TAKE NOTICE! USS Essex Celebrates its 30th Anniversary

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Wesley Richardson | SAN DIEGO (Oct. 17, 2022) Chief Culinary Specialist Victor Kyeinyame, left, and Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Wendy De Fermin, both assigned to amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), cut a cake during a ceremony in celebration of both the Essex and U.S. Navy birthdays, Oct. 17, 2022. Essex is dry docked in San Diego conducting a maintenance period to upgrade and refurbish many key systems aboard. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Wesley Richardson)  

SAN DIEGO, CA, UNITED STATES

10.17.2022

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brett McMinoway 

USS Essex (LHD 2)

SAN DIEGO (October 17, 2022) - Sailors assigned to amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) hosted a ceremony to celebrate their ship’s commissioning anniversary along with the Navy’s birthday aboard Essex at her homeport in San Diego, Oct. 17, 2022.
Essex commissioned Oct. 17, 1992, and turned 30 just four days after the U.S. Navy celebrated its 247th birthday.
“Essex has a lasting legacy of greatness, perseverance and toughness,” said Capt. Aaron Taylor, commanding officer of Essex. “That’s truly a result of the culture established 30 years ago today. We are the embodiment of the crew and culture that was established when the keel was laid.”
This is the fourth major celebration for the crew this year. In March, they returned home from an eight-month deployment to the U.S. 3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleet areas of operation. In May, the ship attended Los Angeles Fleet Week 2022, and Essex recently returned to homeport after participating in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022.
In attendance for the ceremony were several plank owners, including Essex’s first commanding officer, U.S. Navy Capt. (ret.) Ron Berg.
“The follow-on crews kept it in good shape,” said Berg. “I’m proud to see it. She’s ‘2’ on the hull, but second to none. Take care of her.”
“Second to none” was the former motto of LHD 2, the fifth ship to bear the name Essex. The motto was later replaced with “Take Notice,” which originates from the first U.S. ship to bear the name. A shipbuilder in Massachusetts posted in the Salem Gazette requesting citizens donate timber to combat piracy in 1798. The ad read, “Take Notice! Ye sons of freedom! Step forth and give your assistance... maintain your rights upon the seas and make the name of America respected among the nations of the world!”
While the first Essex was a small frigate built from wood donations, LHD 2 is a 40,000 ton steel warship with some of the most advanced technology and weapons systems on the waterfront.
“I think Essex has many years of proud steaming ahead,” said Taylor. “The work we’re doing today is going to ensure that we’ve got that war-fighting capability and the combat readiness that we need the next time we’re called into duty.”
Essex is dry docked in San Diego conducting a scheduled maintenance period to upgrade and refurbish many key systems aboard.
For more news from USS Essex, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/USSESSEX, or visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/lhd2.

• Date Taken: 10.17.2022
• Date Posted: 10.20.2022 21:51
• Story ID: 431767
• Location: SAN DIEGO, CA, US