Saipan, Nashville, and the Harlan County were the ships they were on. In late 1990 the 22nd MEU disbanded down to the command element during the Gulf war and reformed the summer of 1991. On 5 February 1988, the word 'Amphibious' was replaced with 'Expeditionary' to reflect the Marine Corps' changing role in national defense and theater security. In 1986, the 22nd MAU was the third unit to deploy with the ' Special Operations-Capable' designation. Throughout the rest of the 1980s, the 22nd MAU deployed on a rotation basis with the 24th and 26th MAUs, participating in numerous contingency operations and exercises. The MAU remained ashore until late February 1984, when the mission drew to a close, and evacuated hundreds of American citizens from the country. The 22nd MAU conducted numerous helicopter and surface landings over three days and occupied 75 percent of the island though the Marines constituted less than 20 percent of the total invasion force.īy 2 November of that same year, the unit transited to Beirut where it landed later that month. military operation since the Vietnam War. On 25 October 1983, the MAU participated in Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of the island of Grenada, which was at that time, the largest U.S. On 18 October 1983, the MAU departed the United States, and less than two days into its trans-Atlantic voyage it was diverted to the southern Caribbean. On 22nd MAU's maiden deployment, it again visited Beirut where the Marines and Sailors served until May 1983, were present during the April 1983 United States embassy bombing, and began preparing for a third deployment to Lebanon upon return to the United States. On its final deployment, the MAU evacuated the Palestine Liberation Organization from Beirut, and was the first American unit to serve in the multi-national peace-keeping force in Lebanon. The MEU's activation was the redesignation of the 32nd MAU, a unit that regularly deployed to the Mediterranean and Caribbean regions for more than 20 years. Logistics Combat Element: Combat Logistics Battalion 26 ( CLB-26).Īctivated on 1 December 1982 as the 22nd Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU), the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) has had an impressive operational history and continues to serve as an expeditionary force in readiness.Aviation Combat Element: Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 ( VMM-263).Ground Combat Element: 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines (2/6).Command Element: MEU commander and his supporting staff, provides command and control over the other three elements when composited.Logistics Combat Element (LCE): Provides the MEU with mission-essential support such as medical/dental assistance, motor transport, supply, equipment maintenance and landing is the mission of the LCE. Ground Combat Element (GCE): Built around a Marine infantry battalion, the GCE is reinforced with tanks, artillery, amphibious vehicles, engineers and reconnaissance assets.Īviation Combat Element (ACE): Consists of a composite medium tiltrotor (MV-22B Osprey) squadron containing transport aviation assets of various models and capabilities, attack helicopters and jets, air defense teams and all necessary ground support assets. Structure Insignias of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary UnitĬommand Element (CE): Serves as the headquarters for the entire unit and allows a single command to exercise control over all ground, aviation and combat service support forces. "Provide the United States with a forward-deployed, amphibious force-in-readiness capable of executing mission across the full spectrum of combat and military operations other than war." They are currently based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the II Marine Expeditionary Force. It is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel. The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU) is one of seven such units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps.
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