Keywords: US Navy 090708-N-0120A-043 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).jpg en 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 2009-07-08 090708-N-0120A-043 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 73648 U S Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R Alvarez PD-USGov-Military-Navy Aboard USS Essex LHD-2 Amphibious Assault Vehicle |