Persian Gulf (Jan. 10, 2005) - An MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter, assigned to the "Blackhawks" of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron Fifteen (HM-15), lands on the flight deck aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Essex is undergoing preparations to support Operation Unified Assistance, the humanitarian operation effort in the wake of the Tsunami that struck South East Asia.