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Essex ARG arrives off the coast of Iwo Jima

March 11, 2003

Seventh Fleet

IWO JIMA, Japan -- The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) arrived off the coast of Iwo Jima March 10 to support the 58th Anniversary Commemoration of the Battle of Iwo Jima, which will be held March 12.

During the next four days, USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), USS Juneau (LPD 10) and the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Special Operations Capable (SOC) will use landing craft and aircraft to transport equipment and personnel ashore to participate in the ceremony.

Iwo Jima is the site of the largest sustained aerial offensive of the Pacific War. The U.S. sent more than 110,000 Marines in 880 ships in what became the largest invasion force of the Pacific campaign. It took 36 days of fighting and more than 25,000 U.S. casualties to break through and bring the island under American control.

The Essex ARG and 31st MEU(SOC) are permanently forward deployed to Sasebo and Okinawa, Japan, respectively.