USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) — Amphibious Assault Ship

Also see:
Battle of Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima Battle Ships
Iwo Jima Battle Assault Ship LHD-7
Iwo Jima Battle Assault Ship LPH-2 Operations
Battle of Iwo Jima - American Landing
Battle of Iwo Jima - Japanese Defense

Iwo Jima Battle Assault Ship LPH-2
USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) was the lead ship of her class-the first ship to be designed and built from the keel up as an amphibious assault ship. She carried helicopters and a detachment of embarked Marines for use in the Navy's "vertical envelopment" concept of amphibious operations. Iwo Jima was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Iwo Jima battle assault ship was laid down 2 April 1959 by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash.; launched 17 September 1960, sponsored by Mrs. Harry Schmidt; and commissioned 26 August 1961, Captain T. D. Harris in command.

Following shakedown training, she spent the rest of 1961 off the California coast in amphibious exercises. In April 1962 the ship joined Joint Task Force 8 in the Johnston Island-Hawaii area for an important series of nuclear tests. Iwo Jima evacuated several islands and took part in the test evaluation. She sailed for Pearl Harbor 26 July from the test area, and continued to San Diego, where she arrived 10 August 1962.

In September the ship took part in full-scale amphibious exercises in California, departing 17 October from San Diego for her first deployment to the western Pacific. As a crisis flared 19 October over the introduction of offensive missiles into Cuba, however, Iwo Jima battle assault ship returned to San Diego, embarked Marines 22 October to 27 October, and departed quickly for the Caribbean. As part of America's powerful and mobile force afloat, she cruised in a "ready" status until December brought an easing of the Cuban situation. She arrived San Diego 13 December.

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Iwo Jima Battle Assault Ship LPH-2