TUGBOAT GUIDE

The U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Essex is guided by a tugboat onto White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa to offload the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit after a successful spring patrol, Okinawa, Japan, June 20, 2008.

The 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 forward deployed amphibious force commander.

U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Denver Applehans