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USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3)
Encyclopedia
USS Niagara Falls (AFS–3), a , was the only ship of the United States Navy
to be named after the City of Niagara Falls, New York
. Commissioned into the US Navy on 29 April 1967, she served until September 1994, when she was transferred to the US Military Sealift Command
to serve as USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS-3). Assigned to the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force, Far East
, she served until 30 September 2008, when she was finally deactivated.
Niagara Falls was designed to deliver refrigerated stores, dry provisions, technical spares, and general stores type material to the Fleet at sea. Her configuration provided for rapid issue rates using a minimum of men and the latest in transfer-at-sea methods, cargo handling, storage techniques, and automation. She was capable of simultaneous replenishment
of one ship on each side as well as transfer of material by cargo
helicopters, which she carried.
in San Diego, California
; launched on 26 March 1966; sponsored by Mrs. Jacob Javits, wife of the senior Senator
from New York
; delivered to the Navy
at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard
, Long Beach, California
, on 20 April 1967; and commissioned on 29 April, with Captain Horace C. Holley in command.
After initial shakedown
, the new combat store ship loaded 2,500 tons of stores at Naval Supply Center
, Oakland, California
and through September completed final acceptance trials and post-shakedown availability at San Diego.
on 28 March, arrived at Subic Bay
on 14 April, and there conducted the first of many replenishments.
Upon arrival on 22 April at An Thoi, South Vietnam
, she transferred over 100 tons of material, and two days later she supplied amphibious units in Vung Tau
. In Cam Rahn Bay 25 April, Niagara Falls supplied ships and the Naval Support Activity there. She also supplied ships of the Naval Gunfire Support
Group off the Vietnam coast, and made several replenishment swings through the Yankee Station
and Market Time
areas.
Niagara Falls completed the last replenishment of her 1971 deployment on 15 September, called at Hong Kong
from 17 through 21 September, at Pearl Harbor
from 9–10 October, and arrived back at San Diego on 17 October. Completing preparations for another deployment and transfer of homeport to Sasebo to commence 3 January 1969 with the arrival of the New Year, Niagara Falls steamed for WestPac a second time.
During the Vietnam War
the Niagara Falls participated in the following campaigns: Vietnamese Counter Offensive Phases IV, V, VI; Tet 69 / Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer/Fall 69; Vietnam Winter/Spring 70; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII; Consolidation I; Vietnam Ceasefire.
On 14 September 1970, Niagara Falls found and rescued the 45 feet (14 m) sailboat Galilee that had been the object of an intense search for more than a month. When sighted, the boat was about 400 nautical miles (740.8 km) west/northwest of Honolulu. The three crew members had been without food since 27 July (the Galilee departed Tahiti on 17 June for Honolulu). Rescued were Julian Ritter
, Laurene Louise Kokx and Winfried Bernard Heiringhoff. According to the ship's doctor, the rescuees were days away from death.
During the period July 15–30, 1971 Niagara Falls and are noted by operating at Yankee Station as conducting a complex four-helicopter VERTREP
.
"The Falls" returned to Vietnam in 1972, continued its replenishment cycle of one weekend in port (normally US Naval Base Subic Bay, PI) and two weeks "on line," throughout the Fall of 1972 and into the Spring of 1973. Normal routine included resupplying the destroyers on the gunline and continuing up to Yankee Station to replenish the aircraft carriers, including the USS Ranger (CV-61)
and USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
. Following the cease fire, the Niagara Falls supported the minesweep group that was helping clear Hanoi
(Haiphong
) harbor of the mines that were dropped by naval aircraft.
During the early 1970s the noted spy John Anthony Walker
, Jr. (Johnny) served in Niagara Falls radio room. It was during his three years aboard the Niagara Falls serving as Classified Materials Systems (CMS) Custodian that Walker had access to the various cryptographic machines (KW-7, KWR-37, KG-14, KY-8, and KL-47
) providing the keys for nearly all of them to the KGB
. Being a supply ship, the Niagara Falls received classified messages about ships movements off Vietnam and in the South China Sea. In order to deliver this classified information to soviet contacts, it is believed by investigators, that CWO3 Walker made dead drops in ports of call including the Philippines
, Hong Kong
. Suspecting intelligence breach from the Niagara Falls, an intelligence operative was inserted as a junior Radioman in the mid-1970s to confirm but findings were inconclusive.
