USS Essex (LHD-2) is a Wasp class amphibious assault ship operated by the United States Navy. Ordered on September 10, 1986 and commissioned on October 17, 1992, she is still in active service as of 2007. As the centerpiece of the Navy's amphibious strategy, her mission is to conduct prompt, sustained combat operations at sea. Since her commissioning, she has received an impressive number of awards, including all of the warfare excellence awards, seven Battle “E” awards, the Golden Anchor Award for retention, the Ney Award for food service excellence, the Thompson Award for public affairs excellence, the Ogden Award for firefighting excellence, and the Chief of Naval Operations and Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific Safety Award.

Essex is the second ship in the all new Wasp (LHD-1) class of multipurpose amphibious assault ships and the fifth ship of the Navy to bear the name. She has a crew of 73 officers, 1,109 enlisted and 1,800 embarked Marines. With a length of 844 feet, she can carry up to 36 aircraft, including the UH-1N Huey, AH-1W SuperCobra, CH-53 Super Stallion, CH-46 Sea Knight, SH-60 Seahawk, and AV-8B Harrier.

Essex provides the means to deliver, command and support all elements of a Marine Landing Force in an assault by air and amphibious craft. She can also provide command and control, and aircraft facilities for sea control missions, while operating with an aircraft battle group. She transports and lands ashore troops, tanks, trucks, jeeps, artillery, ammunition and various supplies necessary to support an amphibious assault mission. Essex is equipped with six medical operating rooms, four dental operating rooms, medical laboratories and hospital facilities capable of caring for 600 patients. She is only second to the Navy's hospital ships in medical support capability, providing effective care to returning troops under battle conditions, or disaster relief in support of humanitarian missions during peacetime.

Essex departed San Diego on her maiden deployment on October 25, 1994, during which she was a major participant in the withdrawal of the Multinational force from Somalia in Operation United Shield. On October 10, 1996, she embarked on her second Western Pacific deployment, during which she took part in multinational exercises with Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, as well as Exercise Tandem Thrust ’97, an American-Australian combined exercise with over 28,000 troops, 250 aircraft and 40 ships participating.

On July 26, 2000, after successful completion of the largest crew swap in US Navy history, Essex replaced USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) and inherited the distinctive role as the Navy’s only permanently forward-deployed amphibious assault ship in Sasebo, Japan. Essex also participated in humanitarian assistance/disaster relief operations such as providing aid in Indonesia after the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2005 and the Philippine mudslide recovery in February 2006.

At Maritime Modelworks, we bring ordinary wood models to life. Each museum quality USS Essex ship model is created step-by-step meticulously. No machines are involved in the process; everything is made by hand. Skilled craftsmen chip away at a piece of mahogany until a ship appears, which is then sanded and puttied. Hand-casted resin and handmade metal parts are also added. Gifted artists paint on the colors and all details, no matter how big or small. Afterwards, clear lacquer is applied for protection. Each model ship is complemented with a handsome display base with brass pedestals and a brass name plate. Products are always double-checked before being delivered to customers in professionally-packaged double-lined boxes with high density foam.