Navy Pic of the Day - LCAC 67 Underway

Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) 67, assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4, transports personnel and equipment from the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4) to the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48). Nassau and Ashland are part of the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)

Bataan LCACs Land Ashore to Bring More Relief in Haiti

A landing craft air cushion (LCAC) assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4 exits the well deck of the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) while transporting equipment and personnel off the coast of Haiti. Bataan, along with amphibious dock landing ships USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) and USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), are participating in Operation Unified Response and are providing military support capabilities to civil authorities to help stabilize and improve the situation in Haiti in the wake of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kristopher Wilson/Released)

GRAND GOAVE, Haiti (NNS) -- Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4 Air Cushioned Landing Crafts (LCAC) left the well deck of multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) and arrived on the beaches of Haiti Jan. 22.

They brought 24 vehicles ashore for the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to carry relief supplies.

Opening the beach and bringing in vehicles to navigate the inferior roads has relief flowing by air, land and sea.

"The efforts of the Bataan Amphibious Relief Mission are an awesome display of the Navy-Marine Corps team bringing relief to those in need," said Capt. Thomas Negus, commodore, USS Bataan Amphibious Relief Mission. "It is truly a 'Global Force for good.'"

The landing craft moved eight Light Armor Vehicles (LAV) and 16 High-Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles in seven trips by three LCACs.
With today's landing, ACU-4 is ready to continue to offload the 22nd MEU's personnel and equipment.

"Right now we are standing by to offload the rest of the MEU and their equipment. It's a process with a lot of moving parts, but now that (LCACs) are able to help, it should go a bit faster." said Klimko.

Due to the LCAC's ability to carry large amount of personnel, supplies, and vehicles, the landing craft's debut was a welcome addition to the relief effort.

"We're glad to get in there," said Klimko. "A lot of good work has been done on the air side, but we're glad to finally be using the landing side's equipment and personnel."

Amphibious Relief Mission ships Bataan, USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) and USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) are deployed to provide military support capabilities to civil authorities and to help stabilize and improve the situation in the wake of this disaster.

Navy Pic of the Day - USS Bataan LCAC

A landing craft air cushion (LCAC) from Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 4 returns to the well deck of multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) after offloading Marines and equipment from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU), following a seven-month deployment with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelvin Edwards/Released)

Essex Deploys LCACs During Cobra Gold

Seaman Christopher Smith, from Washington, D.C., assigned to Beachmaster Unit (BMU) One, Det. Western Pacific, directs Landing Craft Air Cushion 63, assigned to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, as it transports Marines and equipment ashore for Cobra Gold 2009. Cobra Gold is an annual Kingdom of Thailand and U.S. co-sponsored military exercise designed to train U.S. and partner Asian-pacific forces. The exercise will include humanitarian projects with participants from Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and the U.S. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gabriel S. Weber/Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nardelito Gervacio, USS Essex Public Affairs

USS ESSEX, Gulf of Thailand (NNS) -- The Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) vehicles assigned to forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) are supporting multinational, amphibious training off the coast of Thailand as part of exercise Cobra Gold.

LCACS are high speed, over the horizon, fully-amphibious landing crafts. Their main mission is to provide lift capability for Marines and their equipment from ship to shore. These craft are an integral part of Essex' ability to transport weapons systems, equipment, cargo and personnel of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU).

"I'm in charge of a [multimillion-dollar] U.S. Navy hovercraft," said Chief Quartermaster (SW) Charles A. McNall III, of Seattle, Wash. "I drive it back and forth to the beach and also oversee the crew's activities"

LCACs are capable of carrying up to 70 tons of vehicles, equipment or supplies at a speed up to 50 knots, or 60 miles per hour. The craft's speed, maneuvering capabilities and ability to land on beaches worldwide have made the LCAC an essential piece in the overall success of the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group (ESX ESG).

"Traditional displacement crafts are slow. They go 10 to 12 knots," said McNall. "That means the ship has to be closer to the beach in order to do a rapid off load. Our capabilities allow the ship to be over the horizon and still have the same offload effect in same amount of time as traditional crafts."

These key operations are made possible by the Assault Craft Unit (ACU)-LCAC community.

"The thing that satisfies me most about being in the LCAC community is the role we play in amphibious operations," said the craft engineer for LCAC 57, Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class (SW) Jarrod Connor, of Houston. "It's all about getting Marines and cargo to the beach so we can secure that beach for our forces to land."

Since the crews are small, each Sailor is afforded a wealth of responsibility as compared to a more traditional ship's company billet assignment.

"I get a chance to play chief engineer of a 23-million-dollar craft. Most second class petty officers don't have the opportunity to do that," said Connor.

With the Marines being the most valuable asset carried to shore, it is important that the Sailors work hand in hand during these operations to ensure equipment functions safely and seamlessly during missions.

LCACs work closely with amphibious assault ships around the world, but have little interaction with other types of vessels. They have an enlisted crew of six, usually a chief or a senior chief as craftmaster, an engineer and navigator, normally E-5 or above, one loadmaster and one deck mechanic.