. The Department of Veterans Affairs
identified certain vessel types that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland Vietnam waterways. Because she went up river, USS Niagara Falls was recognized as exposed to contaminated waterways during missions on theSaigon River and in Cam Rahn Bay, April 22–25, 1968. Throughout the war, the "Falls" was further exposed to runoff of Agent Orange and other herbicides when she anchored in Da Nang
Harbor, returned to Cam Rahn Bay, and steamed along littoral waters of South Vietnam. Studies of Australian naval ships show that salt water evaporative distilling systems actually increased the concentration of Agent Orange in drinking and cooking water, and the distilling system became coated in herbicide toxins. The Department of Veterans Affairs is yet to recognize these Australian studies and grant health coverage to the "bluewater" sailors who have been exposed on the "Niagara Falls" and other navy ships that performed missions along the Vietnam coast.
On September 6, 1983, Niagara Falls changed homeports to Guam
and became part of the forward deployed elements of CTF 73/75, part of the 7th Fleet. From that time until January 1991 the ship conducted three Refresher Training sessions, five OPPRE's, four SMI's, five ARE's, and three INSURV Inspections. She made port calls to numerous locations such as Yokosuka and Sasebo
, Japan; Hong Kong
; Subic Bay
and Cebu
, Philippines; Bali
, Indonesia; Fremantle
/Perth
, Australia; Singapore
; Muscat
, Oman
; Bahrain
; Pattaya
and Phuket
, Thailand; Fujiarah, UAE; and Diego Garcia
. A number of these locations were visited more than once. Niagara Falls participated in numerous Fleet Support Operations including repeated Masirah Airheads, Operation Team Spirit and PACEX-89.
The Niagara Falls received the "7th Fleet Finest Combat Logistic Support Ship" award for her performance in PACEX-89, a combined US, Korean, and Japanese naval exercise which was the largest since the end of the Korean War. Included in PACEX-89 such notable ships as the , , and . During PACEX-89 Niagara Falls was the command ship for the Underway Replenishment Group.
Due to the nature of the tasking of a combat stores ship, and the outstanding performance the Niagara Falls has provided in logistic support service, she has earned the nickname "Fighting Falls" by the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet. Through 1991 the Fighting Falls had supported Seventh Fleet operations during 15 WestPac/Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf deployments. The Niagara Falls was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation
as well as receiving the Battle "E"
after an extended deployment for almost eight months followed immediately by another short fuse deployment.
Niagara Falls participated in the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War supporting Operation Prime Chance
and Operation Earnest Will
. In one near action the Niagara Falls crossed paths with an Iranian minelayer and during a tense hour the Fighting Falls prepared to defend herself. There was no exchange of fire, the intelligence on the minelayer was relayed by Captain Gay to the fleet and the Iranian ship was subsequently intercepted by US Navy combatant forces. Niagara Falls often visited Bahrain, Fujiarah, Muscat, and the obligatory Masirah Airhead Evolutions during this time.
Niagara Falls was one of the first non-depot ships to be assigned female crew members, starting with Lt-Cmdr. Carol Rengstorff as Executive Officer. Approximately 30 female sailors and officers were made part of the Niagara Falls crew shortly thereafter.
was assigned. During the course of the war the Niagara Falls destroyed five naval mines herself while operating in the northern Persian Gulf.
One interesting incident on the 23 January was the visible flash of an explosion reported by the aft lookout, possibly an errant Scud missile which had been reported heading out into the Gulf.
On 29 March the Niagara Falls assisted the M/V Mercs Horana which was undergoing a major shipboard fire. The Falls arrived at night and the crew was presented with the sobering image of the Horanas superstructure fully engulfed in flames, and four other coalition ships, including the and circling the burning vessel. Niagara Falls At-Sea Fire Party was told to stand ready to motorboat over, however the Commonwealth Coalition ship in charge at the scene declined the manpower and requested spare fire fighting foam be supplied.
For spending 143 days in the combat zone, and operating North of 28.30 N and West of 49.30 E between 17 January–28 February 1991 the ship was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon
. During the course of the war the Niagara Falls primary assignment was the USS Missouri's
battlegroup, however she also serviced the , the Amphibious Group, and the hospital ships. During this period the Niagara Falls would mainly resupply from Jebel Ali
near Dubai
, however stops were also made at Bahrain
and Abu Dhabi
.
