La Salle (AGF 3) - Naval Cruise Book

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Fac [ t ae ad Marem As a forward-deployed unit. La Salle ' s primary mission is to provide flagship facilities and support to Commander. United States Sixth Fleet C ommander Striking and Support Forces. Southern Europe and his embarked staff. La Salle also supports the mission of Sixth Fleet and Strike Force South by fostering goodwill and understanding between the United States and Western Asian. Middle Eastern and Southern European Mediterranean countries through port visits and joint naval training exercises and operations. Additionally. La Salle provides logistical and other support to U.S. naval units assigned to Sixth Fleet. Homeported in Gaeta, Italy, La Salle is one of only two forward-deployed command ships in the Navy. Navy Designation. AGF 3 (formerly LPD 3) Vessel Type. Miscellaneous Command Ship Builder. New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, NY Keel Laid. Launched. Commissioned. Length. Beam. Draft. Displacement (full load Propulsion System. Propellers Speed. Armament April2. 1962 August 3, 1963 February 22. 1964 521 feet S4 feet 21 feet 13.900 tons Steam Turbine (600 psi) Two 20 Knots ( sustained ) 2 1.6 Knots (maximum) 2 Phalanx Close-in Weapons Systems Ship ' s Company. 470 enlisted and 31 officers

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for Peace Striking and Support Forces. Southern Europe. Today. Sixth Fleet ' s force structure typically consists of an aircraft carrier battle group, an am- phibious ready group with an embarked Marine Ex- peditionary Unit, and various support ships, land- based patrol aircraft and nuclear-powered attack sub- marines. Providing Strategic Stability in an Unstable World - The Sixth Fleet follows a Peacetime En- gagement Plan centering on exercises and operations [that promote interoperability and mutual cooperation lamong Mediterranean and Black Sea littoral nations. The men and women of the Sixth Fleet provided itimely and crucial military, logistical and humanitar- ian assistance in support of NATO operations in Kosovo during the Balkan crisis. Operation Allied Force. Joint Task Force Noble Anvil. Operation Shin- ing Hope and Operation Joint Guardian demonstrated Sixth Fleet resolve in deterring aggression. In the last decade alone, since the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the former Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. Sixth Fleet has responded decisively whenever a challenge to the region ' s sta- bility has arisen. For example, in September 1995 during Operation Deliberate Force. U.S. Naval forces operating in the Adriatic conducted sustained air op- erations against targets in the Balkan region. Mark- ing the first time Tomahawk land-attack cruise mis- siles were launched from Naval vessels in the Medi- terranean. Deliberate Force helped bring warring parties from Bosnia-Herzegovina to the peace table in Dayton. Ohio. Sixth Fleet was also involved in Operation Joint Endeavor, a maritime peace imple- mentation operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina from December 1995 through February 1996. The Sixth Fleet Navy and Marine Corps team took part in other operations as well, including Operation Assured Re- sponse, an evacuation of Americans caught in Liberia ' s civil war. and a non-combatant evacuation of U.S. citi- zens and other third-country nationals from Albania (Joint Task Force Silver Wake). The most recent example of Sixth Fleet ' s com- mitment to regional stability came during Operation Allied Force, during which Sixth Fleet Navy and Ma- rine Corps forces demonstrated contributed unmatched military might in support of NATO ' s air campaign, helping cease the violence and ethnic cleansing being inflicted on the people of Kosovo. Meanwhile. Sixth Fleet Sailors and Marines were in Albania providing humanitarian aid as part of Operation Shining Hope. When the air campaign concluded. Sixth Fleet Marines were the first U.S. forces in Kosovo to begin peace- keeping operations as part of Task Force Falcon and Operation Joint Guardian. Deterrent to Conventional War — A forward-de- ployed, global Navy and Marine Corps team supports U.S. national interests and serves as a deterrent to ag- gression. U.S. Naval presence in the Mediterranean is a fundamental element of the defense strategy of the United States and NATO. Sixth Fleet commands train routinely to maintain warfighting skills, ensuring their ability to respond immediately to tasking from higher authority. The U.S. Sixth Fleet participation in bilat- eral, multi-lateral and NATO alliance exercises is a key element of our naval operations in the region. The U.S. Sixth Fleet remains forward deployed and committed to peace and stability at the vital crossroads of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Actively adopting a Power for fe ce doctrine. Sixth Fleet promotes peace- ful activities among maritime nations in the Mediter- ranean and Black Sea littoral area, ensuring stability, deterring aggression and. when necessary, responding decisively to any crisis erupting in the region.