"We have a five-person crew and the advantage of something that small is the fact that everyone knows each other. We work incredibly well together," said McNall. "After a couple of months together, you work more cohesively. When you're doing 35 to 50 knots over the water, if you know what the other person is thinking, it's going to keep everyone a lot safer."

The crew credits its high morale to a work environment where all Sailors must work together to complete a wide array of exciting and varied missions.

"Having a good crew, the tight relationship and trust we have in one another, is what gives me the most satisfaction," said Connor.

There are currently two hovercraft Assault Craft Units in the Navy. ACU-5 and its 36 craft are based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif., while also maintaining a permanent detachment in Sasebo, Japan. ACU-4 is based out of Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach, Va., and currently maintains 39 LCACs.

Essex is commanded by Capt. Brent Canady and the lead ship of the only forward-deployed U.S. Expeditionary Strike Group and serves as the flagship for Commander Task Force (CTF) 76, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force commander. CTF 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan, with a detachment in Sasebo, Japan.

Masters of Hitting the Beach

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Taurean Alexander, USS Essex Public Affairs

GULF OF THAILAND (NNS) -- Conducting a full-scale amphibious assault requires a great deal of manpower and coordination. It involves the transportation of hundreds of Marines and dozens of vehicles.

When it comes to amphibious assaults from the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), that's where Beach Master Unit (BMU) 1, Western Pacific comes in. It's their job to ensure Marines, supplies, landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) vehicles and landing craft utility (LCU) vehicles get safely ashore.

BMU 1 Sailors ensure safety by training on proper signaling techniques and proper safety procedures for bystanders so they don't get hit by debris from propeller blast.

"We normally get in real early and do a foreign-object-damage (FOD) walk-down on the staging area of the beach to make sure there is no debris that can damage the LCACs," said Quartermaster 1st Class (SW/AW) Melvin Cassidy, a BMU 1 beach master from Biscoe, N.C.

Performing a landing requires five beach masters to safely carry out the mission: a senior ramp marshal (RM), who is in charge of the entire landing, three RMs who land the LCACs, and a radio telephone operator (RTO), who communicates with the Assault Craft Unit (ACU) on when and where to bring the LCACs.

Before each landing, the senior RM gives a safety brief to all personnel on the beach in regards to where they can stand and where to be when the LCAC lands or departs.

"During any landing, the RM has a 30-yard area from each side of the LCAC where no one can stand. The RM is an additional 50 yards away, a total of 80 yards, to make sure he and no one else gets hit by debris," said Cassidy.

After the LCAC lands, the all clear signal is given, the ramp to the LCAC is lowered and vehicles and troops storm the beach.

BMU 1 recently demonstrated these skills when they performed numerous amphibious assaults on the beaches of Thailand as part of Cobra Gold 09 (CG 09).

The job requires highly-skilled personnel. Before becoming part of a Beach Master Unit, Sailors must go through extensive training that continues throughout their career.

"We go to San Diego every year for 30 days or so to do training with our stateside counterparts," said Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Miguel Reyes-Flores. "We give and get training on various LCAC operations, how to work with Seabees and SEAL team ops."

The training received is valuable since BMU 1 Sailors put the training to good use. Being forward-deployed means frequent amphibious assault exercises.

"Being a beach master can be complicated at first, but after you learn the job, it's easy," said Seaman (SW/AW) Christopher Smith from Washington, D.C. "We go out there to get troops and supplies to the beach as safely and quickly as possible. During an actual assault, we can have four or five LCACs beached and have a command center set up within 30 minutes."

Beach masters feel most rewarded when the mission is accomplished; all troops are safely on the beach and the last LCAC has left and is safely aboard Essex. Only then can the BMU rest and get ready for the next day, said Smith.

CG 09 is an annual Kingdom of Thailand and U.S. co-sponsored military exercise designed to train U.S. and partner Asian-pacific nation forces. The exercise also includes humanitarian civic action projects with participating nations from Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and the U.S. The U.S. also engages with Thai military forces in a field training exercise to promote familiarity with and cohesion between these partner nation's military forces. CG 09 provides a unique and dynamic environment to strengthen the bond between these partner militaries and the Thai community.

Essex is commanded by Capt. Brent Canady and is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed U.S. Expeditionary Strike Group and serves as the flagship for Commander Task Force (CTF) 76, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force commander. CTF 76 is headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan with a detachment in Sasebo, Japan.

LCACs Conduct Landing at Lejuene

A Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) departs the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) carrying supplies to the beach at Camp Lejune, N.C. Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group and embarked Assault Craft Unit Four (ACU) 4 and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are participating a combined unit training exercise in preparation for their deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Patrick Gearhiser

LCACs Part of Blue-Greens

For Josh and the SoCalMilcom gang:

Three Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCAC) prepare to enter the well deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) after conducting LCAC maintenance turns. Tortuga and the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ESXARG) are currently conducting blue-greens as the first phase of their spring patrol. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Brandon Myrick)