Commanding officer of amphibious assault ship USS Essex, Capt. Russel Everitt (left), congratulates Capt. Wayne Liebold (right), on a successful tour as commanding officer of Essex. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nettie Mae Manfull)

A change-of-command ceremony was held on the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex at Naval Base San Diego on July 2.

Capt. Russell Everitt relieved Capt. Wayne Liebold as commanding officer of the ship. Liebold has served as the commanding officer of Essex since August 2023.

“As captain, you can’t describe every single moment of your tour,” Liebold said. “It’s impossible to encapsulate every single interaction, every single sailor in a crew of 1,100… Reflect that the average age of an Essex sailor is 21-22 years old and what they have achieved is remarkable.”

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