Although the two vessels were selected by mid-afternoon on 2 January, the transfer of some personnel from Dubai to Masirah and a decision to refuel the two ships (again, due to the potential risk of an extended operation like Sharp Edge) delayed departure by about ten hours. Guam and Trenton carried forces from the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, specifically Charlie Co 1st Battalion 2nd Marines, including a detachment of CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters—the largest helicopters operated by the US military—and two squadrons of CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters. Planning began in earnest as the ships got underway, with a combined command center on Guam. On the morning of 3 January, the task force's command questioned why they were not given the option of an amphibious landing and requested a tank landing ship be added to the task force. The Seventh Fleet command staff, which were Pacific based, did not understand this request and denied it. The various military staffs were operating with different sets of information. Aboard Guam, a warrant officer who had previously served as a Marine Security Guard (MSG) at the Mogadishu embassy during the mid-1980s was found. The former MSG looked at the aboard ship material and said it was incorrect. The former MSG told planners that a new embassy had been planned and was under construction several years prior. In fact, the new embassy was located further inland. The two ships were from PHIBGRU Two and the Marines from the Second Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), both East Coast commands. They had received old intelligence material about Mogadishu. The Seventh Fleet staff had up-to-date information with the embassy's actual location. After receiving updated information, task force commanders determined that a beach landing, requiring troops to fight their way across the city, was too risky. Initial plans had the ships launch their helicopters at 01:00 on 7 January from just off the coast. However, in response to indications from Ambassador Bishop that conditions in Mogadishu were deteriorating, planners considered and, later, flights with the CH-53Es while the ships were still located in the northern Arabian Sea. The situation in Mogadishu stabilized somewhat and the mission was delayed until 5 January. Evacuation On the evening of 4 January, the final execute order was issued for a 02:45 launch of two CH-53E Super Stallions to arrive at the embassy at dawn. The 60 soldiers selected for the security detail were issued