USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) is a Wasp class amphibious assault ship. The principal mission of Wasp class ships is to transport troops by sea and air to a land battle, and to serve as the command ship of an Amphibious Ready Group. During an amphibious assault, the LHD class ships provide an “Over the Horizon” strike capability, which allows the ship to launch amphibious vehicles while remaining at a safe distance from the shore. Iwo Jima uses a variety of vehicles and systems to meet the “Over the Horizon” mission. She is the seventh Wasp class of multipurpose amphibious assault ships and the second ship of the Navy to bear the name.

Iwo Jima is still in active service as of 2007. Her crew consists of 73 officers, 1,009 enlisted and 1,897 embarked Marines. At 844 feet in length, she can carry an assortment of aircraft, including the CH-53E Super Stallion, CH-46E Sea Knight, AH-1W SuperCobra, and AV-8B Harrier. The 2.2 acre flight deck is capable of conducting fixed-wing and rotary aircraft operations simultaneously. Iwo Jima has four main and two emergency medical operating rooms, three dental operating rooms, X-ray rooms, a blood bank, laboratories and patient wards. These modern medical and dental facilities, second only to the Navy's hospital ships, are capable of providing intensive medical assistance to 600 patients, whether combat-incurred or brought aboard ship during non-combatant missions.

Fabrication work for Iwo Jima began on September 3, 1996. She was launched on February 4, 2000 and christened on March 25, 2000 by her sponsor, Mrs. Zandra Krulak, wife of General Charles C. Krulak, the former Commandant of the Marine Corps. On June 23, 2001, the commissioning crew made the ship's maiden voyage, accompanied by more than 2,000 World War II veterans, many of them survivors of the Battle of Iwo Jima.

On March 4, 2003, Iwo Jima was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. On August 31, 2005, she headed to the city of New Orleans to provide disaster relief and to conduct support operations for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. During this critical period, Iwo Jima also served as the region’s only fully functional air field for helicopter operations, conducting over one thousand flight deck operations. She served as flagship for the commander-in-chief, George W. Bush, and is the second Navy ship to have been presented the flag of the President of the United States of America. On June 6, 2006, she led a seven ship convoy which included 6,000 sailors and Marines. The Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group, as it was called, went on a six-month tour of duty to the Middle East in support of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and against terrorism. Iwo Jima received the 2006 Battle “E” award on February 16, 2007.

With the USS Iwo Jima wooden ship model, one can almost hear the roar of the ocean waves. It is an exact replica of the original, handmade with vigilance, from the very first to the last step. Master craftsmen diligently carve high quality mahogany to create the ship's form. After it is sanded and puttied, skilled artists paint on the intricate details. Hand-casted resin and handmade metal parts also constitute the model. Clear lacquer provides the finishing touch and long-lasting protection. Each ship comes on a a display base with brass pedestals and a brass name plate. All items then undergo quality control and are delivered to eagerly waiting customers in protective double-lined boxes with high density foam. More than just a display piece, the Iwo Jima ship model is a work of art.