The USS Essex Comes Home!

After several months of being out to sea the USS Essex finally pulled into it's home port last night. Brandon will be aboard The Essex as a Master at Arms second class for the next 3 years. Since we have been in Japan we have anxiously awaited it's return from deployment. We have already met several family members with loved ones and spouses aboard the ship. And it was quite a sight to see them all reunited. It almost brings a lump to your throat when you watch it all happening. Especially if you know exactly what it feels like. They are all part of a ship wide family. That is what they are to us now. Family. Brandon will be working side by side with these sailors and they have become his brothers and sisters. And the ship is their home. Together they will live for months on this vessel.

Nicknamed "The Gator", The Essex (LHD 2) is the second wasp class amphibious assault ship, and one of the only forward deployed of her kind. She towers 185 feet above the waterline. Weights 44,000 tons and is 844 feet long. She has 2 propellers that are each 16 feet in diameter, and 2 massive anchors that weight 40,000 pounds each. What a glorious sight to see coming in from the ocean. The Essex provides the means to transport, deploy, command, and support all elements of a Marine landing force of over 2,000 troops during an assault by air and amphibious craft. It will transport and land ashore troops, tanks, trucks, artillery, and other supplies necessary to support an assault. Not to mention the numerous Humanitarian Assistance missions that she and her crew have completed. Wow! What a job huh! In addition to all of the cargo it holds The Essex houses 1,200 Navy Sailors and 1,800 Marines. These men and women consume on average of 7,620 meals, 1,920 sodas, 770 fresh eggs, 2,200 lbs.of meat every single day. And then some.

As we watched the Essex pull in to port we were amazed at her massive size. It was so majestic, one of the largest ships I'd ever seen. My eyes were wide and my mouth was open when I saw her pulling in. But I truly didn't get a an accurate feel for how big it really was until I was standing next to it on the pier. This after all was our entire reason for moving to another country. I was finally gazing at the ship that had brought me across the world to live.We are so happy and excited to be a part of it all. The tug boats pushed her into place so that she could be docked and tied to the pier. We stood in the pouring rain on the pier for 2 1/2 hours to watch the entire process. Sailors from the ship deck threw over large ropes to the line handlers standing on the pier. The line handlers then reeled in the ship and tied her off to giant concrete posts. They let down the gangway slowly. And there they were. The crew of the Essex coming to meet their friends and family anxiously awaiting their arrival. Some had never seen their children and were meeting them for the first time. Others had been through deployments so many times that they couldn't even count them, but were still faithful to stand and wait on the pier no matter how long it took. Not wanting to forget what this moment was like, I took pictures of everything I saw.

Brandon was taken on board to meet his new crew. In uniform, he looks handsome, boots polished and freshly cut hair. Wanted to look his best when he saw his new ship for the first time. He was introduced to his bosses and his fellow shipmates. Taken on a tour of the area that he would be working in. And given his new work schedule. He was so excited to get on board that ship. I smiled as I watched him walking away toward it knowing that this is what he's been dreaming of his whole life. To be a part of something so big and so meaningful. He said when he came off the ship that it was everything he had ever imagined and more. He couldn't wait for morning to come so that he could go to work. What a life. Really loving what you do with all your heart. Everyone should be so blessed.

We aren't really sure how long it will be in it's home port, or when it will be taken out again. Those things are never really planned like they should be. But one things for sure. The next time the ship goes out Brandon will be on it. Living his dream as a sailor in the US Navy!