Elements of the 15th MEU Return Home From Deployment Aboard USS Somerset

Last weekend, marines and sailors assigned to elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit returned home after a seven-month deployment in the U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleet areas of operations. 

Elements of the 15th MEU embarked aboard the transport dock USS Somerset on Jan. 23, 2024 to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and 7th Fleet area of operations, where they participated in six exercises. 

“Our team aboard Somerset played a critical role in strengthening bonds with our partners and conducting training that informs the service,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Sean Dynan, commanding officer of the 15th MEU.

“They set the tone and emphasized the impact our capabilities bring to the Indo-Pacific, and even more so when combined, side-by-side our partners.”

Somerset is part of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and 15th MEU team, which is a flexible, self-sustained crisis response force, capable of conducting operations from combat missions to humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

This team is the premier crisis-response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

In U.S. 7th Fleet, Somerset and the 15th MEU conducted Exercise Cobra Gold 2024 in Sattahip, Thailand; Exercise Tiger TRIUMPH 2024 in Visakhapatnam, India; Exercise Balikatan 2024 in the province of Palawan, Philippines; Cooperation Afloat and Readiness Training Indonesia 2024 in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia; Exercise Tiger Strike 2024 in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia; and Marine Aviation Support Activity 2024 with a CH-53E Super Stallion detachment in Subic Bay, Philippines.  

In U.S. 3rd Fleet, Somerset and the 15th MEU participated in the Rim of the Pacific 2024 held on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, as their final stop before returning home to San Diego. 

During the 43rd iteration of joint exercises, the 15th MEU and USS Somerset conducted three Combined Joint All-Domain Operations events with Thailand, South Korea, and Japan, alongside 26 other participating nations. The key events included an amphibious assault, a noncombatant evacuation operation, and a combined arms live-fire exercise.

The exercises focused on a variety of subjects: humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (Cobra Gold), maritime defense and missile defense exercises (Balikatan), jungle training (CARAT), live-fire training (Tiger Strike), long-range transportation and aerial refueling (MASA), and tactics to integrating 12 partner nations (RIMPAC).

“Our Marines took advantage of every opportunity to learn and immerse themselves into the cultures of these great countries we had the opportunity to visit,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Lindsay Mathwick, commanding officer of Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th MEU, and commander of troops aboard Somerset.

“Our allies and partners are our greatest strength, and it is inspiring to see the way our Marines were able to integrate on the training grounds and build relationships that they will truly never forget.”