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CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (Oct. 17, 2024) – More than 300 Marines and Sailors with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, embarked aboard USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), returned home to San Diego Oct. 16 after completing a seven-month deployment in the U.S. 7th and 3rd Fleet areas of operation.
The deployment, which began on March 19, marked a milestone as it included the first operational use of the Marine Corps’ new amphibious combat vehicles. The experience and insights gained by the ACV Platoon and Battalion Landing Team 1/5 during this deployment have laid the groundwork for refining tactics, logistics, and maintenance practices for future expeditionary operations.
“Our team aboard Harpers Ferry made lasting contributions in the Indo-Pacific, conducting training while integrated with our allies, in both the Philippines and South Korea,” said Col. Sean Dynan, commanding officer of the 15th MEU. “They accomplished so much during these seven months while taking on the unique responsibility of employing ACVs on their first deployment. The lessons they learned and the procedures they developed with their Navy counterparts will inform future operations for years to come.”
Elements of the 15th MEU aboard Harpers Ferry included Marines and Sailors from the Command Element, BLT 1/5, and Combat Logistics Battalion 15.
During the deployment, 15th MEU forces aboard Harpers Ferry engaged in three major exercises. In the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, Marines and Sailors joined other elements of the 15th MEU assigned to the amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) in the Philippines for Exercise Balikatan 24. This bilateral exercise, conducted with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, focused on securing key maritime terrain, conducting simulated long-range precision strikes, and enhancing missile defense capabilities.
During Balikatan, the ACV Platoon conducted a live-fire waterborne gunnery exercise in Oyster Bay, marking the first overseas employment of ACVs. Using their automated remote weapons systems, the ACVs engaged simulated targets afloat and on shore.
After the conclusion of Balikatan, the 15th MEU’s force aboard Harpers Ferry remained in the Philippines to participate in Archipelagic Coastal Defense Continuum (ACDC) from May 13-24. ACDC included bilateral training with the Philippine Marine Corps' 3rd Marine Brigade (3MBDE) to bolster coastal defense strategies. The 15th MEU and 3MBDE conducted large-scale coastal defense rehearsals and completed the largest military convoy to date on Palawan Island, moving forces rapidly to simulate a coastal defense scenario.
ACDC also featured numerous subject matter expert exchanges between BLT 1/5 and CLB-15 with their Philippine counterparts on various topics, such as weapons employment, unmanned aircraft systems integration, tactical combat casualty care, and motorized operations. These exchanges strengthened U.S.-Philippine bilateral military proficiency and improved mutual understanding of defense tactics in the Philippines.
Following ACDC in the Philippines, the 15th MEU embarked aboard Harpers Ferry and traveled to Okinawa, Japan. On June 24, Alpha Company, BLT 1/5, and the ACV Platoon conducted a ship-to-shore movement, with the ACVs splashing into the waters off White Beach Naval Facility after Alpha Company’s Marines practiced troop egress and transfer procedures. This marked the ACVs' first time ashore in a foreign country.
In August, the 15th MEU’s forces aboard the USS Harpers Ferry arrived in South Korea to conduct two weeks of unit-level training (ULT) alongside the Republic of Korea Marine Corps’ 7th Brigade. During this period, the Marines demonstrated the off-road mobility and automated crew-served weapons capabilities of the new ACVs in a series of live-fire exercises.
The highlight of their month-long stay was Exercise Ssang Yong 24, where Alpha Company embarked the ACVs for a large-scale amphibious landing at Hwajin-ri Beach near Pohang. Meaning “twin dragons,” Ssang Yong featured the first overseas amphibious assault conducted with ACVs, as U.S. and Korean forces landed together, strengthening the ROK-U.S. Alliance and the capability to defend the Korean Peninsula.
“Working with our allies in South Korea one-on-one at the tactical level was extremely rewarding for both our Marines and the ROK Marines,” said Capt. Erik Lindskog, the Alpha Company commander. “Through the combined training, both live fire and information exchanges, we learned a lot from each other. In South Korea and in the Philippines, we arrived as training partners, worked through language barriers, and we left as friends.”
Throughout the deployment, the ACVs demonstrated their versatility, maneuverability, and firepower in various scenarios, ranging from beach assaults to coordinated live-fire defense operations. The data and lessons learned from these exercises will help shape the future use of ACVs in amphibious operations and ensure the Marine Corps continues to refine the tactics and procedures necessary for employing this new platform.
"The work our Marines and Sailors aboard Harpers Ferry have completed over the past seven months, both strengthening alliances and advancing new Marine Corps capabilities, has been simply outstanding," said Lt. Col. Nicholas Freeman, the commanding officer of BLT 1/5. "Our ACV Platoon and the rest of Alpha Company have been literally writing the book on employing this platform, albeit with tremendous support from leaders and experts from across our Service. I'm grateful for all the dedication that got us to this deployment, and I'm proud of how this team has done everything they can to help lead the modernization of the assault amphibian community."
The 15th MEU’s Marines and Sailors aboard Harpers Ferry played a critical role in advancing U.S. military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, enhancing regional security by strengthening relationships with key allies, and shaping future deployments of the amphibious combat vehicle in expeditionary environments.
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2024 10:42 |
| Story ID: | 483324 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 435 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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