 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - Muna 2004, Essex yakatakura 31st MEU kuKuwait, pamwe chete ne. Essex yakagara muPersian Gulf apo 31st MEU uye 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines yakapinda muIraq nokuda kweHondo yeFallujah. Munguva iyoyo, Essex yakaenda kunobatsira muOperation Unified Assistance muBanda Aceh, Indonesia mushure meDecember 2004 tsunami. Iye akabva adzokera kuPersian Gulf kunopinda 31st MEU SOC uye kurwisa chinhu pasinei nokuva vanoda yokuzvigadzirisa. Pashure pokutora MEU neCombat Element, ngarava nhatu dzakadzokera kuOkinawa, Japan. Ngarava yacho yakanga yave iri mugungwa kwemwedzi misere. 