26th Marine Expeditionary Unit

The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel. The MEU consists of four major parts: a command element, a ground combat element, an aviation combat element, and a logistics element. Since its establishment in the early 1970s as the 26th Marine Amphibious Unit, the MEU has deployed extensively, and participated in numerous combat and contingency operations, as well as training exercises. The 26th MEU is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Current Major Subordinate Elements
Ground Combat Element: Battalion Landing Team 3/2

Aviation Combat Element: Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (Rein) VMM-266

Logistics Combat Element: Combat Logistics Battalion 26

Early years
In 1975 the 36th Marine Amphibious Unit participated in Exercise Staff Zugel in West Germany. This marked the first time since World War I that Marines took a combined arms force ashore in Germany. The unit was redesignated as the 26th Marine Amphibious Unit in 1982 and became part of the rotation cycle of three MAUs on the East Coast in 1985. It was the first of the MAUs to undergo Special Operations Capability training, earn the SOC qualification and have AV-8B Harriers attached. In 1988 the unit was again redesignated as the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

1990s through 2000
The 1990s were a busy time for the 26th MEU. In 1991 the MEU supported Operation Desert Shield by providing a "Show of Force" in the Mediterranean, and participated in Operation Sharp Edge, a non-combatant evacuation operation of Liberia. The next year saw the MEU participating in Operation Provide Promise, Operation Deny Flight and Operation Sharp Guard off the coast of Yugoslavia.

In 1994 the 26th MEU participated in ceremonies marking the 50th Anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France. The MEU also supported Operation Restore Hope off the coast of Somalia and participated in continued operations in Bosnia.

Three years later the MEU launched Operation Silver Wake, evacuating American citizens and Third Country Nationals from Albania, and also participated in Operation Guardian Retrieval, the staging of forces in Congo for a possible evacuation of Zaire.

In 1998 the MEU served as the Headquarters for the Strategic Reserve Force during Exercise Dynamic Response in Bosnia. The SRF is a multinational force made up of forces from the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Romania, Poland and the United States.

The 26th MEU played a notable role in the Balkan conflict. In 1998 it participated in Operation Determined Falcon, the one-day NATO aerial show-of-force in Kosovo. In April to May 1999 it took part in Operation Noble Anvil and Operation Shining Hope. While supporting Noble Anvil, the NATO bombing Campaign in Kosovo, with AV-8B Harrier Attack Aircraft, the MEU also provided security for Kosovar Refugees at Camps Hope and Eagle in Albania. From June to July 1999 it participated in Operation Joint Guardian. As the first U.S. Peacekeepers in Kosovo, the Marines and the Sailors of the MEU provided stability to the embattled region.

August 1999 saw the MEU taking part in Operation Avid Response, providing Humanitarian Assistance to the people of Western Turkey left homeless by a devastating earthquake.

The MEU Conducted Adriatic presence operations during the election crisis in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, September 2000. The MEU also participated in exercises Atlas Hinge in Tunisia and Croatian Phibex 2000, the first ever bi-lateral exercise between the Marine Corps and the Croatian Armed Forces. During the next two months the MEU supported diplomatic initiatives during unrest in Israel while simultaneously taking part in the NATO exercise Destined Glory 2000, and continued to break new ground by the second ever bi-lateral exercise between the Marine Corps and the Croatian Armed Forces, exercise Slunj 2000.

Global War on Terrorism


Following the events of September 11, 2001, the Marines of the 26th MEU were among the first U.S. Forces into Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Swift Freedom. From December 2001 to February 2002, 26th MEU (SOC) Marines reinforced the 15th MEU (SOC) who had conducted the 450 mile seizure of Camp Rhino in November 2001 and Kandahar International Airport in December 2001, Both MEUs worked together and constructed a detainment facility that held more than 400 Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists.

From March–May 2003, the 26th MEU supported Operation Iraqi Freedom conducting operations in Erbil and Mosul, Iraq. The MEU was inserted via CH-53 and KC-130 and conducted operations until relieved by the 101st Airborne Division.

The 26th MEU served as the primary tactical unit for Joint Task Force Liberia from August to September 2003 in the Second Liberian Civil War. The MEU capitalized on its extensive training in humanitarian assistance operations and U.S. Embassy relations to help bring peace to the war-torn nation following the exile of former Liberian president Charles Taylor.

In Iraq, several hundred Marines and Sailors from the 26th MEU conducted Operation Sea Horse in Iraq from July to August in 2005, supporting British-led Multi-National Division Southeast with a mission to detect and deter illicit activity along the Iraqi border. The MEU maintained command and control of Operation Sea Horse from aboard ship in the Northern Persian Gulf, while simultaneously and concurrently conducting training missions in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti.

In August 2008, the 26th MEU deployed aboard the ships of the Iwo Jima Strike Group. During the deployment, MEU Marines detached to support combat operations in Iraq and in support of anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

The 26th MEU and Marines from several other units formed Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 26 in November 2009 to support the commissioning of USS New York in New York City.

In August 2010, the 26th MEU sailed with the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group a month early for their scheduled deployment in order to assist with disaster relief operations in Pakistan.

Involvement in Operation Odyssey Dawn
Beginning on March 19, 2011 the 26th MEU takes part in Operation Odyssey Dawn to help enforce the Libyan no-fly zone. On March 22, two MV-22 Osprey, containing a payload of twenty five Recon Marines as a TRAP force, and operated by the 26th MEU operating off of the USS Kearsage recovered the pilot of a USAF F-15E Strike Eagle who ejected after an equipment malfunction. The Weapons Systems Officer was recovered by Libyan rebels and returned to US forces unharmed.

Notable Facts
1995 -- The first MEU to deploy with M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks.

1996 -- The first MEU to deploy with the Joint Task Force Enabler (JTFE) communications package.

November 2000 -- The 26th MEU's Battalion Landing Team, BLT 2/2, launched the first ever FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile fired by a deployed MEU.

March 2003 -- In 2003, during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Marine Corps KC-130s traveled 1100 mi and delivered 1,000 over Marines directly to the battlefield in Mosul, Iraq - a feat never before attempted.

January 2007 -- The MEU is the first to deploy with a MARSOC attachment.

March 2009 -- The 26th MEU completes the final scheduled East Coast MEU deployment with the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter, which is being replaced by the MV-22 Osprey.

August 2010 -- The first MEU to deploy with an Everything over Internet Protocol (EoIP) configured Joint Task Force Enabler (JTFE) communications package.

Unit awards
The 26th MEU has been awarded the following unit awards and Campaign streamers.

Navy Unit Commendation with three Bronze Stars

Libya—1986

Kosovo—1999

Afghanistan—2001-2002

Liberia 2003

Meritorious Unit Commendation with two Bronze Stars

Libya—1985-1987

Albania—1996-1998

Turkey—1999

Marine Corps Expeditionary Streamer with one Bronze Star

National Defense Service Streamer with one Bronze Star

Kosovo Campaign Streamer with two Bronze Stars

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Streamer

Iraq Campaign Medal Streamer (Liberation of Iraq)