English: Shield: the gold line joining the blue of the Navy and the scarlet of the Marine Corps shows the unity of the two services. The gold border shows the unity required of amphibious operations. The 2 stands for LHD 2.

Crest: the bald eagle with a shield on its breast is representative of the eagle used in the coat of arms of the fourth ship to bear the name USS ESSEX. The Marine officer’s sword grasped in the eagle’s talons is showing that the embarked Marine units are USS ESSEX’s main battery. The red banner stands for sacrifice and valor required to win the thirteen battle stars in World War II and the four in the Korean War. The Black color for the motto is meant to stand out for all to read and heed. The white border on the banner and the white stars symbolize the purity of cause for which the ship serves and the stars were won.

Motto: The motto refers to the notice that went out to people of Essex County, Massachusetts, to raise funds for the building of the first ESSEX.

Supporters: the amphibious insignia over the Pacific Ocean symbolizes amphibious operations from the oceans of the world.

Chain: the gold chain surrounded by the five-sided coat of arms represents the five naval ships to bear the name ESSEX.