The following are events related to the Global War On Terrorism (GWOT) that took place on this day.

2003

• Marines from the 24th MEU returned home to Camp Lejeune. The 24th MEU left North Carolina on the USS Nassau, Austin, and Tortuga in August 2002 for a routine six-month patrol, but mounting tensions in Iraq extended the deployment another three months that eventually included service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• 1st Armored Division begins security mission in Baghdad.

2004

• Start of Operation Diyala Border Police Audit in Iraq

2007

• Start of Operation Dragon Fire East in Iraq
• Operation Red Eagle in Iraq

2008

• Leroy Petry, Army, Sergeant First Class, is the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on May 26, 2008.

Casualties on May 26:

• MITCHELL, KEMAN LAVOR – May 26, 2003
• NALLEY, KENNETH ALLEN – May 26, 2003
• PETRIKEN, BRETT JAMES – May 26, 2003
• CODNER, KYLE WAIN – May 26, 2004
• HENDERSON, MATTHEW CHARLES – May 26, 2004
• NICOLAS, DOMINIQUE JEAN – May 26, 2004
• CROCKER, RICARDO ANTONIO – May 26, 2005
• LUCAS, KEVIN ADAM – May 26, 2006
• BLODGETT, CLINTON COY – May 26, 2007
• DUNN, CLAYTON GEORGE II – May 26, 2007
• HESTER, CHARLES BRANDON – May 26, 2007
• JAURIGUE, MICHAEL JAMES – May 26, 2007
• MILLARD, GREGORY NOLAN – May 26, 2007
• SMALLWOOD, ERICH SCOTT – May 26, 2007
• TRUSSEL, FRANCIS MARION JR – May 26, 2007
• WALSH, NICHOLAS RUDOLPH – May 26, 2007
• BUXBAUM, JUSTIN LEE – May 26, 2008
• GATHERCOLE, CHRISTOPHER – May 26, 2008
• GOODMAN, ASHTON LYNN MARIE – May 26, 2009
• ROWE, BLUE CHARLES – May 26, 2009
• STRATTON, MARK EDWARD II – May 26, 2009
• BOHALL, THOMAS ANDREW – May 26, 2011
• HAMSKI, JOSEPH JOHN – May 26, 2011
• MILLS, EDWARD DAVID JR – May 26, 2011
• OSMAN, ERGIN VEDAT – May 26, 2011
• PATTON, ADAM JAMES – May 26, 2011
• RAMOSVELAZQUEZ, LOUIE A – May 26, 2011
• RUNKLE, JOHN MARSHALL JR – May 26, 2011
• SOLESBEE, KRISTOFFER MICHAEL – May 26, 2011
• THIBODEAU, CHRISTOPHER ROY – May 26, 2011
• GALARZAHERNANDEZ, VILMAR – May 26, 2012
• SUTTON, STEVEN GENE – May 26, 2012
• WARREN, ERIC DEAN – May 26, 2012
• DRAKE, CHRISTOPHER RE’SHAWN – May 26, 2013
• MCQUAGGE, CONNOR ALAN – May 26, 2016
• MURPHY, ETIENNE JULES – May 26, 2017