Western Pacific Deployment
USS Iwo Jima operated out of her home port during the first half of 1963, carrying out amphibious exercises and training. She departed 30 August on her long-delayed Western Pacific cruise. Joining the 7th Fleet, she ranged from Hawaii to the Philippines and Taiwan.
On 31 October 1963 Iwo Jima departed Philippine waters for special operations along the coast of South Vietnam, standing by to protect American nationals during a period of increased strife. She returned to Subic Bay 12 November.
Vietnam War Operations
Iwo Jima received tons of supplies and scores of Army helicopters, tanker trucks, and vehicles in her hangar and flight deck spaces. Nearly a thousand troops were embarked for her western transit that began 12 April 1965. She flew off 77 Army helicopters loaded with troops and combat cargo off St. Jacques, Republic of Vietnam.
From there she proceeded to Subic Bay in the Philippines, where troops and equipment were received for amphibious landing at Chu Lai, Vietnam, 11 May 1965. Iwo Jima remained off Chu Lai for a month, protecting Marines and Seabees establishing an air field on the sandy shore.
Subic Bay Operations
On 17 August 1965 Iwo Jima steamed out of Subic Bay for Vung Tau, Republic of Vietnam, to join in Operation Starlight, a 5-day search-and-destroy operation that eradicated some 600 Viet Cong. The successful Navy-Marine Corps amphibious operation was backed by gunfire support from cruiser Galveston (CLG-3) and two destroyers.
Iwo Jima had supported three amphibious assault search-and-destroy raids along the coast by 1 October when she steamed to southern waters, remaining in stand-by status for possible evacuation of U.S. nationals in revolt-torn Indonesia.
Apollo 13 Recovery
On 17 April 1970, Iwo Jima was the flagship of Task Force 130 that waited for the Apollo 13 spaceship's astronauts after their memorable "successful failure" mission. In the 1995 film Apollo 13, Iwo Jima was played by her sister ship, New Orleans (LPH-11).
Iwo Jima was decommissioned 14 July 1993, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register 24 September. She was sold for scrap 18 December 1995. The ship's island was preserved and was on display at the Texas Air Museum, Rio Hondo, Texas.