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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS La Salle (AGF-3)
ex
 USS La Salle (LPD-3) (1964 - 1972)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Romeo - Papa - Golf
 NRPG
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Combat Action Ribbon - Navy Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (4)
Second Row - Navy Battle "E" Ribbon (2) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (3) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3) - Armed Forces Service Medal (4) - Humanitarian Service Medal (2)
Raleigh Class Amphibious Transport Dock:
  • Laid down, 2 April 1962, at New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
  • Launched, 3 August 1963
  • Commissioned USS La Salle (LPD-3), 22 February 1964
  • Reclassified Miscellaneous Command Ship (AGF-3), 1 July 1972
  • Converted at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA
  • Assigned as Commander, Sixth Fleet flagship, 8 November 1994
  • USS La Salle (AGF-3), decommissioned, 27 May 2005, at US Naval Station Norfolk, VA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 27 May 2005
  • Final Disposition, sunk as a target during a Missile Exercise by USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), 12 April 2007, off the Atlantic coast
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    LPD - 8,650 t.(lt), 14,113 t.(fl)
    AGF - 9,559 t.(lt), 13,634 t.(fl)
    Length 522'
    Beam 100'
    Draft 23'
    Speed 20 kts.
    Complement
    LPD - 436
    AGF - 445
    Flag Staff
    AGF- 45 Officers, 90 Enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    LPD - 1,000
    AGF - none
    Armament
    LPD - 4 twin 3"/50 gun mounts
    AGF - 2 twin 3"/50 gun mounts, 2 Phalanx 20mm Close-In Weapons Systems
    Propulsion
    2 Babcock & Wilcox 600 psi boilers
    2 De Lavel steam turbines
    2 Shafts, 24,000 Shaft Horsepower
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    USS La Salle (LPD-3)
    La Salle 52k USS La Salle (LPD-3) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Joe Fyke
    La Salle 362k USS La Salle (LPD-3) underway in 1965, location unknown. Note extra level for flag quarters and command spaces.
    US Navy photo form the 1966/67 edition of "Jane's Fighting Ships".    		 Robert Hurst
    Georgetown 263k USS La Salle (LPD-3) moored astern of USS Georgetown (AGTR-2) under the hammerhead crane at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, VA. in October 1966.
    Photo from the Robert J. Gillespie, collection.    		 William L. Baxter
    La Salle 56k USS La Salle (LPD-3) entering the harbor at Valletta, Malta, in 1970.
    Photo courtesy A. & J. Pavia.    		 Robert Hurst
    La Salle 45k
    La Salle
    10090332    		 326k USS La Salle (LPD-3) underway, date and location unknown. Nicholas Tiberio
    La Salle
    10090333    		 183k USS La Salle (LPD-3) underway, date and location unknown. Nicholas Tiberio
    USS La Salle (AGF-3)
    La Salle
    10090334    		 228k USS La Salle (AGF-3) underway, date and location unknown. Nicholas Tiberio
    La Salle 73k USS La Salle (AGF-3) under way in Hampton Roads, off Norfolk, VA., circa 1976-86
    US Navy photo    		 Cary Markham
    La Salle 161k USS La Salle (AGF-3) firing one of her forward starboard 3"/50 guns during exercise MIDLINK in 1976. Photo by Clifford Jensen
    La Salle 91k USS La Salle (AGF-3) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 Wendell Royce McLaughlin Jr.
    La Salle 38k USS La Salle (AGF-3) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		  
    La Salle 61k USS La Salle (AGF-3) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		  
    La Salle 204k Post Card image of USS La Salle (AGF-3) under way at Hampton Roads, Virginia, date unknown. Tommy Trampp
    La Salle 93k USS La Salle (AGF-3) moored pierside at Manama, Bahrain, 1987. Photo by Chris Walker MMFN USS La Salle.
