1st AAA-Aw Battalion

The **1st AAA-Aw Battalion** (1st Anti-Aircraft Artillery-Automatic Weapons Battalion) was established during World War II to provide mobile air defense for U.S. Army ground forces. Equipped primarily with self-propelled 40mm Bofors and multiple .50 caliber machine guns, the battalion protected advancing troops and supply columns from enemy aircraft attacks in the European and Pacific Theaters. The 1st AAA-Aw Battalion participated in several major campaigns, including the Normandy landings and the push across France, where its accurate and flexible firepower proved vital. After the war, the battalion was reorganized as air threats changed, contributing to the development of modern air defense tactics within the U.S. Army.