Essex (LHD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS ESSEX Executive Officer r a . H Captain W. Clyde Marsh K Ip H H Captain Willie Clyde Marsh graduated from Alabama A M University 3 BS H E H ' 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and was commissioned an m fl H B I Ensign through the Direct Commissioning Program. m I B B H Captain Niarsh ' s sea duty assignments include tours at Portland, Or- ■ V ■ egon as Gunnery Officer aboard USS OZBOURN (DD-846); Missile Of- ■ rk. H f ' ' ' ' aboard USS PARSONS (DDG-33) forward deployed at Yokosuka, ■ H Japan and Operations Officer and Navigator aboard USS PRAIRIE (AD- ■ ■H 15) based in San Diego, California. While attached to PRAIRIE he H H H completed a WESTPAC deployment and was awarded the Battle Efficiency ■ K H ■ Upon completion of Naval Destroyer School at Newport, Rhode Island f M in 1980, he reported to USS MANLEY (DD 940) as Weapons Officer. His m l next tour was aboard USS PENSACOLA (LSD-38) at Little Creek, Vir- ginia as First Lieutenant. Captain Marsh served as Executive Officer aboard USS ST. LOUIS (LKA-116) forward deployed at Sasebo, Japan from 1985 to 1987. While attached to USS ST. LOUIS, he was twice awarded the Battle Efficiency E and the Top Gator Award. He commanded USS SUMTER (LST-1181) based at Little Creek, Virginia from 1990 to 1992. As Commanding Officer, he led SUMTER through two arduous deployments to the Mediterranean and was twice awarded t he Battle Efficiency E . As a member of MARG 2-90 operating with the Sixth Fleet, he sailed to the (Ivory Coast) Monrovia, Liberia where he participated in the rescue and evacuation (NEO) of over 1,600 U.S. citizens and foreign nationals during Operation Sharp Edge. Captain Marsh ' s ashore tours include Fleet Combat Training Center, Atlantic at Virginia Beach where he served as Director of Computer Simulation and Fleet Support from 1983 to 1985. He was assigned to the staff of the Chief of Naval Education and Training (CNET) at Pensacola, Florida as Surface Warfare Engineering Branch Head from April 1987 to August 1989. He was assigned to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command (USCINCPAC) as a J5, Plans and Japan (policy) Desk Officer from April 1992 to August 1994. Captain Marsh ' s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two awards). Navy Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal (two awards). Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy Unit Commendation (two awards), Southwest Asia Service Medal and National Defense Service Medal (two awards). Captain Marsh is married to the former Veronica Potts of Tallahassee, Alabama. Captain Marsh ' s children include a son, Diondre, a daughter, August and ward Kendretta. His family resides in Honolulu, Hawaii. USS ESSEX Command IVIaster Chief l laster Chief Yeoman (SW AW) IVIanuel C. Rodriguez Master Chief Manuel C. Rodriguez was born in Detroit, Michigan. After high school, he enlisted in the U. S. Navy in June 1970 and attended Recruit Training at Recruit Training Center, Great Lakes Illinois. Master Chief Rodriguez first saw duty aboard USS POCONO (LCC-160) fol- lowed by Yeoman A school in Bainbridge, Maryland. Upon completion, he was assigned to Naval Air Maintenance Training Detachment, Norfolk, for a brief tour followed by an assignment to the J-2 Staff, Commander in Chief, Atlantic. Master Chief Rodriguez then served with the Staff, Commander Amphibious Group Two aboard USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC-20). Other tours include Staff, Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic and Educational Service Officer, USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHD-3). Master Chief Rodriguez was selected to attend the Senior Enlisted Academy in Newport, Rhode Island in January 1986. Following graduation he was assigned as Military Secretary for Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D. C, and was also designated as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for all Navy personnel assigned. While assigned the JCS he was advanced to Master Chief Officer. In March 1989, he was selected. Command Master Chief, of USS LEAHY (CG-16). In November 1991, Master Chief Rodriguez assumed the duties of Command Master Chief, Naval Air Station, Barbers Point, Hawaii. Presently, Master Chief Rodriguez is the Command Master Chief of USS ESSEX (LHD-2). Master Chief Rodri guez ' s personal awards include Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (two awards). Navy Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal (five awards), as well as unit and campaign awards. Master Chief Rodriguez and his wife Barbara have two children Jared and Anna.

