"Special Marine Corps Units of World War II" is a brief narrative of experimental special purpose units organized by the Marine Corps for World War II. It is published for the information of those interested in the special units and the events in which they participated. During World War II, a variety of new and experimental units were organized by Marine Corps to enhance the capabilities of the Corps. This historical reference tells of the development, deployment, and eventual demise of the five types of special units: raiders, parachutists, glider forces, barrage balloon squadrons, and base defense battalions. Official records of the Marine Corps and appropriate historical works were utilized in compiling this chronicle.