Essex (LHD 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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Nearly 3,500 Marines and Sailors of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit(Special Operations Capable) and Amphibious Squadron-5 took time to keep their special operations skills sharp by conducting training at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan. The 13th MEU(SOC), commanded by Col. John C. Garrett, arrived off the coast of the island of Okinawa November 13th, 1994: three weeks after leaving San Diego, California where they began a western Pacific deployment. They built a 50- hour window into the transit schedule to allow conduct of a training exercise . We do these exercises for two reasons, Garrett said, to practice and to identify where we need to train further. The exercise had three parts, explained Captain Billy Bob Brown, MEU Assistant Operations Officer. We wanted to exercise an amphibious landing, conduct a Battalion Landing Team size movement, and conduct an amphibious withdrawal, Brown added. The MEU landed at Camp Schwab, on a beach area that ' s only 80 meters wide and 45 meters deep, an area that normally would fit only one Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft; however. Sailors of Assault Craft Unit-5 maneuvered two LCACs on the beach, putting them in close position so the offload of men, vehicles, and equipment could begin. Coordinating the landing force offload was one of the missions MEU Service Support Group- 13 was tasked to do. saidCapt.M.C. Vacca, Air Officer for Using a landing force shore party of 12 BLT 3 1. The BLT had planned to men, MSSG-13 coordinated the conduct a long range Non- offload of more than 50 vehicles. Combatant Evacuation Operation, but Once ashore, the MEU that part of the exercise was aborted executed security maneuvers and enroute due to rapidly deteriorating scenarios utilizing BLT 3 1, the weather. Our safety standards are MEU ' s Ground Combat Element, high, Vacca said. Our intention was to test and Once maneuvers were challenge our Marines in their ability to completed, we supervised the remain within their rules of washdown and retrograde of all MEU engagement, but not place themselves vehicles, said Captain Daniel or their mission under undue threat, Fitzgerald, MSSG-13 Logistics

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Logistics Officer. The MSSG-13 Marines moved the vehicles down to Kin-blue beach where they were washed to get rid of dirt and debris collected on them during the exercise. The washing of vehicles was needed to maintain their cleanliness during transport and storage. The entire evolution took only nine hours. There were a few minor mechanical problems during the exercise and each was quickly solved. We pulled off the offload, washdown, and retrograde in the face of adversities, such as bad weather and parts failure. We adjusted to all challenges and accomplished the mission, professionally and safely, Fitzgerald added. The MEU ' s Air Combat Element, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron- 161 (Reinforced), based at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, used training sites on the nearby island of Iri Suna Jima . We want to always remain current and proficient in MEU(SOC) mission tactics, said Major Thomas Murray, Operations Officer for the ACE. For this exercise, the ACE practiced integrating aircraft communication interoperability with ground control units from