Essex Stands Ready

Since last Tuesday,the USS Essex(LHD 2) has been ready to assist the typhoon victims of Myanmar.She is about 60 nautical miles from the devastated Irrawaddy Delta,full of relief supplies and the helicopters to deliver them.She can produce 200,000 gallons of fresh water a day.Many of her crewmembers are veterans of the Tsunami and Bangladesh cyclone relief operations.Captain Brent Canavi commands the Essex and Rear Admiral Carol Pottenger is task force commander.The Myanmar leaders have so far rejected the aid,saying that it has strings attached.