Upon returning from its first and only deployment, the detachment was dissolved and its members went on to serve as instructors at the 1st Marine Air Warning Group, which was responsible for training new squadrons.

[6][7] Before the United States entered World War II, the Marine Corps began sending small contingents of Marines over to England to receive training on new technologies such as radar, night fighters, Identification friend or foe (IFF) and Plan position indicator (PPI) while also observing the tactics and techniques of the British air defense system in action against the Luftwaffe.

His report to the Commandant of the Marine Corps upon his return led to Schwable's travelling to England to learn everything he could on the organization and operation of night fighters.

At the end of July 1943, Major Dyer again wrote to the Director of Aviation asking for the night fighter timeline to be moved up even sooner so that personnel and equipment would begin arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in October 1942.

[12] In February 1943 the squadron sent nine pilots, including Marion M. Magruder, to England to learn night fighting from the Royal Air Force.

[12] February 1943 also saw Major Robert O. Bisson, recently trained in electrical engineering and radar at the United States Army's Signal Corps School at Fort Monmouth and Harvard University, arrive to lead the newly formed GCI Detachment.

In March 1943, Bisson and four enlisted men were sent on temporary duty to General Electric in Syracuse, New York, to receive instruction on the SCR-527 early warning radar.

[14] On 7 May 1943, the GCI Det separated from the squadron's main body and departed MCAS Cherry Point headed west for San Diego.

On 14 June, the detachment convoyed out to Marine Corps Air Station El Centro for six weeks of training on radar problems in the California desert.

There was an early recognition that radar units needed to operate as part of a larger system to ensure robust coverage, defense in depth, joint integration, and standardized tactics, techniques and procedures.

After a great deal of experimentation the detachment created calibration tables that accounted for tidal variation that proved the radar had excellent performance over water.

The Green Island detachment had gone ashore on D-Day and the next evening controlled night fighters that broke up two Japanese air raids.

[28][29] The OIC of this detachment, LtCol Robert O. Bisson later served as the Commanding Officer of Marine Aircraft Group 43, the headquarters responsible for overseeing all land based radar units during the Battle of Okinawa.