The unit was decommissioned in late 1944 but was brought back into service as the Marine Corps began to transition to Surface-to-air missiles for its air defense needs in the early 1950s.

3rd LAAM Battalion was decommissioned again on September 30, 1994, as part of the post-Cold War draw down of forces and because the Marine Corps had made the decision to divest itself of its medium-range air defense.

The battalion was reactivated on February 11, 2022, as part of the Commandant of the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 initiative.

The first battalions were created in 1939, when the outbreak of World War II caused concerns that overseas bases might be attacked by the Imperial Japanese Navy.

A number of Marine Corps defense battalions were sent to the Pacific during this time period in order to defend outlying American possessions as detailed in War Plan Orange.

Immediately following the events at Pearl Harbor, 3rd Defense Battalion provided reinforcements for the outlying US garrisons at Midway, Johnston, and Palmyra Islands.

On 22 May 1942 the battalion's anti-aircraft group consisting of H&S, D, E, F, L & K batteries were sent back to Midway Island via USS Kitty Hawk.

In mid-October, during the main Japanese counter-offensive, the battalion was assigned defensive responsibilities along the Lunga River.

The battalion, less the 5" Battery on Tulagi, departed Guadalcanal on 9 February 1943 on board USS George Clymer sailing for New Zealand.

Once the entire battalion had arrived by 6 October 1943 they began to conduct training and rehearsals for the next major assault which was to take place on Bougainville.

On 1 November 1943 the 90 mm AA Batteries and Special Weapons Group of the 3rd Defense Battalion landed at Cape Torokina at Empress Augusta Bay under the command of lieutenant colonel Edward H. Forney right behind the first waves of assault troops.

On 7 November, the Japanese successfully landed four destroyer-loads of men just beyond the eastern limit of the American beachhead.

3rd Defense Battalion was part of the Marine contingent that annihilated this force the next day in the Battle of Koromokina Lagoon.

[11] On 28–29 November, in an effort to block reinforcements from the Japanese 23rd Infantry Regiment, the 1st Marine Parachute Battalion carried out a raid on Koiari, about 9.3 miles (15 km) from Torokina.

On October 11, 1951 the 1st Provisional Marine Guided Missile Battalion was activated at Naval Ordnance Test Station, China Lake, California.

Charlie Battery, 3rd LAAM Battalion with its 48 HAWK Missiles was selected to go forward to Guantanamo Bay and was subsequently airlifted there.

[16] Upon arrival the battery was attached to Marine Aircraft Group 32 (MAG 32) and emplaced on John Paul Jones Hill, the highest point on Guantanamo Bay.

[citation needed] On 15 August 1990, "B" Battery, 3rd LAAM Battalion boarded USS Spartanburg County at Morehead City, NC to support Operation Desert Shield in Southwest Asia as part of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (4th MEB).

HAWK Batteries from 2nd and 3rd LAAM Battalions covered the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions at the breach point where they entered Kuwait.

[20] Upon their return from overseas the battalion participated in the Desert Storm Victory Parade in Raleigh, North Carolina.