# Operation Sharp Edge

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1990–91 US evacuation effort from Liberia

USS *Saipan* and landing craft during Operation Sharp Edge

**Operation Sharp Edge** was a [non-combatant evacuation operation](/source/Non-combatant_evacuation_operation) carried out by the [22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit](/source/22nd_Marine_Expeditionary_Unit) (22nd MEU) and [26th MEU](/source/26th_Marine_Expeditionary_Unit) of the [United States Marine Corps](/source/United_States_Marine_Corps) in [Liberia](/source/Liberia) in 1990 and 1991. The MEUs were supported by Amphibious Squadron Four (Task Force 61) composed of [USS *Whidbey Island*](/source/USS_Whidbey_Island), [USS *Saipan*](/source/USS_Saipan_(LHA-2)), [USS *Ponce*](/source/USS_Ponce_(LPD-15)), [USS *Sumter*](/source/USS_Sumter_(LST-1181)), [USS *Barnstable County*](/source/USS_Barnstable_County), [USS *Peterson*](/source/USS_Peterson_(DD-969)), and Fleet Surgical Team TWO.[1]

## Background

The [First Liberian Civil War](/source/First_Liberian_Civil_War) broke out in December 1989. Increasing violence between political and ethnic factions, including in the capital of [Monrovia](/source/Monrovia), had made it impossible for American diplomats and civilians to make safe passage to the U.S. Embassy to exit the country.

## Operation

The 22nd MEU was composed of Battalion Landing Team (BLT) [2nd Battalion 4th Marines](/source/2nd_Battalion_4th_Marines) (ground combat element), [HMM-261](/source/HMM-261) (REIN) (aviation combat element) and [MSSG-22](/source/CLB-22) (logistics combat element).

Company "E" of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines executed a pre-dawn [vertical envelopment](/source/Vertical_envelopment) of the besieged U.S. Embassy, with 237 Marines inserted via medium and heavy lift Marine [Sikorsky CH-53D Sea Stallion](/source/Sikorsky_CH-53_Sea_Stallion) and [CH-46 Sea Knight](/source/Boeing_Vertol_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-1T SuperCobra](/source/Bell_AH-1_SuperCobra) helicopters and Marine [AV-8B Harrier II](/source/McDonnell_Douglas_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 [USS *Saipan*](/source/USS_Saipan_(LHA-2)) and [USS *Ponce*](/source/USS_Ponce_(LPD-15)) for processing and ultimately [Freetown](/source/Freetown), Sierra Leone. Although BLT 2/4 conducted the initial entry into the embassy, the Marines of BLT 3/8 with 26th MEU arrived on station and continued with the evacuation operations as the 22nd MEU began its retrograde and departure.

Following the initial 20 August 1990 evacuation by the 22nd MEU and her support elements, the MEU was relieved by the Company "K" and a detachment of Headquarters and Support (H&S) personnel of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (designated as Battalion Landing Team 3/8), a part of the 26th MEU [26th Marine Expeditionary Unit](/source/26th_Marine_Expeditionary_Unit) embarked on [USS *Whidbey Island*](/source/USS_Whidbey_Island). Also present were Assault Craft Unit 4 Detachment B, embarked service support group elements from the MEU command element, as well as [USS *Barnstable County*](/source/USS_Barnstable_County), which was used to ferry evacuees out of Monrovia. Remaining on station for the next 121 days, the Marines and sailors of *Whidbey Island* evacuated over 1,000 civilian personnel from Monrovia, most of whom were subsequently transported to Freetown, Sierra Leone aboard the accompanying USS *Barnstable County*. The 26th MEU was relieved by [FAST Company](/source/Fleet_Antiterrorism_Security_Teams) 5th Platoon of the Marine Corps circa December, 1990, when *Whidbey Island* and her embarked troops steamed to the Mediterranean in anticipated support of the growing Operation Desert Shield. 26 MEU and 22 MEU evacuated a total of 2,439 people between the summer of 1990 and 9 January 1991.[2]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Appendix A: Chronology – August 1990"](https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/u/us-navy-in-desert-shield-desert-storm/august-1990.html). *[Naval History and Heritage Command](/source/Naval_History_and_Heritage_Command)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Major James G. Antal; Major R. John Vanden Berghe (2004). "Chapter 4 Operation Sharp Edge". [*On Mamba Station US Marines in West Africa, 1990–2003*](https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/On%20Mamba%20Station%20--%20U.S.%20Marines%20in%20West%20Africa,%201990-2003%20PCN%2019000413300_PART_1.pdf) (PDF). U.S. Marines in Humanitarian Operations. Vol. Part I Operation Sharp Edge 1990–1991. Washington, D.C.: History and Museums Division United States Marine Corps. p. 63.

- [Operation Sharp Edge](http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/sharp_edge.htm)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Operation Sharp Edge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sharp_Edge) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sharp_Edge?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.