La Salle (AGF 3) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 5 text:

USS La Salle CAGF 31 With a coat of white paint to reflect the hot sun of the Middle East, LPD 3 became AGF 3 tMiscellaneous Command Shipj on July 1, 1972, and on August 24, it assumed its duties as COM- IDEASTFOR flagship. The Great White Ghost of the Arabian Coast, as it is affectionately called by the crew, steamed on average of 55,000 miles annually calling at ports in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. It also participated in annual naval exercises with allied nations in the area. In February 1979, La Salle assisted in the evacuation of 260 American and foreign citizens from the Iranian seaport of Bandar Abbas. The evacuees were shuttled by two British hydrographic ships to La Salle, which was waiting off the Iranian coast. The operation earned the ship and itscrew the Humanitarian Service Medal. At the outset ofthe Iranian hostage crisis in November 1979, La Salle was the focal point of U.S. activity in the Arabian GuM While on station off the coast of Iran, La Salle was at sea from November 19, 1979, to January 23, 1980, a total of 74 consecutive days, which earned the ship the Navy Unit Commendation Pennant. The combination of the hostage crisis and the Iran-Iraq war which began during the summer of 1 980 brought about a dramatic increase in the command and support responsibilities which were placed upon the crew. For their efforts during those arduous con- tingency operations, the crew was awarded the Navy Expedi- tionary Medal. In November 1980, La Salle was relieved as flagship for Com- mander, Middle East Forceby USS Coronado KAGF 112. While returning to the United States for the first time in over eight years, La Salle's crew rescued six Norwegian merchant mariners from their burning vessel, which was off the coast of Sardinia. Shortly aker its arrival stateside in December 1980, La Salle began an extensive 560 million overhaul at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Again, many changes were made to the ship, in- cluding a significant increase in air conditioning equipment, replacing and upgrading the ship 's four turbine generators, adding a large electronics package, removing two 3 !50 caliber anti- aircraj? guns and replacing them with the Phalanx Close-in Weapons System. The overhaul was one of the largest and most expensive for a Navy non-carrier type ship. After a period of trials and training in the western Atlantic, the ship returned to the Arabian Gub' in June 1983 and resumed its duties as flagship for Commander, Middle East Force.

Page 4 text:

The History of On February 22, 1964, 23 months after its keel was laid at the New York Naval Shipyard in Brooklyn, New York, the present USS La Salle was commissioned LPD 3. It joined its sister ships, USS Raleigh and USS Vancouver, as the third in a class of new am- phibious transports. As an Amphibious Transport Dock, La Salle's trademarks were mobility, flexibility and versatility. It had the capability to carry more than 800 combat-ready Marines at high speed to an area of amphibious operations. In addition, it transported ammunition, cargo, vehicles, and fuel to support the Marines. Within its well deck, which can be flooded, boats are carried to transport men and materials. The ojfloading of equipment and sup- plies is aided by the use ofa deck-mounted crane, elevators and con- veyors, plus a six-unit monorail, overhead crane system within the well deck. The flight deck is available for lijting men and supplies by helicopter. In keeping with her trademarks, La Salle 's operating schedule has been far from routine. In May 1965, it served as flagship for Com- mander, Amphibious Forces Atlantic during the Dominican Republic crisis. In December of the same year, it helped evacuate Construction Battalion 6 from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and carried 950 tons of equipment back to the United States, including 106 vehicles, 50 miscellaneous carriers and one 4 I -ton crane. In November 1966, it made history by being the hrst ship of its size to recover a Gemini capsule and the first ship ever to return a capsule to Cape Canaveral after recovery. In May 1969, it served as an ex- perimental launching plauform for the A V-8 Harrier aircraft, becom- ing one of the first ships to operate with the supersonic, vertical takeoj' and landing tactical fighter-bomber. Through 1971, La Salle served as an amphibious force flagship for various commands. Operating in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Mediterranean areas, it took part in numerous amphibious exercises with U.S. forces in conjunction with other NA TO navies. Selected to replace USS Valcour KAGF 12 as flagship for Com- mander, Middle East Force in January 1972, La Salle began an ex- tensive overhaul. New facilities were installed to suit its new role. It was oujitted with elaborate command communications equipment, a weather satellite receiver, additional air conditioning, a modern dental facility, sophisticated closed-circuit television systems, ac- commodations for an Admiral and his staff a helicopter hangar, and a ceremonial awning on its flight deck. 2 A

Page 6 text:

-,,,uQ J Q04 WW 'gif qi