 USS Guam and USS <unk> began transit from the coast of Oman towards Mogadishu at 22 : 30 ( 23 : 30 Oman time ) on 2 January . The commander of <unk> Group Two had initially proposed a seven @-@ ship <unk> Task Group , composed of vessels anchored at <unk> Island ( off Oman ) and Dubai and including four amphibious ships so that the full range of amphibious capabilities would be available for the operation . However , intervention in Kuwait seemed imminent and the commander of naval forces at Central Command did not want to divert that many ships from the Persian Gulf , thus the decision to send two of the closest ships . Although the two vessels were selected by mid @-@ afternoon on 2 January , the transfer of some personnel from Dubai to <unk> caused a delay of eight to ten hours . Guam and <unk> carried forces from the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade , including a detachment of CH @-@ <unk> Super <unk> helicopters — the largest helicopters operated by the US military — and two squadrons of CH @-@ 46 Sea Knight helicopters . 
