USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2)

The USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) was the lead ship of her class of amphibious assault ships (Landing Platform Helicopter) in the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1961 and decommissioned in 1993, she was designed specifically to operate helicopters and support amphibious landings.

As the first ship designed from the keel up as an amphibious assault ship, the Iwo Jima represented a significant advancement in naval doctrine. She was capable of transporting and landing troops, vehicles, and supplies via helicopters, enabling swift and flexible amphibious operations.

Throughout her service, the USS Iwo Jima participated in numerous operations and exercises, including deployments to the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific. Most notably, she played a crucial role in the recovery operations for the Apollo 13 mission in 1970, retrieving the astronauts and their command module after their splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. She also supported operations during the Vietnam War.

The Iwo Jima's features included a large flight deck for helicopter operations, a well deck for launching amphibious vehicles, and extensive command and control facilities. She was equipped with defensive armament, though her primary role was as a platform for amphibious assault rather than direct combat.

Following her decommissioning, the USS Iwo Jima was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and eventually scrapped. However, her legacy as the pioneering ship of her class and her contributions to naval history endure.