CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), embarked upon the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG), will return to its home base at Camp Pendleton, April 24, 2014.
The 13th MEU departed San Diego Aug. 24, 2013, for an eight month western pacific deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation.
During the deployment the Marines trained with foreign militaries and visited ports at Philippines, Singapore, Oman, Kuwait, Djibouti, India, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Israel, and South Korea.
The BOXARG consists of three ships, amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), and amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49).
Approximately 2,400 Marines and 3,000 sailors are distributed over these ships.
The mission of the 13th MEU is to provide a forward-deployed as a rapid response force, capable of responding to contingency operations on land or at sea, providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts, reinforcing embassies, and conducting non-combatant evacuation operations, through the combined capabilities of the Marine Air Ground Task Force.
Media members are invited to attend the homecoming at Del Mar Beach on Camp Pendleton. Marines will via landing craft. Marines, senior unit leaders and families will be available for interviews.
Media interested in attending should e-mail their name(s), and name of employing media to 1st Lt. Dana Mitchell at; dana.mitchell1@gmail.com and Capt. Esteban Vickers at esteban.vickers@boxer.usmc.mil no later than 5 p.m. on April 23.