Iwo Jima has medical and dental facilities capable of providing medical treatment to 600 combat casualties or injuries if on humanitarian missions. Medical facilities onboard comprise of four main and two auxiliary emergency operating rooms, four dental operating rooms, 2 x-ray rooms, a blood bank, state-of-the art laboratories and patient ward rooms. Understanding that quick medical care saves lives, the ship has a casualty-collecting area at the flight deck level with three battle dressing stations. Close by are medical elevators to transfer casualties from the flight deck and hangar bay to the medical facilities based on the severity of a given injury. For the contentment of the 1,075 crewmembers and 1,897 Marine troops, all manned spaces and berthing areas are individually heated and air conditioned. Berthing areas are divided to provide semi-private spaces without adversely affecting space requirements. Deck and wall coverings are decorative, not like the plain grey walls of older ships. Mess areas have a restaurant atmosphere and are designed to feed large groups of personnel in minimal time. The ship has a well-stocked library with a multi-media center complete with internet access, an arcade room, weight room and satellite television.
In March 2003, USS Iwo Jima was ordered out in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and deployed Marines beginning in April from the Mediterranean Sea into Northern Iraq. In July 2003, the Iwo Jima deployed to the coast of Liberia as part of JTF Liberia in response to the Second Liberian Civil War. The Task Force Command aboard the USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) had the intent to keep a small Marine footprint ashore. On August 14, 2003, the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group conducted an amphibious landing operation consisting of 150 Marines at Roberts International Airport and 50 more at the Freeport of Monrovia on Bushrod Island. Nigerian soldiers, as part of the African defense force, also deployed peacekeeping forces. The area was stabilized by the Joint Task Force allowing the United Nations to distribute humanitarian aid as needed.
On August 31, 2005 Iwo Jima was sent to the Gulf of Mexico to provide disaster relief and to effect support operations in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The Iwo Jima moved into the Mississippi River to the city of New Orleans to support relief operations and act as the central command center for all federal, state and local humanitarian operations there. The Iwo Jima also served as the region's only functional air field for helicopter operations. Marine helicopters flew more than one thousand flight deck sorties from the USS Iwo Jima. The crew and ship provided hot meals, showers, drinking water and sleeping quarters to National Guardsmen and relief workers while her impressive onboard medical facilities provided first aid and surgical services for disaster victims. The Iwo Jima also served as flagship to Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush during Hurricane Katrina Joint Task Force and is only one of two Navy ships to be presented the flag of the President of the United States.
In June 2006, the Iwo Jima left its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia and began a scheduled six-month deployment with the U.S. European Command as flagship for the Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Groups 6,000 Sailors and Marines. On 16 February 2007, Iwo Jima was awarded the 2006 Battle "E" award. In 2002, 2004 and 2009, the Iwo Jima participated in the annual Fleet Week taking place off New York City.
The USS Makin Island LHD-8 is the eighth ship of the Wasp class; it will feature some noteworthy technological advances and will be commissioned in October 2009 in San Diego, California.
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