The USS La Salle (LPD-3/AGF-3) was a Raleigh-class amphibious transport dock ship laid down in 1962, launched a year later, acquired, and commissioned in 1964. The vessel was a command ship for Joint Task Force Middle East, serving in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and throughout international waters in the Middle East. Between 1964 and 1968, she participated in training exercises, joined the Caribbean Amphibious Ready Squadron as an operation command and control ship, and recovered a Gemini 2-MOL test space capsule. Between 1972 and 2005, the ship was converted to a "miscellaneous command ship" and given the hull classification symbol AGF-3 after an overhaul. She was part of the re-activation of the Fifth Fleet, dispatched along with two Navy destroyers on a six-month patrol assignment in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean regions. During Operation Desert Shield, the ship commanded and coordinated the multinational Maritime Intercept Force. The USS La Salle was decommissioned in 2005 and sunk as a target in 2007. Asbestos fibers become airborne when asbestos-containing materials are disturbed through daily use or maintenance. Veterans who risked inhaling asbestos dust while serving should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
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