Radio Battalion Radio Battalions are tactical electronic warfare units of the United States Marine Corps . There are currently three operational Radio Battalions in the Marine Corps organization : 1st , 2nd , and 3rd . In fleet operations , teams from Radio Battalions are most often attached to the command element of Marine Expeditionary Unit s . Concept . A Radio Battalion consists mainly of signals intelligence and electronic intelligence operators organized into smaller tactical units with different roles . Basic collection teams consist of 4 – 6 operators using specialized equipment based in HMMWVs . A variation on this is the MEWSS ( Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System ) , which is an amphibious light armored vehicle equipped with similar electronic warfare equipment . MEWSS crews serve dual roles as electronic warfare operators and LAV crewmen . Radio Reconnaissance Platoon s serve in a special operations role where the use of standard collection teams is not possible , such as covert infiltrations or tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel ( TRAP ) . History . In June 1943 , 2nd Radio Intelligence Platoon was activated at Camp Elliott , California . The unit took part in the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Battle of Peleliu . The 3rd Radio Intelligence Platoon was also formed in June 1943 and took part in the Battles of the Kwajalein Atoll and Okinawa . From World War II until the early 1960s , various units performed radio intercepts , growing from platoon to company and , in 1964 , to 1st Radio Battalion . Sub - units of the battalion were deployed to Vietnam from 1967 to 1975 , including participation in evacuation efforts during the Fall of Saigon . In the early 1980s , 2nd Radio Battalion was part of the multinational peacekeeping force in Beirut , Lebanon . More recently , Radio Battalions served in Operation Desert Storm , Somalia , Kosovo , the 2003 Invasion of Iraq , and the 2004 Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah . Radio Battalions also send detachments to augment intelligence efforts at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base , Cuba , and at other bases throughout the world . In Afghanistan Radio Battalion has proven especially effective against improvised explosive devices . Organization . 1st Radio Battalion . 1st Radio Battalion , reformed in August 2004 , is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California , and supports the I Marine Expeditionary Force ( I MEF ) . The battalion maintains four companies : Alpha , Bravo , Charlie and H & S Companies . 1st Radio Battalion was first based at Marine Corps Base Hawaii , Kāneohe Bay , and operated out of there for several decades until it was reformed at Camp Pendleton . 2nd Radio Battalion . 2nd Radio Battalion is the oldest Radio Battalion having been established as the 1st Radio Intelligence Platoon , Signals Company , Headquarters Battalion , 1st Marine Division on 2 January 1943 . 2nd Radio Battalion ( informally known as RadBn ) based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , supports the II Marine Expeditionary Force ( II MEF ) . The battalion consists of three operations companies and a Headquarters and Support company . Alpha Company consists of Operation and Control Element ' s ( OCE ) 1 and 2 and an Operation Control and Analysis Center ( OCAC ) . Bravo company is charged with supporting the 22nd , 24th and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit s . Bravo supplies Collection Teams , Analysts and also contains MEWSS Teams and Radio Reconnaissance Teams . Charlie Company currently has two OCEs and currently serves as an EAS platoon for those Marines about to get out and a training platoon for new Marines arriving from MOS School . 3rd Radio Battalion . 3rd Radio Battalion , located aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kāneohe Bay , traces its lineage to 1943 with the creation of the 3d Radio Intelligence Platoon . Most recently , since August 2003 , the Battalion has served in a dual support role of both I and III Marine Expeditionary Force . Following the units return from Iraq in February 2006 , 3d Radio Battalion began focusing on supporting the Global War on Terrorism . In October 2008 3rd Radio Battalion deployed as part of SPMAGTF - A to Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan as part of the ISAF troop surge , and participated in several major operations including the Battle of Now Zad as well as Operation Khanjar .