Kauai’s marine camp

M

arine Camp — the section of Kauai situated between Wailua Golf Course and Kauai Beach Villas — was the site of a military base to units of the United States Marine Corps during World War II.

Several units had originally been Defense Battalions, charged with the mission of coastal defense, but were later re-designated Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalions at Marine Camp between April 1944 and September 1944.

Their arms and equipment included coastal gun batteries, anti-aircraft batteries, searchlights and radar, machine guns and rifles.

The Marines abandoned their Kauai base after the war, but its structures remained standing for many years thereafter.

Second Defense Battalion was deployed to Hawaii in December 1941, sent to Tarawa in November 1943, re-designated 2nd AAA Battalion at Marine Camp, Kauai in April 1944, and was subsequently stationed on Guam and Okinawa.

Fourth Defense Battalion had been deployed to Cuba, Pearl Harbor, and several South Pacific locations before becoming 4th AAA Battalion in May 1944 at Marine Camp. Afterwards, it went to Guadalcanal, and later Okinawa.

Fifth Defense Battalion, had been in Iceland and the South Pacific until April 1944, when it became 5th AAA Battalion at Marine Camp. Later, it participated in the Okinawa campaign.

Formed in California in 1940, the 7th Defense Battalion had also been deployed to the South Pacific prior to being re-designated 7th AAA Battalion on Kauai in April 1944. It finished the war in Palau.

After duty in Samoa and in the Gilberts, the 8th Defense Battalion was shipped to Marine Camp and re-designated 8th AAA Battalion. It was later deployed to Okinawa.

Tenth Defense Battalion was stationed in the Solomons, the Russells, New Georgia, and in the Marshalls, before being deactivated at Marine Camp in November 1944.

Sixteenth and 17th Defense Battalions, re-designated as AAA Battalions and stationed at Marine Camp in 1944, had similar histories.