Headquarters Company

“This unit is the brain and nerve center of the battalion,” notes the 1944 manual Organization of the Marine Infantry Regiment. “The headquarters section includes the battalion commander and his staff (both commissioned and enlisted), the medical personnel of the battalion, and certain specialists.”

The battalion staff with designated sections for administration and personnel (Bn-1), intelligence (Bn-2), operations and planning (Bn-3) and supply (Bn-4). The communications platoon and Navy medical section fell under the administrative purview of HQ Company; as the war went on, an 81mm mortar platoon and a unit of assault and demolitions troops were added. To keep everything running smoothly, HQ Company had its own headquarters section of clerks, drivers, cooks, and general duty Marines.

Often derided by front line troops as the domain of “flat-rate bastards” (the rockers on a staff NCO’s chevrons was flat, rather than curved), HQ Company enabled the battalion to run effectively. As the administrative center of the unit, HQ had a particularly high turnover in personnel. Assignment to HQ Company could be a reward for veterans who’d spent months on the front line – lighter work in relative safety was a tempting prospect. It could be a fast track for career officers, or a gloved rebuke for leaders who under-performed in combat. And it made an ideal billet for new men awaiting assignment, or returning wounded who were no longer able to take the strain of life in the rifle companies.

An assignment to Battalion HQ was not a guarantee of safety. First Battalion, 24th Marines lost two battalion commanders in combat, and several dozen of its men were killed or wounded.

Description coming soon.

The intelligence section is commanded by the intelligence officer, Bn-2. The men of the section are trained to aid the Bn-2 in keeping the battalion commander informed of the enemy situation by keeping intelligence documents up to date and by acting as scouts or observers.

Personnel:
Intelligence Officer (Bn-2)
Intelligence NCO
Record Clerk
Draftsman
Chief Observer
Chief Scout
7 Observers & Scouts

– NAVMC-3483, “The Organization of the Marine Infantry Regiment (Table of Organization Approved 27 March 1944),” Marine Corps Schools, Quantico.

Description coming soon.

The supply section operates directly under the supply officer of the battalion who functions as Bn-4 and as battalion quartermaster. The men of this section receive all supplies delivered to the battalion and operate the service of supply within the battalion.

Personnel:
Quartermaster Officer (Bn-4)
Supply Sergeant
Quartermaster Clerk (Sergeant)
2 Quartermaster Clerks (Corporal)
2 Supply PFC

– NAVMC-3483, “The Organization of the Marine Infantry Regiment (Table of Organization Approved 27 March 1944),” Marine Corps Schools, Quantico.

a. The communication platoon is a part of battalion headquarters. It furnishes the battalion commander with the means of communication to subordinate, adjacent, and higher units and consists of:


Platoon headquarters.
Message center and messenger section.
Wire section.
Radio, visual, and panel section.



b. The platoon headquarters consists of a lieutenant (battalion communications officer) and two men, who supervise and coordinate the work of the sections.


c. The message center and messenger section sets up the message center, which is the agency charged with the receipt, transmission, and delivery of all messages except those by telephone, personal contact, mail, or otherwise specially authorized. The messenger unit includes all messengers within the unit and those sent to the battalion commander by subordinate and supporting units.



d. The wire section sets up the wire net, both within the command post and in advance of any change in the location of the command post.


e. The radio, visual, and panel section provides communication by radio, by visual means (all signals received by the eye, including flags, lamps, and pyrotechnics), and by panels to aircraft.

– NAVMC-3483, “The Organization of the Marine Infantry Regiment (Table of Organization Approved 27 March 1944),” Marine Corps Schools, Quantico.

Platoon
.

The 81mm mortar platoon is included in the headquarters company of the infantry battalion. It consists of:



Platoon headquarters.
Two mortar sections.


b. The platoon headquarters consists of two lieutenants and six men whose duties are:



Platoon Commander (Lieutenant)

Platoon Commander, Assistant (Lieutenant)


Gunnery Sergeant

Ammunition Sergeant

Wire Chief

2 Messengers

Telephone Operator



c. In addition to the four 81mm mortars carried in the four squads of this platoon, four 60mm mortars are carried in platoon headquarters as alternate weapons.

Section (2 per platoon)
a. The 81mm mortar section consists of:


Section headquarters.
Two mortar squads.



b. The section headquarters consists of a sergeant (section leader) and ten men:



Observer
Ammunition Corporal

Lineman Corporal

4 Ammunition PFC

Driver

Lineman PFC

Telephone Operator


c. The 81mm mortar squad consists of a corporal, squad leader, and six men who are the crew for one 81mm mortar.


d. This section has hand carts provided, as well as a jeep and trailer in section headquarters. The men carry individual arms as listed in the tables.



– NAVMC-3483, “The Organization of the Marine Infantry Regiment (Table of Organization Approved 27 March 1944),” Marine Corps Schools, Quantico.

Description coming soon.