Iwo Jima (LPH 2) - Naval Cruise Book

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COMMANDIIVG OFFICER CAPTAIN JAMES R. POWELL, JR. Captain J. Richard Powell, Jr., a native of Bayside, Long Island, New York, entered the United States Naval Academy on 10 July 1946, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as an Ensign in the class of 1950. He served aboard USS MYLES C. FOX (DDR-839) as Communications and Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer before entering flight training. Following designation as a Naval Aviator in November 1952, he reported to Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY-TWO at NAS, Miramar, California, where he served as Administrative Officer and Landing Signal Officer while making his sixth Mediterranean deployment and two Western Pacific cruises flying the F-9 Cougar and FJ-3 Fury Jet aircraft. In April, 1957, he reported to the Bureau of Naval Person- nel, where he was instrumental in the introduction of electronic data processing methods. Following completion of A-4 Skyhawk Replocement Air Group training in Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-SIX, in October 1960, he reported to Attock Squadron FIFTY-SIX as Operations Officer. In March, 1962, he reported to the Staff, Com- mander Naval Air Force, Pacific where he served until attending U.S. Naval War College during the 1963-64 academic year. During this year, he concurrently attended George Washington University and received a Master ' s Degree in International Affairs. In July, 1964, Captain Powell reported to Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE, where he served as Maintenance Officer and Executive Officer. In December, 1965, he reported as Executive Officer to the ROAD- RUNNERS of Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR whileon the line in Southeast Asia and subsequently assumed command in Svp ' pn.ber, 1966. He completed his second combat deployment in June 1967 after having flown 211 combat missions. Fr. ' lowing his relief as Commanding Officer, he reported to the Bureau of Naval Personnel as Head of the Air Combo Unit Section and later as Aviation Commander Detailer. In July 1969, he commenced replacement training in A7, F4, and A6 aircraft and assumed command of Attack Carrier Air Wing THREE on 13 December, 1969, at sea wii ' the U.S. Sixth Fleet aboard USS SARATOGA (CVA-60). Following his relief in Janu- ary, 1971, he reported to the ' M ice of Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) and served as his Executive Assistant c o Nov-! Aide until February 1973. Immediately prior to reporting to USS AUSTIN (LPD-4), Captain Powell attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. He was relieved of command of AUSTIN in Decemr--, 19 4. Captain Powell has been awaiJed the Silver Star Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross (four awards). Air Medal (twenty awarJ-,), the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device (five awards) and the Vietnamese Gallantry ' .iss (Division Level). He resides in quarters on the Navci .-:hibious Base, Little Creek, Virginia, with his wife, the former Miss M. Frances Jones, of Gulfport, Mississippi, and their five children; two in college, J. Richard III (20), and Lesley William (18) and three at home, Lindsey Byrrr (16), John Hector (13) and Frances Cecile (11).

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The Ntoiy BehiiMl The Maine USS IWO JIMA is named for the epic struggle in February 1945 in which three divisions of the United States Marines wrested control of the tiny island of the same name from a brave, desperate, and de- termined band of Japanese defenders. In February 1945, the American forces in the Pacific were in a commanding position. The United States, by then, had recovered from the disastrous attack on Pearl Harbor to the point where routine air attacks on Japanese cities could be made by heavy bombers launched from the Marianas. The successful outcome of the war seemed inevitable, but no one ever predicted that victory over the Japanese could be attained cheaply. The island of Iwo Jima was a thorn in the side of the U.S. heavy bomber crews. Japanese air attacks on the Mariana bases were launched from Iwo. Also, the island based fighters attacked U.S. bombers enroute to and from their raids on the Japanese homeland. An assault on Iwo Jima was therefore neces- sary to eliminate these attacks on the bombers and to provide a haven for damaged American aircraft returning from Japan. Amphibious forces of the U.S. Pacific Fleet attacked the fortress of Iwo Jima on 19 February, 1945, with a formidable force totaling 495 ships, inc luding 17 aircraft carriers, 1, 170 planes, and 1 1 1,308 troops. Finally on 23 February, a 40 man detachment of the 28th Marines scaled Mount Suribachi at the southwestern tip of the island and raised the Stars and Stripes. A picture of the flag-raising on Mount Suribachi became the most famous photograph of the Pacific War and has served to inspire Americans ever since. The battle for Iwo Jima was fought desperately until 16 March when the island was finally secured by U.S. forces. In the struggle, 6,821 Americans and more than 20,000 Japanese were killed. It was the most savage and costly battle in the history of the Marine Corps, but the Marines could be proud. As Fleet Admiral Nimitz then observed on Iwo Jima, Uncommon valor was a common virtue. With the end of the fighting, the American objective was finally achieved. I liip n History USS IWO JIMA, the first ship of her class and the first ship to be designed from the keel up as an amphibious assault ship, was launched on 17 September, 1960 at Bremerton, Washington and commissioned on 26 .August 1961. She has an overall length of 602 feet and an extreme width of 101 feet. Fully loaded she displaces 18,340 tons and draws 26.6 feet of water. Her turbine-driven shaft develops 22,000 horse- power and yields a speed in excess of 20 knots. Ship ' s company consists of 44 officers and 569 enlisted. She can carry a squadron of Marine helicopters, normally 22, and a Battalion Landing Team of 100 officers and 1600 enlisted. USS IWO JIMA ' s originally assigned home port was San Diego, California. Shortly after her com- missioning she began active involvement in a wide spectrum of Navy activities. In April 1962 she participated in Pacific nuclear tests, and November of that year found her transiting the Panama Canal for station in the Caribbean Sea in support of the Cuban Missile Crisis. In September 1963, USS IWO JIMA made her first deployment to the Western Pacific - one of six that she would end up making. During each deployment IWO could be found playing an active role in Southeast Asia operations. Other highlights in the West Coast career of USS IWO JIMA were serving as flagship during the salvage operations of the USS FRANK KNOX (DDR-742) and being assigned as prime recovery ship for the ill-fated Apollo 13 Moon Mission and the successful recovery of astronauts Lovell, Swigert, and Haise. In addition, she participated in excess of thirty amphibious operations off the coast of Vietnam. In May 1972, USS IWO JIMA departed San Diego for the last time, bound for her new home port of Norfolk, Virginia. Six weeks after arriving on the East Coast she departed for her first Mediterranean deployment. Returning to Norfolk in January 1973, IWO was outfitted with two missile batteries for the Basic Point Defense Missile System, and her fuel system was converted from Navy Special Fuel Oil to the more economical and pollution-reducing Navy Distillate fuel system. During this first East Coast year, USS IWO JIMA received the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy for the most improved ship in the Atlantic Fleet. In October 1973 USS IWO JIMA reacted to the Middle East Crisis by departing fully loaded, on a contingency deployment. Thus began her second Mediterranean deployment, a deployment in which IWO engaged in six Amphibious Exercises, rendered assistance to victims of the 1973 Tunisian flood crisis and ended with USS IWO JIMA, as the first American ship to enter Egyptian waters in seven years, where she served as the flagship for RADM Brian McCauley, whose Task Force cleared the mines from the Suez Canal. Throughout her history, USS IWO JIMA has been awarded two Meritorious Unit Commendations, the Notional Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one silver and one bronze star, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, and three Admiral Flatley Memorial Awards for aviation safety. She received her third Admiral Flatley Memorial Award on 27 September 1974. USS IWO JIMA has recorded over 70,000 accident-free landings since her com- missioning and has also been awarded numerous departmental awards for excellence in battle efficiency, operations, amphibious assault, air, communications, aircraft maintenance, and engineering.

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