Iwo Jima in Jacksonville After Maduro Sieze

The Iwo Jima is known as a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship in the United States Navy.  This week she navigated the waters from the Atlantic Ocean through a 500-foot wide entrance into the St. Johns River.   That area provides direct access from the Atlantic Ocean into the naval base harbor allowing large ships and aircraft carriers to navigate in deep-water access gaining access to the Mayport naval base Mayport has a base on San Pablo Island in Jacksonville, Florida right on the Atlantic Ocean for some time.  The Department of Defense controls its day-to-day operations as it serves both as a naval base and naval air station.  It was established in 1932.

There was apparently no fan fare or welcoming committee to greet the 40,000 long ton ship to harbor however, several Facebook folks took photos and posted them online noting that the Iwo Jima was in port at Jacksonville. 

A friend of mine, Ainsley gave me the opportunity to go with her on base to see the huge 843 foot long ship where we were able to walk alongside it, take photographs and wonder about its mission.  Too, we talked to some of the marines living on the ship as they came and went during this stay on the St. Johns River.  Busses accommodated them and their families to get on and off of the base. Some met with family and friends as they stayed in the east coast waters for less than a week.

The Iwo Jima came back into the news recently when it was used January 3, 2026 to “launch strikes in Venezuela resulting in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cila Flores”. President Donald Trump subsequently posted an image of Maduro on Truth Social with the caption “Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima.” 

Sources: “According to initial reporting and later confirmed by General Dan Caine in a press conference, the president and first lady were taken into custody aboard the Iwo Jima, during Operation Absolute Resolve.”( USS Iwo Jima(LHSS-7)s  Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation,January 12, 2026).  

Madura Photo-Public Domain- https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts