USS La Salle (AGF-3)

The USS La Salle (AGF-3) was the lead ship of her class of amphibious command ships in the United States Navy. Originally commissioned as an amphibious transport dock, USS La Salle (LPD-3), she was later converted to a miscellaneous command ship and redesignated AGF-3.

Commissioned in 1964, La Salle initially operated as an LPD, participating in exercises and deployments throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean. In 1972, she underwent conversion to a command ship at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Redesignated AGF-3, La Salle was equipped with advanced communications and command and control facilities to support fleet operations.

As a command ship, La Salle served as the flagship for various naval commands, most notably as the flagship of the U.S. Middle East Force (later U.S. Naval Forces Central Command) from 1972 to 1994. During this time, she was homeported in Bahrain and played a crucial role in maintaining a U.S. naval presence in the Persian Gulf and surrounding waters. She supported numerous operations, including Operation Desert Storm and various maritime interdiction efforts.

Following her service in the Middle East, La Salle returned to the United States and was decommissioned in 1994. She was subsequently stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and eventually sunk as a target ship during a live-fire exercise in 2007. La Salle's legacy remains as a versatile vessel that served in both amphibious and command roles, contributing significantly to U.S. naval operations for over three decades.