page_title: USS Essex (LHD-2)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: USS Essex (LHD-2) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) performs a stern-gate marriage with Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1631, assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 1 while back loading elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit while off the coast of Thailand after completing Cobra Gold 2008 (CG08) June 9, 2008. CG08 is a Thai/U.S.-sponsored military exercise designed to enhance interoperability between joint U.S. forces and the combined forces of U.S., Thai, Singaporean, Japanese and Indonesian military. Essex is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed U.S. 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 photograph by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Kari R. Bergman/Released)
context_page_description: USS Essex (LHD-2) is a Wasp-class Landing Helicopter Dock in service with the United States Navy. The amphibious assault ship was built at what is now Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was launched 23 February 1991 and commissioned on 17 October 1992 while moored at Naval Air Station North Island. She is the fifth ship named for Essex County, Massachusetts. Essex served as the command ship for Expeditionary Strike Group Seven until replaced by USS Bonhomme Richard on 23 April 2012.
caption: USS Essex performs a stern gate mating with Landing Craft Utility 1631, while back-loading elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
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