U.S. Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) stand by prior to searching for survivors and recovering casualties.

Guinsahugon, Republic of the Philippines (Feb. 20, 2006) U.S. Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) embarked aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) stand by prior to searching for survivors and recovering casualties of a devastating landslide that struck southern Leyte on Feb. 17, 2006. Essex along with the dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) are part of the Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group, the Navys only forward-deployed amphibious force, homeported in Sasebo, Japan. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Justin Park File# 060220-M-4855P-031