United States Marine Corps 2nd 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 2nd Defense Battalion was commissioned on 1 March 1940 at MCB San Diego, CA. The battalion deployed to Hawaii in December 1941 and then moved to American Samoa in January 1942 to assist the 7th Defense Battalion with air and coastal defense of the region. In November 1943 the 2d Defense Battalion was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps for the Battle of Tarawa. They came ashore on November 23 after most of the battle was complete in order to garrison the island against Japanese counterattack from the air. Following operations at Tarawa the battalion was moved back to Hawaii. The battalion was re-designated as the 2d Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion on 16 April 1944 while on Kauai, Hawaii. The battalion continued training on Kauai until December 12, 1944 when it received a dispatch ordering it to quickly prepare for deployment to Guam. On December 26, 1944, 56 officers and 1286 men from the battalion sailed from Nawiliwili, Hawaii onboard the SS Agwiprince. The 2d AAA Battalion was one of four AAA battalions that formed the 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group during the Battle of Okinawa. At the end of the war the battalion returned to the United States and was decommissioned on 28 November 1945.
The Battalion served at these locations - San Diego CA; Hawaii; American Samoa; Tarawa; Guam and Okinawa. The Battalion earned the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 2 bronze stars and the World War II Victory Medal.
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1940-07-22 |
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First Day of Postal Service |
At MCB San Diego CA. Cachet by Dr. Stephen E. Hutnick. From the Greg Ciesielski collection.
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1943-03-01 |
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Censored Marines mail |
At American Samoa. From the Greg Ciesielski collection.
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1943-12-15 |
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Censored Marines mail |
23 November 1943, the 2d Defense Battalion was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps for the Battle of Tarawa. From the Tom Kean collection.
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