USS La Salle (LPD-3 / AGF-3) was a Raleigh-class amphibious transport dock commissioned 22 February 1964 and serving the U.S. Navy through 2005 — Vietnam War amphibious operations, conversion to a Persian Gulf flagship in 1972, and over four decades of Middle East Force command-ship duty.
The 5-entry equipment manifest below is sourced from ship-specific BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation identifying machinery and equipment installed aboard. Each entry is documented equipment with verified manufacturer attribution — primary-source material for asbestos-exposure case development by Navy veterans and surviving families.
Equipment Manifest
| Equipment | Manufacturer | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Boilers | Babcock & Wilcox | 3 | Delivery between 1 June and 28 August 1961 |
| Technical Manuals for Main Boilers | Babcock & Wilcox | 30 | Application to LPD-1, LPD-2, and LPD-3 |
| 750 KW Ships Service Turbo-Generators | General Electric | 12 | Delivery 2 October 1961 to 5 February 1962 |
| Refrigeration Plant for Ships Stores | York Corporation | 3 | Delivery 22 October 1961 to 22 January 1962 |
| 300 KW Diesel Engine-Driven Sets | Fairbanks, Morse & Co. | 6 | Delivery between November 1961 and March 1962 |
Asbestos-Containing Materials Aboard La Salle
The standard asbestos-containing materials installed throughout U.S. Navy amphibious transports of this era are documented to have included:
- Pipe lagging and thermal insulation on main steam, feed-water, fuel-oil, condensate, and saltwater piping throughout machinery spaces
- Boiler block insulation, refractory brick, and gun-blocks around the main boilers
- Asbestos gaskets and braided packing in valves, flanges, pumps, condensers, heat exchangers, and turbine glands
- Insulation jackets and removable lagging on main propulsion turbines, reduction gears, ship-service turbine generators, and forced-draft blowers
- Sheet asbestos and Marinite panels as fire-stops, bulkhead insulation, and overhead insulation
- Vinyl asbestos floor tile (VAT) in passageways, berthing, mess decks, and habitable compartments
- Asbestos rope, wick, and tape in gland-seal applications throughout the engineering plant
Sailors in Boilerman, Machinist’s Mate, Engineman, Electrician’s Mate, Hull Maintenance Technician, Damage Controlman, and other engineering ratings worked routinely in spaces where these materials were installed, maintained, ripped out, and replaced.
VA Benefits for La Salle Veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural disease as conditions presumed to be service-connected for Navy veterans with documented asbestos exposure. The La Salle equipment manifest is direct documentary evidence of the asbestos-containing materials her crew worked around throughout her service life.
Parallel claims against the asbestos bankruptcy trust funds established by the manufacturers of these products are also available, and do not reduce VA compensation.
Speak with an asbestos attorney with Navy veterans experience →
Equipment manifest derived from public-record BUSHIPS documentation specific to USS La Salle (LPD-3). Manufacturer attribution links to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Editorial review applied per site standards.