ABOARD USS WASP, At sea -- Marines and sailors from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, who were supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the New York National Guard's Task Force-New York in Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts, are returning to Camp Lejeune, N.C., Nov. 11 to resume pre-deployment training.

The 26th MEU deployed to New York City aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, Nov. 1, to save lives and protect property and public health and safety in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which struck the Northeast region Oct. 30.

"This was a special mission as we were assisting fellow Americans in peril, and I couldn’t be prouder of the professionalism and accomplishments of the Marines and sailors of the 26th MEU," said Col. Matthew G. St. Clair, 26th MEU commanding officer.

Within 24 hours of being notified, approximately 350 Marines and sailors of the 26th MEU boarded helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft from the MEU’s aviation combat element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 266 Reinforced, as well as aircraft from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 366 and Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 467, and flew to the Wasp, which was already positioned off the coast of New York City.

Over the next 10 days, Marines and sailors of the MEU conducted disaster relief operations in Staten Island and Rockaway, N.Y., in support of FEMA, the N.Y. National Guard, and numerous state and local authorities.

All MEU operations were integrated with those of the Navy’s Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 6, also embarked on the Wasp, demonstrating the dynamic flexibility of the Navy-Marine Corps team conducting operations in support of civilian authorities from the sea.

"It was an honor and privilege for the Marines and sailors to serve in support of the community and authorities at the local, state, and federal levels in assisting the residents of Staten Island and Rockaway," said Maj. James Zepko, Combat Logistics Battalion 26 executive officer and officer-in-charge for disaster relief operations.

A detachment from CLB-26, the logistics combat element from the MEU, provided personnel with skills in engineering and debris clearing, along with Marines from the ground combat element’s detachment from Battalion Landing Team 3/2. Marines and sailors with chainsaws, shovels and gloved-hands helped residents of Staten Island clear debris from their property and surrounding roads so the New York Sanitation Department could load and move their trucks into neighborhoods and remove debris to allow other departments to fix power and water damage.

The Navy-Marine Corps team from the Wasp and the 26th MEU also helped clear debris around Breezy Point and Rockaway neighborhoods in Queens, N.Y., so other members of Task Force Pump, made up of Marines and sailors from 8th Engineer Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, could use high-powered water pumps to remove water from flooded infrastructure.

The Marines and sailors are scheduled to return to Camp Lejeune Nov. 12, where they will resume their pre-deployment training in preparation for a departure in 2013.

The 26th MEU was conducting pre-deployment training when Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeastern United States. The MEU is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force and serves as an expeditionary crisis response force operating from the sea prepared to conduct amphibious operations as directed by the geographic combatant commander. The MEU will embark on the ships of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, led by Amphibious Squadron 4.

For high-resolution photos and videos of the disaster relief effort, please visit our Defense Visual Information Distribution System page at http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/26meu.

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