Official 13th MEU Hooker Patch — 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit Flightline Embroidered Patch Hook it up—the 13th MEU Hooker patch, honoring the Marines who rig external loads and manage helicopter and tiltrotor operations on the flight lines and flight decks of the MEU. The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (13th MEU) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, that serves as a forward-deployed, rapid-response force capable of conducting a wide range of military operations—from amphibious assault and crisis response to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Activated on 1 February 1985, the 13th MEU has deployed to every major theater of operations, participating in Operations Desert Storm, Restore Hope, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, and numerous other contingency operations worldwide. The "Hooker" designation refers to the Marines who specialize in helicopter support team (HST) operations—the trained riggers and hookup crews who attach external cargo loads to the bellies of CH-53E Super Stallions, MV-22 Ospreys, and other rotary-wing and tiltrotor aircraft using slings, nets, and cargo hooks. External lift operations are one of the most critical logistics capabilities of a deployed MEU, enabling rapid movement of artillery pieces, vehicles, ammunition, water, and supplies from ship to shore and between operating bases ashore without the need for runways or improved roads. Flightline operations on a MEU deployment are among the most dangerous and physically demanding work environments in the military—Marines work on the pitching flight decks of amphibious assault ships and in the rotor wash of hovering aircraft, attaching multi-ton loads to cargo hooks while communicating with aircrew via hand signals. The 13th MEU's hookers and flightline crews are essential to the MEU's ability to sustain operations ashore, ensuring that combat power and supplies flow from the ships to the Marines fighting on the ground. Perfect For: 13th MEU hookers and flightline personnel, helicopter support team Marines, external load riggers, CH-53E and MV-22 crew chiefs, amphibious assault ship flight deck crews, and MEU deployment patch collectors. Hook it up—the hookers of the 13th MEU, rigging loads and running flight lines from the ship to the shore, keeping the MAGTF supplied and in the fight.
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