15th MEU, Peleliu ESG heading home

[unhappycamper]

15th MEU, Peleliu ESG heading home
Staff report
Posted : Saturday Nov 1, 2008 7:21:51 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — More than 2,200 Marines and sailors are on their way home, ready to end a six-month deployment that took them to the Persian Gulf and western Pacific regions.

Members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit will reunite with their families and friends at Camp Pendleton, Calif., on Monday, according to Sgt. Wayne Campbell, a spokesman for I Marine Expeditionary Force. The 15th MEU, commanded by Col. Brian Beaudreault, includes Battalion Landing Team 2/5, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (Reinforced) 165, and Combat Logistics Battalion 15.

The 15th MEU deployed from San Diego on May 4 as part of the six-ship Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group, and the naval force served primarily as the theater reserve in the U.S. Central Command area. While the entire 15th MEU wasn’t sent into Iraq or Afghanistan, some members, including its detachment of CH-53E Super Stallions, deployed into Iraq for two months to support Multi-National Forces-West, according to the MEU.

The MEU, which embarked on Peleliu, dock landing ship Pearl Harbor and transport dock Dubuque, also trained alongside foreign forces in Jordan and in Kuwait.

On Aug. 8, Peleliu received a distress call from a merchant ship under attack from pirates off the coast of Somalia. Peleliu sent several helicopters — including 15th MEU aircraft — to aid the ship, the Gem of Kilakari, according to the Navy.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/marine_15meu_home_103108w/%2e