A Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) from USS Wasp (LHD 1) lands on Santa Rosa Island in the Florida Panhandle to offload a U.S. Marines and combat equipment.

Santa Rosa Island, Fla. (Dec. 15, 2003) A Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) from USS Wasp (LHD 1) lands on Santa Rosa Island in the Florida Panhandle to offload a U.S. Marines and combat equipment. Wasp is part of the seven ship Expeditionary Strike Group Two (ESG-2) that will be the first to use the range at Eglin Air Force Base on the gulf coast. The range is important because it is one of the few places on the East Coast of the United States where the Navy and Marine Corps team can practice integrated live-fire training prior to deployment overseas. The size of its ranges and its location on the Gulf of Mexico, coupled with new virtual training environments, permit Sailors and Marines to hone their combat skills prior to deploying. U.S. Navy photo by Photographers Mate 2nd Class Todd Reeves. File# 031215-N-0111R-073