Units

Essex Expeditionary Strike Group Forward Deployment
Essex Amphibious Ready Group
LHD-2 Essex
"Iron Gator"

In July 2000, USS ESSEX took part in the largest crew swap to date when she relieved USS BELLEAU WOOD as the forward deployed amphibious assault ship. The procedure started when USS ESSEX arrived in Sasebo on July 13, 2000. The swap was part of a planned rotation of forward deployed naval forces in Japan, and was the third crew-swap exchange. The ships' crews simply switched ships, minimizing the impact of moving families from homeport to homeport. Sailors in Sasebo assigned to USS BELLEAU WOOD, moved on to ESSEX, while Sailors from San Diego assigned to ESSEX moved aboard BELLEAU WOOD.

ESSEX participated in humanitarian assistance/disaster relief operations in East Timor in October and November 2001, and participated in Exercises Tandem Thrust in Australia in 2001 and Foal Eagle in Korea in 2002.

In April 2003 the USS Essex deployed as the flagship of the Navy's first expeditionary strike group while taking part in the biennial joint exercise Tandem Thrust 2003 off the Mariana Islands. Designated Expeditionary Strike Group - Forward Deployed Naval Force (ESG-FDNF) the ESG was part of a 17-ship force, including the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Battle Group, participating in TT-03. During half the exercise, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Timothy Ghormley was in command of the ESG, and during the other half Rear Adm. Rick Ruehe was ESG commander.

The USS Essex (LHD 2) Amphibious Ready Group and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit served as the core of the ESG-FDNF. The 31st MEU (SOC), USS Essex, USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) and USS Juneau (LPD 10), were joined by USS Antietam (CG 54), USS O'Brien (DD 975), USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) and USS City Of Corpus Christi (SSN 705) to form the ESG-FDNF.

During TT-03, the ESG-FDNF participated in a multitude of joint and maritime operations, including joint fire strike operations, direct action and assault operations, undersea warfare, expeditionary operations including urban combat and an airfield seizure, and the simulated launching of Tomahawk missiles. In this scenario driven exercise, the first deployment of an ESG proved a resounding success.

In August 2003 the Essex completed a maintenance period that included installing a new non-skid surface on the ship's 820-foot flight deck, hangar deck and aircraft elevators. Flight deck lighting, electrical power and aircraft landing systems were also replaced. When USS Essex (LHD 2) got underway Aug. 14, it left for sea trials a better ship. That's according to Sailors, Japanese yard workers, and others who took part of the amphibious assault ship's three-month selected restricted availability (SRA). The work included laying new non-skid on the flight deck, completing a major boiler overhaul, and installing a multi-circuit digital patch panel for quicker and better communications. A major part of the job was a habitability project involving the overhaul of a 232-person berthing area and refurbishing crew lounges in other berthing areas. Computer desks, book shelves and tailored entertainment centers were also installed.

In mid-August 2003 Essex also completed an aviation readiness qualification (ARQ). The ARQ required the crew to conduct several drills, including firefighting on the flight deck and hangar bay, in addition to firefighting drills in the fuel pump rooms located below decks.

Having completed a crucible of ship specific training, the Sailors of USS Essex (LHD 2) and USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) got underway from White Beach, Okinawa Sept. 6, 2003 to participate in a series of exercises. Those exercises were to not only help forge the Sailors and embarked Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) into one cohesive fighting force, but will test new concepts in expeditionary warfare and help shape the future. These exercises, to include Blue/Green workups, Special Operations Capable Exercise and Trident Warrior '03, were preceded by extensive hard work and specified training by the Essex and Fort McHenry Sailors to develop each ship into a solid, self sustaining team. For each ship, their work culminated in the Command Assessment of Readiness and Training II (CART II). CART II is held as part of a ship's regular training cycle and is designed to evaluate the ships ability to train it's own crew by having outside observers watch how the crew responds to a variety of scenarios. These scenarios include everything from how the crew responds to small boat attacks, medical emergencies and man overboard drills, to ship handling and communications proficiency.

USS Essex was surge deployed in August of 2004. The deployment sent the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force to the Persian Gulf to conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO) and Maritime Interception Operations (MIO) by providing security to the Al Basrah and the Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminals in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the global war on terrorism. Essex also successfully embarked the Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 3 staff from USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) Sept. 10 during an at-sea crossdeck, officially activating the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group (ESX ESG).

After spending four months in the Persian Gulf, the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) received orders Jan. 10 2005 to move to the Indonesia area to assist in humanitarian efforts in the wake of destruction caused by the tsunami that struck the area in late-December 2004. The Deployment Order tasked Essex with providing support and aid to the victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami as part of Operation Unified Assistance.

The capabilities of the ship are ideally suited to meet the current needs of the relief effort, allowing for quick access to remote areas and the ability to move cargo from the coastal areas with helicopters and amphibious craft. Additionally, Essex is well equipped to carry out its secondary mission of providing high-level hospital care if needed.

USS Essex (LHD 2) Sailors delivered nearly 170,000 pounds of relief supplies in Indonesia in support of Operation Unified Assistance Jan. 18-20. Using MH-53E Sea Dragon and MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters, Sailors carried 169,485 pounds of food, water and tons of other supplies to various areas in the region. Air Force C-130s landed at an air field on Sabang, Indonesia, an island north of Sumatra, fully loaded with Operation Unified Assistance relief supplies. Essex Sailors volunteered to move the tons of supplies from the large airplanes to the heavy-lifting helos - MH-53E Sea Dragons of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15 Blackhawks and MH-60S Knighthawks from Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 5 Knightriders.

Since arriving on station off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, USS Essex delivered more than 1 million pounds of humanitarian aid to tsunami survivors in the northern areas of the island. This outstanding accomplishment was completed in eight days from Jan. 18 through Jan. 25.

Ships from USS Essex (LHD 2) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), Essex, USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Juneau (LPD 10), began the backload of 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) personnel following their five months of combat operations in Iraq, Feb. 27. The Essex ARG, with the embarked 31st MEU, arrived in the Persian Gulf Sept. 9 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The members of 31st MEU originally thought they were going into Kuwait for training and ended up staying for several months.

The Forward-Deployed Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) returned to Sasebo, Japan, April 6, completing a successful eight-month deployment that included operations in the Persian Gulf and in support of Operation Unified Assistance, following the Dec. 26 tsunami in Southeast Asia. The Sasebo-based amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), returned with USS Juneau (LPD 10) and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) after disembarking 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) personnel and equipment at White Beach, Okinawa.

USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) and elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Joint Task Force (JTF) Balikatan arrived on station off the coast of Southern Leyte to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) Feb. 19, 2006 for victims of a recent mudslide there. Essex and Harpers Ferry responded immediately to the Republic of the Philippines' request for humanitarian relief aid after the mudslide swept over the farming village Guinsahugon and two other nearby villages, about 420 miles southeast of Manila.

Chronology

06 Apr 2005 - Returns to Sasebo

18 Mar 2005 - Port visit, Phuket, Thailand

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Military

Units

Essex Expeditionary Strike Group Forward Deployment Essex Amphibious Ready Group LHD-2 Essex "Iron Gator"

Chronology

Essex Expeditionary Strike Group Forward Deployment
Essex Amphibious Ready Group
LHD-2 Essex
"Iron Gator"