Despite being in port, Essex playing key role in exercise
SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — The USS Essex is still leading the way despite an unexpected role change in the joint military exercises earlier this month due to a “maintenance issue,” Navy officials said this week.
The amphibious assault ship was scheduled to begin biannual exercises with the Australians and Canadians this week off the coast of Australia for Talisman Sabre 2011, but returned to Sasebo on July 7. Navy officials declined to comment on the specific issue regarding the ship or the status of repairs.
Despite the setback, the Essex, its 330 sailors, Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and their staff elements joined their counterparts at sea by beginning 24-hour command-and-control watches this week in port, according to an Amphibious Squadron 11 news release. The watches are scheduled to continue through the end of the month and the completion of the exercise.
“We set up these watches to keep our commanders informed as things change throughout the training, while providing the supervisory oversight to the ships that are conducting the exercise so they can concentrate on the mission,” Lt. Cmdr. Johanna Schumacher – a material and maintenance manager with the squadron – was quoted in the release.
