Posted 3/3/2012
PACIFIC OCEAN (Mar. 1, 2012) Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) push off from the stern gate of the forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) in combat rubber raiding craft during a night exercise. Tortuga, part of The Essex Amphibious Readiness Group, is underway on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric Crosby)