Operation Noble Obelisk

Operation Noble Obelisk was the U.S. evacuation of civilians from Sierra Leone in 1997 by the American naval ship USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.

On the 25 May 1997, rebel forces and military officers overthrew the government of President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone.

At that time, a U.S. Army Special Forces detachment was deployed in Sierra Leone for joint training exercises.

[1] The Special Forces also provided the Marine Expeditionary commander with "real-time" intelligence on conditions in Freetown.

Major General Samuel T. Helland was designated as Commander, Joint Task Force Noble Obelisk.