Group Headquarters began embarking on the USS Meriwether (APA-203) on October 22 and set sail the next day for the United States. The Group arrived in San Diego on November 8, 1945, and reported to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. [16] The 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group as officially decommissioned on December 5, 1945, by the authority of Area Special Order Number 354-45. [2]

Commanding Officers

The following officers served as Commanding Officer of the 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Group:

Notable members

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 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group has been presented with the following awards:

StreamerAwardYear(s)Additional Info
PUC 1B.PNG Presidential Unit Citation Streamer 1945Okinawa
Streamer APC.PNG Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer
Okinawa
Streamer WWII V.PNG World War II Victory Streamer 1941–1945 Pacific War

See also

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 War Diary, 1 - 30 November 1944 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. December 1, 1944.
  2. 1 2 3 4 War Diary, 1 - 5 December 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. December 5, 1945.
  3. ↑ Rottman 2002, pp. 206.
  4. 1 2 3 LtCol Hincke, John I (August 1949). "Activities of the Tenth Army AAA" (PDF). Antiaircraft Journal. 92 (4). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  5. 1 2 War Diary, 1 - 31 January 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. February 1, 1945.
  6. ↑ War Diary, 1 - 28 February 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. March 1, 1945.
  7. 1 2 War Diary, 1 - 31 March 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. April 1, 1945.
  8. ↑ Rottman 2002, pp. 360.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 War Diary, 1 - 30 April 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. May 9, 1945.
  10. ↑ 1st Provisional AAA Group Operations Order 1-45 (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. February 24, 1945.
  11. ↑ Melson 1996, pp. 27.
  12. ↑ War Diary, 1 - 31 May1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. June 10, 1945.
  13. ↑ Nichols Jr., Charles S.; Shaw Jr., Henry I. (1955). "Okinawa:Victory in the Pacific". Washington D.C.: United States Marine Corps. p. 200.
  14. ↑ War Diary, 1 - 31 July 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. August 8, 1945.
  15. 1 2 3 4 War Diary, 1 - 31 October 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. November 10, 1945.
  16. ↑ War Diary, 1 - 30 November 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. December 1, 1945.
  17. 1 2 War Diary, 1 - 31 December 1944 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. January 3, 1945.
  18. 1 2 War Diary, 1 - 31 August 1945 (PDF) (Report). First Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group. September 13, 1945.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6th Marine Division (United States)</span> WW2 US Marine Corps formation

The 6th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps World War II infantry division formed in September 1944. During the invasion of Okinawa it saw combat at Yae-Take and Sugar Loaf Hill and was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. The 6th Division had also prepared for the invasion of Japan before the war ended. After the war it served in Tsingtao, China, where the division was disbanded on April 1, 1946, being the only Marine division to be formed and disbanded overseas and never set foot in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine defense battalions</span>

Marine Defense Battalions were United States Marine Corps battalions charged with coastal and air defense of advanced naval bases during World War II. They maintained large anti-ship guns, anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, and small arms to repel landing forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth W. Benner</span> U.S. Marine Corps Brigadier General

Kenneth Wachter Benner was a decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Brigadier general. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he trained as Anti-Aircraft Artillery officer and participated in the Defense of Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal Campaign and Battle of Okinawa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of ground based air defense in the United States Marine Corps</span>

The History of ground based air defense in the United States Marine Corps dates back to the early 1930s with the establishment of the Advanced Base Force. World War II would be the high-water mark for air defense units when 20+ defense/anti-aircraft battalions were formed with many seeing significant action throughout the Pacific Theater. Following the war, the Marine Corps divested itself of most of its air defense capability at a time when the service was facing deep personnel cuts and fighting for its institutional survival. Beginning in the early 1950s the Marine Corps aligned itself with the Navy and their development of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). The Marine Corps retained both flak weapons and SAMs throughout the 1950s until the fielding of the MIM-23 Hawk Missile System in 1960. The HAWK Missile was employed by Light Antiaircraft Missile (LAAM) battalions and remained a mainstay of Marine Corps ground based air defense for the next four decades.

The 2d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1940 as the 2d Defense Battalion, its original mission was to provide air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion defended Hawaii, Tutuila in American Samoa and Guam and took part in combat operations at Tarawa Atoll and Okinawa. The battalion returned to the United States after the war and was decommissioned at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California on 28 November 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion</span> Military unit

The 8th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1942 as the 8th Defense Battalion, its original mission was the air and coastal defense of advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion defended Tutuila in American Samoa, Wallis Island and Apamama and took part in combat operations at Okinawa. The battalion returned to the United States after the war and was decommissioned on 28 November 1945.

