March 29, 2011 — Japanese liaison officers were brought aboard USS Essex (LHD 2), to help the planning of humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations conducted by the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, during Operation Tomodachi. “We have a team of three liaison officers aboard the USS Essex,” said Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force Capt. Masanori Ide, one of the MORE
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March 28, 2011 — Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, received the Chief of Naval Operations Safety Award for excellence in safety throughout fiscal year 2010. “It is a great honor to receive this award,” said Lt. Col. John P. Mee, commanding officer of HMM-262 (Rein). “I am very proud of the Marines and Sailors that MORE
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March 27, 2011 — Two U.S. Navy landing craft carrying Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron 11, as well as disaster relief supplies and Japanese electrical utility trucks, arrived in Oshima Island, March 27. Oshima Island has been without running water and electricity since the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami MORE
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March 26, 2011 — The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit continues relief efforts off the northeast coast of Honshu in support of Operation Tomodachi, March 25. The MEU arrived off the coast March 19, after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated the region, March 11. As of March 25, the unit has delivered more than 50,000 pounds of supplies via MORE
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March 22, 2011 — As the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit helps conduct humanitarian assistance missions off the northeast coast of Japan as part of Operation Tomodachi, officials are careful to check equipment and personnel coming back to the ship for possible low-level radioactive contamination. Though the Marines and Sailors of the MEU are not in danger from MORE
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March 22, 2011 — Eight Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron 11 performed a beach landing survey at a possible site for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, March 21. Relief operations are in support of Operation Tomodachi after a 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Japan causing widespread MORE
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March 22, 2011 — As a group of 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters made their way along the northeast Japanese coast March 21, the destruction caused by the recent 9.0 earthquake and following tsunami became apparent. Many houses had been reduced to rubble and most of those that were not simply piles of debris, were severely damaged. Only MORE
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March 21, 2011 — The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron 11, with a combined total of more than 4,000 Marines and Sailors, transited to the east coast of mainland Japan March 20. The USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Germantown (LSD 42) with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived off the coast near Hachinohe city, MORE
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March 18, 2011 — The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Amphibious Squadron 11, with a combined total of more than 4,000 Marines and Sailors, arrived off of the west coast of mainland Japan March 18, after a major earthquake and following tsunami caused extensive destruction to northeast Japan one week ago. The USS Essex (LHD 2), USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS MORE
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March 17, 2011 — Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit left the flight deck of the USS Essex (LHD 2) to establish a forward command center for the unit, March 17. The command center will serve as a base of operations and will control assets on the ground during their participation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations in support of the MORE
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