    La Salle 182k USS La Salle (AGF-3) underway in the harbor at Genoa, Italy, 13 December 1996. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    La Salle
    10090336    		 288k USS La Salle (AGF-3) moored pierside at Palma de Mallorca, Spain, 1996 while serving as the Sixth Fleet flagship. Photos by José Antonio Rodríguez Carreño
    La Salle
    10090337    		 227k
    La Salle
    10090338    		 260k
    La Salle 76k USS La Salle (AGF-3) under way near Malta in March 2001 Robert Hurst.
    La Salle 102k USS La Salle (AGF-3) at anchor, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR.
    La Salle 99k Six Fleet command ship USS La Salle (AGF-3) steams alongside USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) during flight operations, 17 January 2003.
    US Navy photo 030119-N-9964S-009 by PH3 Christopher B. Stoltz, photo from Navy Newsstand.    		 Bernard A. Cardali
    La Salle 93k USS La Salle (AGF-3) drydocked at Cospicua, Malta, 15 July 2003, for a maintenance availability period.
    US Navy photo 030715-N-0111R-001 by PH2 Todd Reeves, photo from Navy Newsstand    		 Bill Gonyo
    La Salle 73k USS La Salle (AGF-3) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Department of Defense photo    		 Bill Gonyo
    La Salle
    10090335    		 179k USS La Salle (AGF-3), the Dutch frigate HMLNS Jacob Van Heemskerck (F 812), and submarine tender USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) steam together through the Atlantic Ocean, 12 July 2004 while participating in Majestic Eagle 2004.
    U.S. Navy photo # 040712-N-7748K-063 by PHAN Josh Kinter.    		 Robert Hurst
    La Salle 63k USS La Salle (AGF-3) moored at Gaeta, Italy in December 2004. Bill Gonyo
    Mount Whitney 989k CAPT. Christopher Wode, USN, commanding officer of USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) , VADM. Harry Ulrich, Commander US Navy 6th Fleet, and CAPT. Herman Shelanski, commanding officer of USS La Salle (AGF 3), salute during a change of ship ceremony in Gaeta, Italy, 25 February 2005. Mount Whitney, with a hybrid crew of 300 military and civilian personnel, is VADM. Ulrich’s new flagship.
    US Navy photo by PH2 Sarah Bir     		Bill Gonyo
    Mount Whitney 1255k USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) and USS La Salle (AGF 3) are moored alongside each other in Gaeta, Italy, following a change of command ship ceremony, 25 February 2005. Mount Whitney is the new command ship for the US Navy’s 6th Fleet, and La Salle is scheduled for decommissioning shortly after her return to Norfolk, VA.
    US Navy photo by PH3 Dwayne C. Minor.    		 Bill Gonyo
    La Salle 193k USS La Salle (AGF-3) Decommissioning Ceremonies, 27 May 2005, Naval Station Norfolk, VA. Distinguished guests, visitors and former crew members of La Salle pay their respects for the last time as the former flagship for Commander Sixth Fleet.
    US Navy photo 050527-N-3527B-007 by PH3 Timothy Bensken, photo from Navy Newsstand    		 Bill Gonyo
    La Salle 123k USS La Salle (AGF-3) Decommissioning Ceremonies, 27 May 2005, Naval Station Norfolk, VA. Distinguished guests, visitors and former crew members of La Salle gather on the pier as the former flagship for Commander Sixth Fleet is decommissioned.
    US Navy photo 050527-N-3527B-029 by PH3 Timothy Bensken, photo from Navy Newsstand    		 Bill Gonyo
    La Salle 98k USS La Salle (AGF-3)'s last Commanding Officer, Capt. Herman A. Shelanski, speaks to the crowd of distinguished guests, visitors, and former crew members at the decommissioning ceremony for La Salle on board Naval Station Norfolk, VA.
