Operation
The 22nd MEU was composed of Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 2nd Battalion 4th Marines (ground combat element), HMM-261 (REIN) (aviation combat element) and MSSG-22 (logistics combat element).
Company "H" of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines executed a pre-dawn vertical envelopment of the besieged U.S. Embassy, with 237 Marines inserted via medium and heavy lift Marine CH-53E Super Stallion and CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters. The landing zones were under sporadic fire from light, medium and heavy weapons from belligerents. "Hotel" Company secured an extended perimeter around the U.S. Embassy and began evacuation of other allied embassies. Ground elements were supported by U.S. Marine AH-1W SuperCobra helicopters and Marine AV-8B Harrier II attack aircraft. Simultaneously, elements of BLT 2/4 secured landing zones in the surrounding areas, extracting U.S. and foreign nationals. Non-combatants were flown off to the USS Saipan (LHA-2) for processing and ultimately Freetown, Sierra Leone.
On 20 August 1990, the 22nd MEU and support elements were relieved by the Company "K" of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (designated as Battalion Landing Team 3/8) a part of the 26th MEU26th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked on the US Whidbey Island. The 26th MEU was relieved by FAST Company 5th Platoon of the Marine Corps. They evacuated a total of 2,439 people between the summer of 1990 and 9 January 1991.
http://www.marines.mil/news/publications/Documents/On%20Mamba%20Station%20--%20U.S.%20Marines%20in%20West%20Africa,%201990-2003%20PCN%2019000413300_PART_1.pdf
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