La Salle (AGF 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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LA SALLE ' S CREST Tlic ship ' s crest combines lealLircs relating to the explorer, the cil and the ship. Its upper right corner bears the charges of the coat-oi ' -arms of LA SALLE ' s family, an eight-point star and a rabbit. The fort on the lower left side represents Fort St. Louis, which was built by L. S. LLE in 1682 on the banks of the Illinois River. The elevat- ed ground on which the fort stands is known as ' Starved Rock. The city of La Salic is not far from the site of this fort. The background anchor s mbol- izes the Navy and the sea; the motto across the anchor ' s base, Facilitas Ad Vlarem, translates to Versatility .At Sea, THE FIRST LA SALLE The first ship ol the U.S. Navy to bear the name L. S. LLE, a troop transport, was commissioned on March ;i. I )43 as ISS IIOTSPIR (AP 102). Her name was changed to l.. SALLE on April 6, 1943. During World War II. LA SALLE .served with distinction in the Pacific, earning eight Battle Stars, the Navy Occupation Ser- ice Medal and the Philippine Repub- lic Presidential Lnit Citation Badge. She was decommissioned on 24 ,luly 194(i. and her name was stricken from the Na rolls on I . August 194(i. LA SALLE ' S NAME .Amphibious Transport Docks ( LPD) arc named for cities which take their names from explorers and develo- pers of the United Slates. Thus. L. SALLE is named after the cit of La Salle, Illinois, which took its name from the French explorer. Rene Cavel- ier. Sieur de La Salle. The city of La Salle is located in the prosperous agricultural and indus- trial Illinois River Valley, in north cen- tral Illinois. La Salle was founded in 1827 when the Illinois-Michigan Canal was planned and was incorporated as a cits in 1832. Its development has been marked by the influences ol ex- plorers, missionaries, pioneers, traders. and emigrants. In 1 832. .Abraham Lin- coln enlisted in the Army at La Salle. The city has been a virtual cross- road of America, giving it a colorful, rich history. Today. La Salle is a city ol some 1 2.000 cili ens employed in the manufacturing of clocks and watches. cement, electrical goods, chemicals, and shoes. La Salle has benefitted from the gifts of abundant natural resources and from the energetic people living in th.it modern, progressive American community. Rene Robert Cavelier. Sieur de La Salle, was born in 1643. He left the reli- gious life of a Jesuit Novitiate to be- come an explorer and developer of America. He arrived in Canada from I ranee in 1666 and developed a seig- nior at Lachine. He later developed trade at Fort Frontcnac and was grant- ed a patent of nobility. He then re- turned to France and obtained a patent to build forts, explore and trade. When he came back to America he brought with him Henri de Tonti. who was his lieutenant in later enter- prises. .After building a blockade at the outlet of the Niagara River in 1697. he set out across the Great Lakes, to w hat is now Green Bay. Wisconsin, then by land along Lake Michigan to erect Fort Miami on the site of present day St. Jo- seph. Michigan. He next proceeded alons the Illinois River where Fort

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Arabian (iull cuniiiij;L nc i.)pcrali()ns wliili; the Arab I cayiie coinciicd in Kuwait. I prmidmi; needed liicl and supplies. I. A SALLK ensured liie other ships ol ' Middle I-asl I ' orce were able lo remain on station for an extended pe- riod during this operation. In May 1987. LA SALLK rushed to the aid of the stricken U.S. I ' rifiate ST. Rk, which was adrift and still burning I ' ollowing an Iraqi missile at- tack. Initially. L. SALLE provided crucial fire-fighting, damage control, and medical aid. 0 er the next days, the ship and her crew became home and family for the surviving STARK sailors. Until the arrival of the ILS. tender . CADL in .lune 19S7. LA S. LLK saw to initial repair require- ments of STARK, proxided accommo- dations lo her crew, and served as a central base for all damage assessment, investigation and public relations func- tions associated with the tragic event. During the ensuing months L. S. LLE served as a command platform for the re-flagged Kuwaiti tanker es- cort operations. Iran resorted lo plant- ing mines to counter the escort opera- tions. During the first escort operation, the tanker BRIDCETON struck a mine, and the United Slates resohed lo stop these Iranian tactics. In September 19S7. LLS. forces caught the Iranians red-handed. The Iranian minela ing ship Iran Ajr or Rakeesh, was in the middle of laying mines so U.S. forces permancnlK de- commissioned the ship. L. S.ALLE sent a prize crew to occup the ship, and the captured Ir.iniaiis were brought aboard ACiF-3. The detainees, as they became known, spent two days in LA SALLE ' s upper vehicle stowage before being transferred lo the Red Crescent. The Iranian ship was the first ship since World War II to be comman- deered b American forces. In the following months. man tanker escort operations were success- fiill completed, and L. S.ALLE con- tinued lo play a vital role as MIDEASTFOR flagship. Mobility, flexibility, and versatility are as much the trademarks of LA SALLE today as they were 23 years ago. The Middle Lastcrn and Western Indian Ocean countries continue to in- crease in importance. ' as areas of consid- erable global interest, both economi- cally and politicall .

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C rc c CocLir was built. He sent an ex- pedition to the upper Mississippi w liilc he returned to Fort Frantenac lor sup- plies. He returned to find the Illinois Posts deserted by Henri de Tonti, whose work had been interrupted by Ir- oquois Indian attacks. La Salle orga- nized an Indian Federation of the Illi- nois, the Miami, and Miiall tribes to fight the Iroquois. Reunited with Tonti at Macinac Island. La Salle descended the Missis- sippi River with a small party that rea- ched the river mouth on 09 April 1682. He took possession ofthewhole M issis- sippi Valley in the name of France, calling the region Louisiana. La Salle completed Fort St. Louis in 1683 and left for France, where he obtained pow- er to colonize and govern the region be- tween Lake Michigan and the Gulf of Mexico. He set sail from France in four ships, hoping to reach the mouth of the lississip|ii, but disaster o ertook the expedition. One ship was captured by Spaniards, a second was wrecked and a third turned back to France. The coast of the Gulf of Mexico was such a sandy sameness to the eye that La Salle did not find the mouth of the Mis- sissippi. Instead, he landed on the Tex- as shore, probably at Lavaca Bay, an arm of Matagorda Bay. From here, fu- tile attempts were made to reach the Mississippi overland. His men grew mutinous. The great explorer died in 1687 while attempting to find the Mis- sissippi. He was murdered b his own men.