At the present time the Association is comprised of former and present crew members, Phibron Staff, and embarked Marines who served on the two Iwo Jimas (LPH 2 and LHD 7), USS Okinawa (LPH 3), USS New Orleans (LPH 11), USS Guadacanal (LPH 7), USS Guam, (LPH 9), and USS Tripoli (LPH 10). Former crew members and embarked staffs and Marines who served in USS Inchon (LPH 12) are also eligible and encouraged to become Regular Association members. After all, we were all on the same class ship and our mission was the same, so we have a lot in common.
The USS Guam LPH9 WebPages on this website are sponsored by The USS Iwo Jima Class Association, and not affiliated with any other military association.
The Iwo Jima Class LPH Amphibious Assault Ship was created in the early 60's. The LPH was ideally suited for amphibious assault by the vertical envelopment method. The ship was designed to carry up to 25 helicopters, a Marine Battalion , weapons, and the equipment to support them. In addition to its mission as a Marine Battalion Landing Team Delivery Ship, the LPH class had also served as an Amphibious Task Force Control Ship, Medical Duty Ship and Mine Countermeasures Support Ship. The Iwo Jima Class had a power plant consisting of two boilers and one geared turbine which turned a single shaft with 22,000 shaft horsepower. Its armament included 3-inch twin barrel guns, the 20mm Vulcan/Phalanx Close-in Weapons System (CIWS), and 50 caliber machine guns. The crew complement consisted of 50 officers, 650 enlisted personnel and up to 2,000 Marine troops.
At least one ship of the Iwo Jima Class had been present in every major conflict since the Vietnam War. Although the LPH had proven itself to be a reliable performer, the Navy recognized the need for an amphibious assault ship with greater range, capacity and capabilities and gradually phased out the LPHs, replacing them with the technologically superior Wasp Class LHDs.
This page was last modified on Friday December 04, 2009