Notes: Originally an amphibious assault ship of the Raleigh class, La Salle was converted into a fleet flagship by the Philadelphia Navy Yard in early 1972. This entailed adding a flag bridge with enhanced communications facilities, a fixed small helicopter hangar, and additional berthing (with air conditioning). Some of her twin 3” gun armament was removed during the conversion, the remainder during the 1980s.
The converted La Salle was assigned as flagship of US Mideast Forces. As such, she was painted in heat-retardant white and acquired the nickname “The Great White Ghost”. A huge semi-permanent canvas awning was also installed on the portion of the flight deck starboard of the new hangar so that area could be used for training during daylight in the Persian Gulf. After a realignment of the USN, La Salle was reassigned as flagship of the 6th Fleet on 8 November 1994 and reverted to a normal battleship grey colour. On 25 February 2005, the 6th Fleet’s flag shifted to USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) at Norfolk Naval Base, VA and La Salle was prepared for decommissioning. The ship was still highly functional and in good condition, however the USN is trying to rid itself of steam propulsion. After being stripped of salvageable items, La Salle was sunk by USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) on 12 April 2007 off Pensacola Naval Station, FL.
Operations:
In 1979, La Salle served as the coordination ship for the evacuation of American nationals from Bandar Abbas, Iran during the Islamic revolution. She was also involved in operation “Eagle Claw“, the failed 1979 hostage rescue attempt.
In 1986, La Salle was deployed to the Gulf of Aden for a possible intervention in the Yemeni Civil War (which never happened). Afterwards she returned to the Persian Gulf, where she was involved in operation “Elf One“, a then-secret contingency plan for American intervention if Iran broke through Iraqi lines and their war spread into Kuwait or Saudi Arabia. In 1987, she was one of the first vessels to assist USS Stark (FFG-31) after she was struck by two Exocet missiles. At this time, she was also coordinating operation “Earnest Will“, the retagging of Kuwaiti oil tankers. In 1988, La Salle coordinated operation “Praying Mantis“, a strike against Iranian forces.
La Salle served as the overall allied naval flagship during operations “Desert Shield” and “Desert Storm” in 1990-1991. Afterwards she served as the coordination vessel for the Multinational Intercept Force ship inspection and boarding teams.
La Salle’s final assignment was as the NATO offshore security headquarters for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
(all details are post-AGF conversion)
Displacement: 9559t standard, 13,634t full Dimensions: 519’7”x84’x21’ Machinery: Steam-reduction: 2 Babcock & Wilcox 870F 600psi boilers, 2 DeLaval geared steam turbines, 2 shafts Max speed: 20kts Range: 9600NM @ 16kts Complement: 440 crew (25 officers, 415 enlisted) + 59 flag (12 officers, 47 enlisted) + 76 spare berths
AIRCRAFT
(x1 small helicopter could be embarked in hangar, any USN/USMC/USCG type could be operated. La Salle also operated US Army AH-6 Kiowas during operations “Earnest Will” and “Praying Mantis“.)
WEAPONS-Guns
(remaining two Mk33 twin 3” deleted during 1980s)
x2 Mk15 Phalanx CIWS 1NM AA
SENSORS-Radar
AN/SPS-40 (E/F) 2D air search: 225NM vs. large/high, 112NM vs. small/low; 14NM surface search (range, bearing)
AN/SPS-10D (G) 48NM surface search / 9NM low-alt air search (range, bearing)
AN/SPS-59 (I) 28NM navigation (range, bearing)
SENSORS-EW
AN/ULQ-20 BGPHES combined EW/SIGINT suite
AN/SLQ-32 Sidekick ECM
AN/WLR-1 ESM
AN/ULQ-16 ESM
Mk36 SRBOC countermeasures launchers
AN/UPX-29 IFF
SENSORS-Sonar
AN/UQN-1 fathometer
MISC.
AN/URN-25 TACAN, AN/WSC-6 SATCOM, AN/UYK-20 and AN/UYK-7 NTDS, LINK-4A, LINK-11, LINK-14, AN/WSC-3 comms, AN/SRC-21 UHF, AN/WRN-6 GPS, AN/STU-5 communications system
(below: ex-USS La Salle after being struck by 5” gunfire and Harpoon missiles from USS Winston Churchill (DDG-81) on 11 April 2007. The ship absorbed a tremendous amount of punishment before sinking.) (official USN photo)
