1700 Camp Lejeune Marines return to NC

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) - The 1,700 Marines of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are returning to North Carolina after more than 10 months away on duty in northern Africa and Europe.

Marine Corps officials said the unit aboard the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group were afloat from March 2011 to February 2012, one of the longest deployments on record; most units deploy for six to seven months.

The 22nd supported operations off Libya, trained in Dijibouti, and also with Spanish and Romanian Marines.

Marines flying AV-88 Harrier jets will be among the first to return Thursday to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, while amphibious landing craft were returning Friday to New River. Hundreds of other Marines were due to return Saturday and Sunday to Camp Lejeune.