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USS ESSEX Commanding Officer Captain John A. Cassidy Captain John Alexander Cassidy graduated from Villanova University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and was commissioned an Ensign through the NROTC Program. He entered flight training in Pensacola, Florida in June of 1969 and was designated a Naval Aviator in June of 1970. Captain Cassidy ' s first assignment was Helicopter Attack Squadron Light Three (HAL-3) in Vietnam. He was assigned to Detach- ment Three and served as an Attack Helicopter Aircraft Commander and Fire Team Leader flying UH-IB helicopter gunships. In 1972, he was assigned to the person- nel exchange program with the Royal Navy. As the first American to fly the Wasp, he served with 703, 706, 829 Squadrons, homeported in Dorset, England, United Kingdom. He made deployments as the Officer-In-Charge of HMS Diomede, HMS Rothesay and HMS Minerva detachments. In August 1974, he was chosen to represent the United Kingdom in the World Helicopter Championships. Returning to the United States Navy in November 1974, Captain Cassidy was assigned to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Light Thirty (HSL-30) in addition to serving as a flight instructor in the SH-2F, he served as the Assistant Opera- tions Officer, Line Division Officer and syllabus coordinator. After completing Tactical Action Officer (TAO) school in December 1977, Captain Cassidy was assigned to HSL-34. He served as the LAMPS detachment Officer-In- Charge aboard USS RIDDLE (CG-34), USS JESSE L. BROWN (FF-1089), USS JOSEPH HEWES {FF-1078) and USS VOGUE (FF-1047) for deployed operations, and the training officer ashore. During this tour he conducted the initial fleet operations for the SQR-18a towed acoustic array with DIFAR equipped LAMPS MKI. In November 1979, aboard USS PETERSON (DD-969), he made his 2000th small ship deck landing. In August 1980, he was assigned to the staff of Commander Helicopter Sea Control Wing One where he served as Operations and Tactical Development Officer. In March 1983, Captain Cassidy reported to the staff of Commander, U.S. Naval Air Force, Atlantic Fleet where he served as the LAMPS MK III Introduction Officer and the Force NATOPS and Training Officer. In February 1986, he reported to HSL-44 at Naval Air Facility, Mayport and assumed command during the squadron establishment ceremony on 21 August 1986. In January 1988, Captain Cassidy reported to USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) where he served as Executive Officer and as Navigator. From June 1990 to July 1991 Captain Cassidy was a Chief of Naval Operations fellow and was assigned to the CNO ' s strategic studies groups at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. Captain Cassidy served as Commanding Officer, USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7) from December 1991 to June 1993, conducting 2nd and 6th Fleet Operations from the Caribbean to north of the Arctic Circle. Captain Cassidy ' s awards include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, 19 Air Strike Medals, 3 Navy Commendation Medals with Combat V , Navy Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon and several unit commendations and campaign medals. He is a native of Elkins Park, Pennsylvania and is married to the former Janet M. N. Sloane of Melbourne, Australia. They have a daughter, Moyra Ann.

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The Lineage of USS ESSEX In naming LHD 2 ESSEX , the Navy honors four previous ships, dating to the American Revolution, which borne this illustrious name. Previous U.S. Navy ships named ESSEX include a frigate launched in 1 799, subscribed by the people of ESSEX County and Salem, Massachusetts. The ship saw action against the French in 1 800, before serving gallantly in action against the British Navy during the War of 1 8 1 2. The second ESSEX was a steam ferry built in 1 856, and converted into an ironclad gunboat when bought by the War Department in 1 86 1 . During the Civil War, ESSEX participated in action against Confederate forces along the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers, as well as the assault on Vicksburg, before being decommissioned in 1 865. The third ESSEX was a wooden-screw steamer commissioned in 1 876. Regarded as one of the finest ships in the Fleet, ESSEX saw action with the North Atlantic Squadron, on the Pacific Station and the Asiatic Station, before being designated as a training ship. Her last assignment in the quarter-century of training missions was with the Naval Reserve of the state of Minnesota. She was stricken from the record in 1930. An aircraft carrier ( C V C V A C VS-9 ) carried the name ESSEX into Fleet duty as lead ship in a class of World War II aircraft carriers. Commissioned in December 1 942, she reported to the Pacific Fleet following shakedown cruises, and embarked on a series of victories that would take her to Tokyo Bay . As flagship of Task Force 1 4, C V-9 struck Wake Lsland in October 1943, launched an attack on the Gilbert Islands and participated in her first amphibious assault, against Tarawa in November, then moved on to the Marshall Islands, Truk, the Marianas, Saipan, Tinian, and Guam in early 1944. After her first overhaul, she returned to the Pacific, and in the closing days of the war, ESSEX took part in the final telling raids against the Japanese home island. She was decommissioned in 1 947, then modernized and recommissioned in 1 95 1 , with a new flight deck and a streamlined superstructure. As flagship for Carrier Division One, she was the first carrier to launch twin-engine Banshee jet fighters in support of U.N. troops in Korea. Following her Korean action, she was again modernized, this time with an angled flight deck, and saw duty in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets in the late 1 950 ' s. In 1 960, ESSEX was converted to an ASW support carrier, and participated in various NATO exercises. The aircraft carrier ESSEX received the Presidential Unit Citation, 1 3 battle stars for World War II service, and four battle stars and the Navy Unit Commendation for action in Korea. LHD 2 was commissioned on October 17, ' 1992. The new ESSEX, although classified as an amphibious assault ship, is as large, at 40,500 tons, as her namesake, the World War II aircraft carrier. The LHD 2 departed on her , first overseas deployment on October 25, 1994 and returned to her homeport in San Diego on April 25, 1995. During the Western Pacific Indian Ocean Arabian Gulf deployment, ESSEX participated in a number of exercises with allies in the Gulf region and served as the primary control ship during Operation United Shield — the withdrawal of the final United Nations peacekeepers from Somalia. The frigate ESSEX 1799-1 H14