Special Operations.Com

Operation Silver Wake

Tirana, Albania

March 1997

Operation Silver Wake was initiated in response to a rapidly deteriorating situation in Tirana, Albania, on March 14, 1997. The mission involved the evacuation of noncombatants from Albania to ensure the safety of American citizens and designated third country nationals. U.S. Naval forces from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) deployed and immedately began to evacuate citizens from the U.S. Embassy in Tirana by CH-47 and CH-53 helicopter. Within two hours of receiving the mission execution order, the first evacuees were airlifted out of Albania and safely aboard USS Nashville. Battalion Landing Team 1/8 deployed two Fast-Attack Vehicles (FAV) bearing M-2 .50 caliber machine guns during Operation Silver Wake. They were the only heavy weapons assets in support of Marines ashore. The FAV can be deployed to the battlefield by loading it and the Marines that man it in a CH-53E Super Stallion. The Albania mission was expressed in the naked truth of fixed bayonets on the defensive line they drew around the U.S. Embassy and its Rilindja Ridge housing complex. The evacuation was completed on March 27, 1997. Over the course of the operation 877 people were evacuated from the fiery chaos that consumed Albania.

DoD News Briefing - Friday, March 14, 1997

U.S. Evacuation Operations in Albania Completed - DoD Announcement

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