Posted 7/10/2009
CORAL SEA (July 8, 2009) Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) embark the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) in an Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV). Essex, is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed expeditionary strike group and serves as the flagship for CTF 76, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force commander. Task Force 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with a detachment in Sasebo, Japan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released)