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The ship ' s crest combines features relal ing to the explorer, the city and the ship ' s mission. The upper right corner ■»ears the charges from the coat-of-arms of La Salle ' s family, an eight point star and a rabbit. The fori on the lower left side represents Fort St. Louis, which was built by La Salle in lri82 n the banks of the Illinois River. The elevated ground on which the fort stands is known as Starved Rock. The city of La Salle is not far from the site of this fort. The background an- chor symbolizes the Navy and the sea; the motto across the anchor ' s base. Facilitas Ad Marem. translates to Versatility at Sea. La Salle ' s namesake is the city of La Salle. Illinois, located in the prosperous agricultural and industrial Illinois River Valley in north- central Illinois. Founded in 1827 when the Illinois-Michigan Canal was planned, it was incorporated as a city in 1832. Abraham Lincoln enlisted in the Army at La Salle. The city has been a virtual crossroads of America, giving it a colorful history. Today, La Salle is a city of 120.000 citizens employed in the manufacturing of clocks and watches with abundant natural resources and a modern, progressive American community. teady, resolved ervice On February 22, 1964. USS La Salle was commissioned as an Amphibi- ous Transport Dock (LPD) of the Raleigh class. In 1965, she served as the flagship for Atlantic Fleet Amphibious Forces during the Dominican Crisis and participated in the evacuation of Construction Battalion Six from Guantanamo Bay. Cuba, during the Cuban Misslc Crisis. In 1966, La Salle became the first ship of her size to successfully recover and return a Project Gemini space capsule to Cape Canaveral. During 1969, La Salle served as the test platform for the prototype AV-8 Harrier VTOL fighter- bomber. In January. 1 972. after an extensive overhaul. La Salle was designated as a Miscellaneous Command Ship ( AGF) and assumed duties for Commander. Middle East Force. Painted white to reflect the hot sun, The Great White Ghost of the Arabian Coast steamed an average of 55.000 miles annually call- ing on ports in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. In 1979. La Salle assisted in the evacuation of 260 American and foreign national civilians from the Iranian seaport of Bandar Abbas and became the focal point of U.S. activity in the Persian Gulf at the outset of the Iranian Hos- tage Crisis. In November 1980, La Salle was relieved by USS Coronado and returned stateside for the first time in 8 1 2 years. Upon arrival, she began a major overhaul adding an extensive electronics and communications package and replacing two 3 50 gun mounts with the MK 15 Close-in Weapons Sys- tems (CIWS). La Salle returned to the Arabian Gulf and assumed flagship duties for COMIDEASTFOR in June 1983. In 1984, La Salle embarked three CH-53 helicopters to conduct minesweep operations in the Red Sea in response to attempts to disrupt the free passage of shipping. In the beginning of 1986, La Salle conducted contingency operations off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden during the country ' s civil war. In May 1987, La Salle provided the primary Fire Fighting Rescue Assis- tance and crew support to USS Stark following the Iraqi missile attack. In Sep- tember 1987, La Salle acted as the launch platform for the assault on the Iranian minelaying vessel Iran Ajr . Crews and assault craft from La Salle conducted the assault on the vessel and effected the detention of its crew while La Salle ' s prize crews manned Iran Ajr . In January 1991, La Salle assumed the responsibility of com- manding and coordinating the multi-national Maritime Intercept Force during Operation Desert Shield. During Operation Desert Storm. La Salle returned to the United States to begin a 1 7-month overhaul in preparation for its next assignment as the Sixth Fleet flagship. During the overhaul. La Salle received extensive upgrades to its communications, and command and control capabilities. A floating barge, utilized as crew living quarters and an office complex, was fitted into the well deck and upper vehicle of the flagship in order to support the staff of Sixth Fleet during La Salle ' s newest assignment as the Sixth Fleet Flagship. Since assuming responsibilities as flagship on November 8, 1994. La Salle has proudly served throughout the Mediterranean and Black Seas in her role of supporting COMSIXTHFLT and Strike Force South. Additionally. La Salle s diplomatic role fosters goodwill and understanding between the United States and Western Asian, Middle Eastern and Southern Euro- pean Mediterranean countries. In 2001, La Salle and the Sixth Fleet staff left homeport a number of times, making port visits early in the year to Gibraltar: Casablanca. Morocco; Malaga, Spain. During the middle of the year. La Salle conducted a three month maintenance period in Malta, returning to Gaeta on July 3.