17th Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
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.
17th AAA Battalion insignia
40mm antiaircraft gun from the 2d Airdrome Battalion on the beach at Nukufetau guarding the offload of an LST on August 28, 1943.
17th AAA Battalion sign on Tinian in 1945.
Coincidence rangefinder being utilized on Nukufetau on November 27, 1943.
Nukufetau Airfield is a former World War II airfield on the south-eastern side of Nukufetau on Motulalo Island in Tuvalu during the Pacific War.
40mm antiaircraft gun from the United States Marine Corps' 2d Airdrome Battalion defending the LST offload at Nukufetau on August 28, 1943.