La Salle (AGF 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ghost Tracks 1984 Sharja 3-6 March Karachi, Pakistan 19-22 May Diego Garcia 4-28 June Diego Garcia 8-12 July Mombasa, Kenya 2-7 August Port Victoria, Seychelles 11 August Jiddah, Saudi Arabia 19-20 August Yanbu, Saudi Arabia 23-24 August Jiddah, Saudi Arabia 7-11 September Jiddah, Saudi Arabia 24-29 September Aqabah, Jordan 17-19 November Republic of Djibouti 25-27 November Musqat, Oman 2-5 December Karachi, Pakistan 8-16 December Also, extended underway operations in the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea, with frequent visits to Bahrain, our home away from home.

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USS LASALLE (AGF 3) Shipyard her sister amphibious On February 22, 1964, 23 months after her keel was laid at the New Yorl in Brooklyn, New York, the present LASALLE was commissioned LPD-3. She j ships, USS RALEIGH and USS VANCOUVER, as the third in a class of transports. As an Amphibious Transport Dock, LASALLE’s trademarks were mobility lexibility and versatility. She had the capability to carry more than 800 combat-ready marines «t high speed to an area of amphibious operations. In addition, she transported ammunition.lcaVgo, vehicles, and fuel to support the marines. Within her well deck, which can be flooded, boats are carried to transport men and materials. The offloading of equipment and supplies is aided by the use of a deck .mounted crane, elevators and conveyors, plus a six unit monorail, overhead crane system within the wetl'deck. The Tlioht deck is available for lifting men and supplied H ti«lieopXer. , In keeping with her trademarks, LASALLE’s operating schedule has beenlfar from routine. In May 1965 she served as flagship for CommcMWr Amphibious Forces Atlantic during the Dominican Republic crisis, in Decemiber of the .sarn year, she helped.evacuate T dnsfru fiSTT Battalion SIX from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba ana carried 950 torts of equipment back to the United States including 106 vehicles, 50 miscellaneous carriers and one 41 ton crane. In November 1966 llfl Hftade history by being the first ship of her size to successfully recover a GEMINI capsule and the first ship ever to return a capsule to Cape Canaveral after recovery. ij May 1969, she served as an c erirnentall platform for the AV-8 HARRIER aircraft, becoming one of the first ships to operate with the supersonic, vertical takeoff-and landing (VTOL) tactical fighter-bomber. , Through 1971 LASALLE served as an amphibious force flagship for various commands! Operating in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Mediterranean areas, she took part in numerous Selected to replace USS VA1 Force (COMIDEASTFOR), in Jam facilities were Installed to suit her new role. She was outfitted with elaborate command communications equipment, a weather satellite receiver additional air conditioning, a modern dental facility-, sophisticated closed-circuit television systems, accorhrTTodations for an admixal and his staff, a helicopter hanger, and a .ceremonial awnincfon'her flight deck. ■ i overhaul. - .