Following a makeover, USS La Salle deployed to Black Sea
By Keith Boydston,
Naples bureau
Keith Boydston / Stars and Stripes
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Bill Combs, assigned to the USS La Salle homeported in Gaeta,
Italy, works the ship's new crane harness. The La Salle, the U.S. Navy 6th Fleet flagship,
recently completed $8 million in repairs and technological upgrades in Malta. |
GAETA, Italy — When sailors on the USS La Salle weighed anchor
on Monday for a cruise to the Black Sea, they deployed on a newly “tuned-up”
flagship.
The 37-year-old 6th Fleet command ship, homeported in Gaeta, recently
completed a three-month, $8 million maintenance project in Malta — a stay that added
some of the latest “whiz bang” technology and communications equipment.
“The La Salle is like a ’57 Chevy with Windows 2000,”
said Navy Capt. Charles Hautau, the ship’s commanding officer. “We’ve got
one foot anchored in the early ’60s, because it’s an aging ship, but our other
foot is anchored firmly in the high-tech world.”
Besides technological improvements, dozens of other upgrades and
repairs were made in Malta.
The ship’s flight deck was completely redone, a new
heavy-equipment crane was added, the enlisted dining area was retiled and several berthing
compartments were overhauled. It also received numerous coats of fresh paint.
“It’s a hell of an improvement,” said Navy Petty
Officer 1st Class John Arrindell, the 1st Division leading petty officer.
“There’s still going to be things that break because it’s an old ship. But
it sure looks good.”
Many feel the recent upgrades could extend the ship’s life.
“With the work that we accomplished [in Malta], it’ll keep
going for another five years,” said Lt. Althea Dewar, the ship’s main propulsion
assistant. “I’m not saying we don’t have more work to do — it’s a
37-year-old boat. But we have definitely brought it back up to a competitive state.”
Keith Boydston / Stars and Stripes
Sailors onboard the U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet flagship, the USS La Salle, hoist aboard one of
the ship's small boats while in their homeport of Gaeta, Italy. |
The 520-foot long warship doubles as the command platform for the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Striking Forces Southern Europe command.
Commissioned in 1964 as an amphibious warfare ship, the La Salle has
served as the 6th Fleet flagship since 1994.
Nearly 500 crewmembers and about 200 6th Fleet staff members deployed
on the La Salle for the month-long cruise in the Black Sea — the ship’s first
trip to the region since 1998.
It will make port calls in Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Romania and
Bulgaria.
“In each country, [6th Fleet and La Salle sailors] will pay
official calls on civilian and military leaders and participate in cultural and community
relations projects,” reads a 6th Fleet news release. “We want to enhance the
spirit of cooperation with these critical allies and their citizens.”
And the ship’s crew is ready to show off the “new” La
Salle.
“I don’t think it can get any better than it is right
now,” said Seaman Jason Westrup, assigned to the deck department. “We preserved
everything. We did a lot of work on it.”
“Structurally, it’s much sounder than it was before we went
to Malta,” Hautau said. “I would say that right now we are as good or better
than any ship in its class.”
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