US Marine Corps

Outbreak of World War II
1st Marine Brigade 1941

by Loren Wiseman and Greg Novak

The call up of Marine reservists in late 1940 allowed for the expansion of the Fleet Marine Force. On January 1st, 1941 the 1st and 2nd Marine Brigades officially were redesignated as the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions, the first such units ever in the history of the United States Marine Corps. Though organized on paper, these two units quickly found drawn on for a series of Independent Brigades for service overseas.

The first such, the 1st Marine Brigade, was formed from the 2nd Marine Division in May of 1941 for service in Iceland. As draftees were prohibited from service overseas in those prewar days, the US Army was unable to send a unit to Iceland for garrison duty there, and the all volunteer Marine Corps was given the mission instead. As the 1st Marine Division, the Atlantic Fleet Marine Force was already alerted for a possible invasion of the Azores, the 2nd Marine Division was called on for the bulk of the formation. The Brigade departed from the United States on June 22nd, 1941 with the following organization:

1st MARINE BRIGADE


Troop Quality: Experienced
Morale: 9?

Brigade Headquarters:

    1 command stand
    1 Car
    1 Staff Radio Truck
    1 Band Stand
    1 Support Stand
    2 Supply Trucks

6th Marine Regiment, with

Headquarters and Service Company:

    1 command stand
    1 staff radio truck
    1 jeep
    2 Support Stands
    2 medium supply trucks

Weapons Company:

    1 command stand
    1 Jeep
    1 75mm M3 GMC
    3 20mm AA/AT guns
    3 gun crew stands
    3 Light trucks

3 Infantry Battalions, each with:

Headquarters, with: 1 command stand

3 Rifle Companies, each with:

    1 command stand
    1 weapons stand
    3 rifle stands

Weapons Company:

    1 command stand
    1 20mm AA/AT gun
    1 gun crew stand
    1 81 mm mortar stand (DS)
    3 MMG stands
    1 light truck
    1 jeep

5th Defense Battalion

Headquarters and Service Battery: with

    1 command stand 1 staff radio stand 2 support stands 2 Medium Supply Trucks

3 Antiaircraft Batteries: each with

    1 command stand
    1 3" 21 AA Gun (Fixed)
    1 gun crew stand (DS)

Detection Battery: with

    2 support stands
    1 Sound Locator /Radar Set
    2 Searchlight

Antiaircraft Machine Gun Battery: with

    1 command stand
    8 .50 AA Machine Gun Stands (DS)

Beach Defense Machine Gun Battery, with

    1 command stand
    8 MMG Stands

3rd Battalion, 10th Marines: with

Headquarters Battery: with

    1 Command Stand 1 FO Stand 2 Jeeps 2 Support Stands 2 Medium Trucks

3 Firing Batteries, each with

    1 75mm Pack Howitzer 1 Gun Crew Stand (DS) 1 Medium Truck

Company A, 2nd Tank Battalion

    1 Command M2 Light Tank 1 M2 Light Tank

Company C, 1st Engineer Battalion

    1 Command Stand 2 Engineer Stands 2 Medium Trucks

3rd Platoon, 1st Scout Company

    1 White Scout Car 1 Recon Infantry Stand

Notes

1. Though the Marine Corps had officially adopted a Madsen 20mm AA/AT gun, there were insufficient numbers of the weapon available. It was replaced by the Army 37mm AT Gun.

2. Companies within each regiment were lettered, so that companies A to D were in the 1st Infantry Battalion, E to H in the 2nd, etc.

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© Copyright 1992 by Greg Novak.

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