USS Makin Island (LHD-8) is the eighth and final ship of the Wasp class, commissioned October 24, 2009 at Naval Air Station Pensacola — the first U.S. Navy ship christened in Florida. She honors Carlson's Raiders, the U.S. Marine Raiders who struck Makin Island in the Gilbert Islands in August 1942 in one of the first Allied offensive actions in the Pacific. Makin Island introduced a hybrid electric drive — combining gas turbines with auxiliary electric propulsion — making her the first U.S. Navy surface combatant to use such a system, with a fuel savings of more than four million gallons over her first deployment. Homeported at NAS North Island, San Diego, she has deployed across the Western Pacific, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea in support of operations including Operation Inherent Resolve. This framed ship photo is a tribute to her crew and the legacy of the youngest Wasp-class amphib.
- Museum-quality matte print
- Solid wood frame with acrylic front protector
- Available in multiple sizes
- Hanging hardware included