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 36th Marine Amphibious Unit, the MEU has conducted several deployments and participated in numerous contingency operations and training exercises. The 26th MEU is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Mission

To provide combatant commanders options throughout the Mediterranean region, and beyond. It is a rapid-reaction force capable of conducting multiple and concurrent missions in support of a spectrum of operations, including conventional amphibious warfare operations, humanitarian assistance, mass casualty evacuation operations, and noncombatant evacuation operations. It also has the ability to carry out special operations tasked by the theater commander.

Major Elements

The 26th MEU is made up of four elements:

• Command Element (CE) - consists of the MEU headquarters elements and contains administration, communications, operations, intelligence, public affairs, logistics, aviation liaisons, and force protection sections, as well as the senior leadership of the unit.
• Ground Combat Element (GCE) - also known as the Battalion Landing Team (BLT). It consists of a reinforced infantry battalion and contains components ranging from riflemen to the M1A1 Abrams. Also included is a Combat Engineer detachment, a M198 155mm Medium Howitzer battery; a Combined Anti-Armor Team (CAAT) platoon armed with TOW wire-guided missiles; an Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) detachment; and a Light Armored Reconnaissance detachment made up of LAV-25s.
• Aviation Combat Element (ACE) - consists of a composite, or reinforced, medium helicopter squadron of CH-46 Sea Knight medium-lift helicopters. Attachments include CH-53E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters, AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters, UH-1N Huey utility helicopters, and AV-8B Harrier fast attack aircraft.
• Logistics Combat Element (LCE) - composed of a Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB). The CLB includes sections covering almost every logistical requirement that could arise. Included are Motor Transportation support and maintenance sections, military police, heavy equipment, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), medical, engineers, and a myriad of other highly specialized sections and sub-sections.

Current Major Subordinate Elements (2008)

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GCE: 2nd Battalion 6th Marines

ACE: HMM-264 (Rein)

LCE: Combat Logistics Battalion 26

History

Early years

In 1975 the 36th MAU 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 was 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 of 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 of 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 of 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 Terror

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 of 2001 and Kandahar Airport in December 2001, Both MEUs worked together and constructed a detainment facility that held more than 400 Taliban and Al Qaeda terrorists.

The 26th MEU served as the primary tactical unit during operations in support of Joint Task Force Liberia from August to September of 2003. 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.