La Salle (AGF 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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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.

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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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C@MMJkl)IK G CAPTAIN HARRY T. RITTENOUR MAY 23, 1987 - PRESENT Captain Rittcnour is a native of Piketon. Ohio. He grad- uated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968 and was desig- nated a Naval Aviator in November 1969. His first assignment was to Attack Squadron ONE TWO FIVE in Lemoore, California, for training in the A-7B aircraft. He joined Attack Squadron TWO ONE FIVE in 1970 and made two combat deployments aboard USS OR- ISKANY(CV. -34). In 1973 he transferred to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron FIVE in China Lake. California, where he worked as a project officer in electronic warfare. Captain Rittenour attended the University of California - Los Angeles and received a Masters degree in business Ad- ministration in 1978. He was next assigned to Attack Squad- ron ONE TWO TWO for training in the .4-7 E aircraft. Upon completion, he reported to Attack Squadron FIVE SIX aboard l SS MIDW ' .W (CV-41), homeported in Yokosuka. Japan, where he made three dcplo ments to the Indian Ocean. In 1981 Captain Rittenour was assigned to .-Vltack Squadron ONE NINE TWO as Executive Officer and de- ployed aboard USS AMERICA (C ' 66). In 1982 Captain Rittenour assumed command of Attack Squadron ONE NINE TWO and deployed as a component of Carrier Air Wing NINE aboard USS RANGER (CV-61). Captain Rittenour was selected for Nuclear Pouer Training in 19S3 and reported as Executive Officer o( I ' SS ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) in 1985. While assigned to EN- TERPRISE he deplosed to the Indian Ocean and Mediter- ranean Sea. Captain Rittenour has accumulated more than 3.300 flight hours. 750 arrested landings and 200 combat missions while Hying the A-7. . ' -6. A-4 and S-2 aircraft. He has been awarded the Air Medal. Navy Commendation Medal and se eral unit and service campaign ribbons. lie and his wife. Kathleen, reside in .-Mamcda. Cali ' r- iiia. with their four children. Shannon, Michael. Robert .md Matthew