Keywords: US Navy 071211-N-5067K-045 Officers and crew man the rails as the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) returns to Fleet Activities Sasebo after completing its fall patrol.jpg en SASEBO Japan Dec 11 2007 Officers and crew man the rails as the amphibious assault ship USS Essex LHD 2 returns to Fleet Activities Sasebo after completing its fall patrol During the two-month deployment Essex Sailors and Marines conducted combined training with several Southeast Asian countries participated in community relations projects and cultural exchanges as well as performed various medical and dental civil action projects ashore 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 permanently forward-deployed amphibious force commander U S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialists 1st Class Michael D Kennedy Released 2007-12-11 071211-N-5067K-045 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 53782 U S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialists 1st Class Michael D Kennedy PD-USGov-Military-Navy United States Fleet Activities Sasebo Aboard USS Essex LHD-2 Manning the rail in the United States Navy |