The 16th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1942 as the 16th Defense Battalion, its original mission was the air and coastal defense of advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion defended Johnston Island, Hawaii and Tinian and took part in combat operations at Okinawa. The battalion returned to the United States after the war and was decommissioned on 30 November 1945 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">12th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion</span> Military unit

The 12th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1942 as the 12th Defense Battalion, its original mission was providing air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion defended the Russell Islands and took part in combat operations at Woodlark Island, Cape Gloucester, and Peleliu. The battalion remained on Peleliu for the duration of the war and was finally decommissioned on Guam on 22 September 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (Composite)</span> Military unit

The 2d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (Composite) (2d AAA Bn [Composite]) was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1943 as the 3d Airdrome Battalion, its original mission was strictly providing air defense. On 1 October 1943 the battalion was redesignated the 18th Defense Battalion. During the war the battalion provided air defense for the Saipan and Tinian area of operations. The battalion returned to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina after the war receiving its final designation on 16 May 1946. The battalion was decommission in September 1947.

The 4th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1940 as the 4th Defense Battalion, its original mission was providing air and coastal defense of advanced naval bases. It was one of first five defense battalions deployed in support of the color-coded war plans that called for the defense of Hawaii and other outlying United States possessions in the Pacific Ocean. These five battalions were nicknamed the "Rainbow Five." During the war the battalion took part in combat operations during the attack on Pearl Harbor and at Vella Lavella. The battalion was decommissioned on 9 June 1945 before the end of the war.

The 5th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion 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.

The 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1940 as the 7th Defense Battalion, its original mission was to provide air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. It was one of first five defense battalions deployed in support of the color-coded war plans that called for the defense of Hawaii and other outlying United States possessions in the Pacific Ocean. These five battalions were nicknamed the "Rainbow Five." During the war the battalion defended Tutuila, Upolu, Savai'i and Nanumea and took part in combat operations at Anguar. The 7th was decommissioned before the end of World War II on 2 August 1945.

The 10th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was a United States Marine Corps antiaircraft unit that served during World War II. Formed in 1942 as the 10th Defense Battalion, its original mission was to provide air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion took part in combat operations in the Russell Islands and at the Eniwetok. The battalion's tank platoon also saw extensive action on New Georgia and Arundel Island. The battalion was decommissioned before the end of the war on 25 November 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion</span> Military unit

The 17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion 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.

The 15th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion 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 1st Airdrome Battalion. Its original mission was to provide air defense for advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion took part in combat operations in the Marshall. The battalion was one of the first defense battalions to be decommissioned on November 25, 1944.

The 14th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion was an antiaircraft unit in the United States Marine Corps that served during World War II. The battalion was originally formed in 1943 as the 14th Defense Battalion. Its mission was to provide air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion took part in combat operations in the Solomon Islands and on Guam. The battalion was decommissioned on June 30, 1945. Since then no other unit has carried the lineage and honors of the 14th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (Composite)</span> Military unit

The 3d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion (Composite) (3d AAA Bn (Composite)) was an antiaircraft unit in the United States Marine Corps that served during World War II. The battalion was originally formed in 1943 as the 52d Defense Battalion, one of the first African American units in the Marine Corps. Its original mission was to provide air and coastal defense for advanced naval bases. During the war the battalion served as garrison forces on Roi-Namur, Majuro, and Guam. The battalion returned to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina after the war. It was the last of the defense battalions before it was re-designated as the 3d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion in May 1946. The battalion was decommissioned on May 15, 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army</span> Military unit

The Tactical Air Force, Tenth Army (TAF) was a joint aviation command of the Tenth United States Army that was responsible for commanding all land-based aviation and aviation command and control units during the Battle of Okinawa. The TAF's headquarters was provided by the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and it was the largest joint aviation unit under Marine Corps command during World War II. During the battle, the TAF was commanded by Major General Francis P. Mulcahy until ill-health forced him to be relieved by MajGen Louis E. Woods. According to United States sources, TAF aircraft were responsible for shooting down 637 Japanese aircraft during the battle.

Marine Aircraft Group 43 (MAG-43) was a fixed wing aviation group in the United States Marine Corps Reserve based at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raid on Yontan Airfield</span>

The Raid on Yontan was an Empire of Japan military operation carried out on the night of May 24–25, 1945 against Yontan Airfield on Okinawa. The airfield was recently seized by American forces during the first day of the Battle of Okinawa and was being used by United States Marine Corps and Army Air Force squadrons. Five Imperial Japanese Army Mitsubishi Ki-21 bombers, carrying Giretsu Kuteitai special airborne attack troops, conducted a suicide raid against Kadena and Yontan airfields on Okinawa. Four were shot down, but the fifth belly landed on the principal runway at Yontan allowing 10-12 giretsu troops to disembark on the airfield. The raid resulted in the destruction or damaging of 38 American aircraft and 70,000 gallons of fuel. However, its overall value was minimal because Yontan Airfield was reopened at 0800 the following morning with little effect to overall allied aviation operations.

References

Bibliography

Web

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.