About
11th MEU Logo
11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
I Marine Expeditionary Force

The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is a forward-deployed, flexible sea-based Marine air-ground task force capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations, to include enabling the introduction of follow-on forces and designated special operations in order to support the theater requirements of geographic combatant commanders.

1979-1997
Temporarily activated 13 April 1979 and at various times during the early 1980s at Camp Pendleton, California, as the 17th Marine Amphibious Unit
Redesignated 25 July 1984 as the 11th Marine Amphibious Unit
Redesignated 5 February 1988 as the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
Participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Southwest Asia, January-April 1991
Participated in operations in Somalia, August 1992-March 1994
Participated in Operation Distant Runner, Rwanda, April 1994


1998-2009

Participated in Operation Safe Departure, Eritrea, June 1998
Participated in Operation Stabilise, East Timor, October-November 1999 and November 2002
Elements participated in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, September-October 2002
Deployed during February 2003 to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom
Participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq, March-May 2003 and July 2004-February 2005
Participated in humanitarian relief efforts, Gulf of Mexico, in response to Hurricane Katrina, September 2005
Participated in Operation Sea Angel II, Bangladesh, December 2007

 



AWARDED


Presidential Unit Citation Streamer
Iraq, 2003


Joint Meritorious Unit Award Streamer
Somalia, 1992


Navy Unit Commendation Streamer with two Bronze Stars*
Southwest Asia, 1991
1997-1998
Iraq, 2004-2005


Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer with four Bronze Stars*
1987
Somalia, 1994
1999
2001
2002


Marine Corps Expeditionary Streamer with Bronze Star*


National Defense Service Streamer with Bronze Star*


Armed Forces Expeditionary Streamer with Bronze Star*


Southwest Asia Service Streamer with three Bronze Stars*


Iraq Campaign Streamer with Bronze Star*


Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Streamer


Global War on Terrorism Service Streamer

*Each Bronze Star denotes a subsequent time an honor is awarded.