Essex ESG Prepares for Fall Patrol with Blue-Green Workups
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS061003-20
Release Date: 10/3/2006 3:00:00 PM
By Mass Communication 3rd Class Adam R. Cole, Task Force 76 Public Affairs
OKINAWA, Japan (NNS) -- Commander, Task Force (CTF) 76 ships comprising the Sasebo, Japan-based Essex Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) arrived here Sept. 26 to onload Marine personnel and equipment and make final preparations for Blue-Green (BG) Workups, or ESG Exercises (ESGEX) as a precursor for its annual fall patrol.
BG/ESGEX is a Navy-Marine Corps training exercise designed to familiarize ESG Sailors and Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) with how each service operates to successfully conduct a range of amphibious operations. The joint training will set the stage for future nation-to-nation bilateral operations, either as part of an exercise or real-world scenarios like humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HA/DR).
Participating ships include USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Juneau (LPD 10) and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49). The workups will be conducted in the vicinity of Okinawa over the next couple of weeks.
“Blue-Green workups and the ensuing fall patrol symbolize the integrity of the Blue-Green team, working together to achieve the mission anywhere in the East and Southeast Asia area of responsibility,” said Capt. Anthony J. Pachuta, commodore, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11, and task group commander of the Essex ESG. “We see these upcoming workups as essential to establishing interoperability between our services, building a stronger platform in which to assist our allies in eradicating terrorists wherever they may be, and building stronger relationships with our allies in the region.”
While Blue-Green operations are nothing new to ESG Sailors, whose primary mission is to embark Marines for these types of operations, the naval experience is something brand new for many of the Marines now coming aboard the ESG ships. The ESG welcomes 1st Battalion/5th the main Battalion Landing Team (BLT) element of the MEU; these Marines replace 2nd Battalion/5th Marine that was deployed during Spring Patrol 2006.
“No matter if it is on a ship or desert, I know I have a job to do and am prepared to do it,” said Marine Lance Cpl. Gregory A. Lunsford, a combat engineer who is serving in Alpha Company, which will man combat rubber raiding craft off of Juneau for the patrol. “Once ashore, one of our mission areas is rebuilding schools and things of that nature. I am definitely looking forward to that aspect of things.”
Prior to the workups, the ships began performing some qualification-type evolutions on the way to Okinawa. Night operations for the landing craft assault cushions (LCACs) and deck landing qualifications (DLQs), both day and night, were part of the evolutions completed.
“We understand that these types of qualification procedures sharpen the Navy-Marine Corps joint capabilities and increase our abilities in joint-combat operations,” said Marine Lt. Col. Gerald C. Graham, executive officer of Marine Medium Helicopter (HMM) Squadron 265 (reinforced) whose pilots conducted DLQs on all three ESG ships. “We want to make sure our pilots are ready to go day or night—on any ship.”
The overload of activity aboard Harpers Ferry provided a small slice of the activity around the ESG during the transit and for things to come. The ship’s constant sounding of “green deck/red deck” or “green well/red well” was a telling sign of the busyness and a sign of amphibious operations in general, which often launch and recover crafts and helicopters at the same time.
“It’s exciting... just being in constant motion,” said Seaman Marian M. Williams of Harpers Ferry, whose 2nd division, deck department handles amphibious evolutions as well as air evolutions. “It’s tiring, but worth it. We just do it one helo, one LCAC at a time."
Task Force 76 is the Navy’s only forward-deployed amphibious force and is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with an operating detachment in Sasebo, Japan.
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