4th Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion (4th LAAD) was a
reserve
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* Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish
* Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County
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air defense
Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface (Submarine#Armament, submarine-lau ...
unit of the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
. They were part of
Marine Air Control Group 48
Marine Air Control Group 48 (MACG-48) is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit based at Naval Station Great Lakes that is currently composed of 4 squadrons that provide the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Forces Res ...
(MACG-48) and the
4th Marine Aircraft Wing
The 4th Marine Aircraft Wing is the reserve airwing of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana but its subordinate units are scattered throughout the United States.
Mission
Conduct air operations in sup ...
(4th MAW) and were based out in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commerci ...
.
Mission
Provide close-in air defense protection for
Marine Air Ground Task Force
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* Maritime (disambiguation)
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assets, key installations and vital area within the area of operations including protection of units operating in forward combat areas or engaged in special independent operations.
History
The 4th Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion traces its origin back to 1 October 1972, when the 4th Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Battery was activated as a combat support unit under the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. From 1972 to 1988, 4th FAAD Battery consisted of (4) Firing Platoons and a Headquarters and Service platoon. FAAD teams employed the
Red Eye shoulder-launched surface-to-air missile and used the M1A1 Jeep for missile transport and tactical mobility. In 1988, 4th FAAD Battery transitioned from the Red Eye and Jeep to the
Stinger surface-to-air missile and the
Humvee
The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of Military light utility vehicle, light, four-wheel drive Military vehicle#Military trucks, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It ...
.
On 1 July 1989, 4th FAAD Battery was re-designated as the 4th Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion and was assigned to Marine Air Control Group 48, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. The re-designation increased the size of the unit from four platoons to a Battalion headquarters, one Firing Battery and a Headquarters and Service Battery. At that time, 4th FAAD Detachment Alpha in
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Cobb County, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 60,972. The 2019 estimate was 60,867, making it one of Atlanta's largest suburbs. Marietta is the fourth largest ...
, was also re-designated as 4th LAAD Battalion, Detachment Alpha and increased in size from three platoons to a Firing Battery and a Headquarters and Service Detachment.
Several significant events have occurred in the unit following the re-designation. In November 1990, a platoon of 45 Stinger gunners and communication operators deployed to
Southwest Asia
West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenia ...
in support of
Operation Desert Shield
, combatant2 =
, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
and
Operation Desert Storm
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* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
. The platoon was assigned to the
5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade to augment the active duty LAAD forces. In 1995, the
Avenger weapon system was fielded to the unit. The avenger is a HMMWV-based Stinger platform that provides enhanced night engagement capabilities and the ability to shoot on the move.
In the summer of 2004 the 4th LAAD Battalion was activated as a provisional security unit in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
. For the first time, both elements of the battalion were combined into a single unit, and were augmented with an active duty unit (Battery K,
3rd Battalion, 10th Marines
3rd Battalion 10th Marines (3/10) was an artillery battalion that consisted of four cannon firing batteries and a headquarters battery. The battalion was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and its primary weapon system w ...
) and fellow reserve unit (Battery P,
5th Battalion 14th Marines) to form a provisional security battalion. Deployed to
Al Asad Airbase
Al-Asad Airbase is an Iraqi airbase located in al-Anbar Governorate of western Iraq. It was originally known as Qadisiyah Airbase.
It was the second largest US military airbase in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Until January 2010, it was ...
, located in Iraq's
Al Anbar
Al Anbar Governorate (; ''muḥāfaẓat al-’Anbār''), or Anbar Province, is the largest governorate in Iraq by area. Encompassing much of the country's western territory, it shares borders with Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The population ...
province, the battalion's mission was ensuring the security of the base through checkpoints, towers, and various internal and external patrolling. The battalion was tasked with other roles such as security escorts for humanitarian missions and reconstruction efforts in the area and providing security for various visiting officials, including the
Secretary of Defense
A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divided ...
, the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: appointment; gra ...
and the
Commandant
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of the
Marine Corps
Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore (often in supp ...
. 4th LAAD Battalion also participated in support of Iraq's
January 2005 legislative elections. For their efforts in Iraq, the battalion received a Navy Unit Commendation.
After redeployment to the United States in March 2005, 4th LAAD Battalion was soon disbanded.
See also
*
Organization of the United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior Marine commissioned officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recr ...
*
List of United States Marine Corps aviation support squadrons
This is a list of United States Marine Corps aviation support squadrons and other units, sorted by type.
Active
Marine Wing Headquarters Squadrons
The Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron (MWHS) provides administrative and supply support for a Mar ...
References
* ''This article incorporates text in the
public domain
The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no Exclusive exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly Waiver, waived, or may be inapplicable. Because no one holds ...
from the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
.''
4th LAAD’s Official Website
{{US Marine Corps navbox
AAA
AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to:
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* AAA (video game industry) - a category of high budget video games
*'' TripleA'', an open source wargame
Mu ...
United States Marine Corps low altitude air defense units
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