Operation Silver Wake was a non-combatant evacuation operation

Non-combatant Evacuation Operation

A non-combatant evacuation operation or NEO is an operation conducted to evacuate civilians from another country, generally due to a deteriorating security situation.-United States:...

 (NEO) led by the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 to evacuate American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 citizens, noncombatants and designated third country nationals from Albania

Tirana

Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...

 in March 1997

1997 rebellion in Albania

The 1997 unrest in Albania, also known as the Lottery Uprising or Anarchy in Albania, was an uprising sparked by Ponzi scheme failures...

. The operation was performed by U.S. Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit

26th Marine Expeditionary Unit

The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel. The MEU consists of four major parts: a command element,...

 conducting operations from the USS Nassau Amphibious Readiness Group

USS Nassau (LHA-4)

USS Nassau was a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship. She was capable of transporting more than 3,000 US United States Navy and United States Marine Corps personnel. Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, laid the ship's keel on August 13, 1973, she was commissioned on July 28, 1979...

. Marines from 1st Battalion 8th Marines

1st Battalion 8th Marines

1st Battalion, 8th Marines is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina...

 secured the U.S. housing compound and held the U.S. Embassy. Over 900 personnel were evacuated during the course of the operation.

Some of the awards presented to participating units included the Meritorious Unit Commendation

Meritorious Unit Commendation

The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....

, Joint Meritorious Unit Award

Joint Meritorious Unit Award

The Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...

 and the Humanitarian Service Medal

Humanitarian Service Medal

The Humanitarian Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States armed forces which was created on January 19, 1977 by President Gerald Ford under...

. Selected Marines were also awarded the Combat Action Ribbon

Combat Action Ribbon

The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...