    US Navy photo 050527-N-3527B-021 by PH3 Timothy Bensken, photo from Navy Newsstand    		 Bill Gonyo
    La Salle 1014k Ex-USS La Salle (AGF-3) moored pierside in the northwest corner of the basin at the ex US Naval Shipyard Philadelphia, PA. in July 2006. Photo by William S. Meredith
    La Salle 50k Sinking of ex-USS La Salle (AGF-3) as a target during a Missile Exercise by USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), 12 April 2007, off Pensacola, FL. John Cronk
    La Salle 55k Sinking of ex-USS La Salle (AGF-3) as a target during a Missile Exercise by USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), 12 April 2007, off Pensacola, FL. John Cronk
    Additional Ships Patches and Memorabilia
    La Salle
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 La Salle
    Contributed by Mike Smolinski    		 La Salle
    Contributed by Wolfgang Hechler
    USS La Salle (ADP-3 / AGF-3)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Winslow, Edward Hughes22 February 1964 - 20 July 1965LPD-3
    02CAPT. Dougall, Alan20 July 1965 - 27 July 1966LPD-3
    03CAPT. Clark, Morris Young27 July 1966 - 9 August 1967LPD-3
    04CAPT. Matthews Jr., Howard Lynn, USN (USNA 1947)9 August 1967 - 21 January 1969LPD-3
    05CAPT. Hansen, John Edward21 January 1969 - 18 April 1970LPD-3
    06CAPT. Maynard, Allison Lyman, USN (USNA 1947)18 April 1970 - 5 October 1971LPD-3
    07CAPT. Morin, James Brendon :RADM5 October 1971 - 8 January 1973LPD-3 / AGF-3
    08CAPT. Crosby, Howard Sydney, USN (USNA 1948-B)8 January 1973 - 15 December 1974AGF-3
    09CAPT. Troutman Jr., Burl Abraham15 December 1974 - 9 January 1977AGF-3
    10CAPT. Fetterman Jr., John Henry (Jack) :VADM9 January 1977 - 15 March 1978AGF-3
    11CAPT. Buzzard Jr., Robert Dow15 March 1978 - 22 March 1979AGF-3
    12CAPT. Karn Jr., Alvin Reuben22 March 1979 - 23 March 1980AGF-3
    13CAPT. Bernsen, Harold John, USN :RADM23 March 1980 - 12 February 1982AGF-3
    14CAPT. Eldredge, Howard Sunderlin12 February 1982 - 19 January 1984AGF-3
    15CAPT. Julian, Franklin Donald19 January 1984 - 21 February 1985AGF-3
    16CAPT. Bennitt, Brent Martin :VADM21 February 1985 - 26 April 1986AGF-3
    17CAPT. Tahaney Jr., Hubert F.26 April 1986 - 23 May 1987AGF-3
    18CAPT. Rittenour, Harry Taylor, USN (USNA 1968) :RADM23 May 1987 - 27 May 1988AGF-3
    19CAPT. McDonald, Jerry R.27 May 1988 - 18 June 1989AGF-3
    20CAPT. Ellis Jr., James Oren, USN (USNA 1969) :ADM18 June 1989 - 31 March 1990AGF-3
    21CAPT. Nathman, John Bernard :ADM31 March 1990 - 4 March 1991AGF-3
    22CAPT. Ide Jr., Warren Harper, USN (USNA 1970)4 March 1991 - 15 February 1992AGF-3
    23CAPT. Klosterman, Robert Charles, USN (USNA 1969)15 February 1992 - 20 March 1993AGF-3
    24CAPT. Samar Jr., Jack Joseph20 March 1993 - 21 December 1994AGF-3
    25CAPT. Milliken, Mark Reed, USN (USNA 1975) :RADM21 December 1994 - 11 April 1996AGF-3
    26CAPT. Caren, Mark Stanley, USN (USNA 1974)11 April 1996 - 3 September 1997AGF-3
    27CAPT. Clingan, Bruce Waid :VADM3 September 1997 - 11 August 1999AGF-3
    28CAPT. Ewell, Stephen Allen11 August 1999 - 10 March 2001AGF-3
    29CAPT. Hautau, Charles Anthony10 March 2001 - 20 June 2002AGF-3
    30CAPT. Haley, John Richard, USN (USNA 1980) :RADM20 June 2002 - 22 January 2004AGF-3
    31CAPT. Shelanski, Herman Alder :RADM22 January 2004 - 27 May 2005AGF-3
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves. Photos courtesy Bill Gonyo
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    Last Updated 12 May 2023