Homeported at Naval Base San Diego, California beginning in October 1978, Belleau Wood participated in her first full-scale operation in 1979 off the coast of Hawaii.

August 1982 marked the ship's second deployment where she participated in four major amphibious exercises in the Philippines, Thailand, Somalia, and Australia - including Valiant Usher; Team Spirit and Jade Tiger 83 and eleven port visits.

She went to an extensive yard period in Naval Station Long Beach for almost eight months from early March to late October 1983.

The ship then completed an 11-month complex overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington from March 1985 to February 1986.

Belleau Wood received extensive damage from the storm which led to an extended stay in the naval shipyards at Subic Bay.

Other ports of call during the deployment included Okinawa, Japan; Pohang and Pusan; Pattaya Beach, Thailand, and Phuket.

After the Crossing the Line Ceremony at the Equator, Belleau Wood lost power as both engines and one of the two generators stopped, causing her to drift for five days at sea and have to be towed by USS Anchorage.

Major work included an upgrade to CIWS and installation of the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) system.

During this transit, the ship provided disaster relief to the people of Kauai, Hawaii after Hurricane Iniki ravaged the island.

The murder of the crew member and the subsequent collective punishment implemented by the replacement commanding officer led to a diminished ability of Belleau Wood as a naval asset.

[3] Belleau Wood was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping task force from 5 to 28 October 1999.

[4] In July 2000, Belleau Wood took part in the largest crew swap to date when she was relieved as a forward-deployed amphibious assault ship.

On 22 January 2003, Belleau Wood entered the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company Shipyard at San Diego for a complex overhaul that lasted till 8 October 2003.

This event marked the first time in history that a United States Marine Corps officer took command of a naval flotilla.

After months of sailing in the Persian Gulf, the ships returned to San Diego without the Marines who later flew back to CONUS.

It is said that the Germans referred to them as Teufel Hunde (correctly "Teufelshunde")—Devil Dogs—and it was this moniker that became the ship's mascot, and one of the nicknames for US Marines (Devil Dog).

Surrounding the figure are the gold cross, shield and swords of the Croix de guerre, the French medal awarded to the Marines who distinguished themselves at Belleau Wood.