Weede led his unit to Tarawa at the end of November 1943, following the main landing and the battalion under his command repelled several enemy bombing raids. He was subsequently ordered to the United States for instruction at Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in January 1944, but rejoined his unit in May of that year. The 2nd Defense Battalion was already redesignated 2nd Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion and Weede served as its commander until October 1944.