On Station: 26th MUE

Two weeks after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, I traveled to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune to document the training and deployment of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). Just weeks prior, these young Marines had been preparing for a fight against a theoretical adversary—but the events of 9/11 gave their mission new urgency and focus.

I followed the 26th MEU as they deployed aboard the USS Bataan, an amphibious assault ship stationed in the Arabian Sea. These images capture a typical day at sea—marked by flight operations, maintenance routines, training drills, and long stretches of quiet and waiting. It’s a glimpse into the rhythm of life aboard a warship, where preparation meets purpose in the wake of a national tragedy.

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune - When these young Marines joined the Corps the United States was at peace.

USS Theodore Roosevelt - All offensive flight operations on the Roosevelt took place at night, so the crew of the Roosevelt lived on a reversed schedule when they slept during the day.

USS Bataan - The Marines of the 26th MUE lived and trained on the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan. The Bataan delivered more than 2,500 Marines and their equipment to Pakistan before they entered Afghanistan, opening Operation Enduring Freedom. The Bataan stayed on station off the coast of Pakistan and completed the longest sustained amphibious assault in U.S. history with sailors not touching ground for over four months.