0808050483B-035 SASEBO, Japan (August 5, 2008) Capt. Donald A. Schmieley, left, salutes Capt. Anthony J. Pachuta after assuming command of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11 during a change of command ceremony aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Essex is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed Expeditionary Strike Group and serves as the flagship for CTF 76, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force commander. Navy

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Keywords: -deployed, 76, amphibious, assault, change, command, ctf, essex, expeditionary, group, japan, lhd2, navy, sasebo, strike