, Thailand, when the volcano Mount Pinatubo
erupted in the Philippines. The Niagara Falls duty crews loaded stores at Phuket while completing the liberty port call and immediately steamed to Subic Bay
, Philippines to offload food and stores for the relief and recovery effort, named Operation Fiery Vigil
. Even arriving in Subic Bay some days after the main eruption, the Falls was quickly covered in layer of ash reminiscent of a heavy snowfall.
Late 1991 to early 1992 the ship entered drydock for refit and overhaul. This saw the upgrade to refueling station capacities by adding an "arm" to one of the ship's "M" Frames.
In the spring and summer of 1992, the ship took a mini-Westpac cruise of the south-west Asian ports of Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.
In August 1992, Typhoon Omar
swept through the island of Guam. The ship was down for service to main gear and was unable to go to sea. The ship was torn from its mooring lines and swept across the main harbor, hitting a refueling barge and ultimately running aground on the lagoon's shallow shore. The damage to the ship was minimal, however her sister-ship, , was torn from its mooring lines and ran aground on hard coral beach in Apra Harbor
.
Once made operational, the Niagara Falls sailed to the Yokosuka Naval Base's
shipyard for further repairs and trials. The ship return to Guam in early September to load its stores for its next deployment. The ship left late September 1992 for the Persian Gulf.
where she was placed in service on 23 September 1994 as USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS-3), assigned to the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force.
On 19 April 1997, while conducting a VERTREP
with one of the Falls UH-46E Sea Knight helicopters crashed into the sea. The crash occurred approximately 2000 nautical miles (3,704 km) southwest of Hawaii and all four crew members were safely rescued. The helicopter crew members from Helicopter Support Squadron Five were rescued by the quick reaction of other CH-46 helicopters on-scene at the time of the incident. Assisting in the rescue was a motor-whale boat from Niagara Falls. The four crew members, who escaped injury, were transported to Constellation for medical observation and were released to the Niagara Falls the same day.
On 27 November 2001 Supply Officer Donald J. O'Brien retired from the Military Sealift Command aboard the Niagara Falls, thirty years after retiring from the U.S. Navy aboard the same ship.
Between 11 September and 27 November 2001 Niagara Falls broke both her Navy and TAR records for number of pallet
s moved with a total of 10,743 pallets, double the average number during a similar deployment time frame.
It was reported in April 2003 that Niagara Falls crewman had developed a unique external method for transporting mail during VERTREP to overcome differences of the SH-60 helicopters compared to the older, roomier HH-46 helicopters.
Niagara Falls was dispatched from Guam
on 2 January 2005 in support of Tsunami Relief Operations (Operation Unified Assistance
), ferrying relief supplies from Singapore
to the for distribution to the damaged areas.
On 27 October 2005 Niagara Falls ran aground while departing Malakal Harbor, Palau
at 13:00 local time, but was able to free itself two days later at 16:20. There were no reports of injuries or leakage from the ship. Over the period of two days, the Niagara Falls transferred fuel and cargo aft within the ship, reducing the weight of the forward area of the ship. During the afternoon high tide period on 29 October, the ship was able to free itself under its own power and with the assistance of a local tug boat.
USNS Niagara Falls completed her last mission support operation in July 2008, and was deactivated at Pearl Harbor
in September 2008.
In 2010 the ship was reported be selected to be sunk as a target.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named after the City of Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
. Commissioned into the US Navy on 29 April 1967, she served until September 1994, when she was transferred to the US Military Sealift Command
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
to serve as USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS-3). Assigned to the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force, Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, she served until 30 September 2008, when she was finally deactivated.
Niagara Falls was designed to deliver refrigerated stores, dry provisions, technical spares, and general stores type material to the Fleet at sea. Her configuration provided for rapid issue rates using a minimum of men and the latest in transfer-at-sea methods, cargo handling, storage techniques, and automation. She was capable of simultaneous replenishment
Underway replenishment
Underway replenishment or replenishment at sea is a method of transferring fuel, munitions, and stores from one ship to another while under way.-History:...
of one ship on each side as well as transfer of material by cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
helicopters, which she carried.
Service history
Niagara Falls was laid down on 22 May 1965 at the National Steel and Shipbuilding CompanyNational Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, commonly referred to as NASSCO, is a shipyard in San Diego, California and Norfolk, Virginia and a division of General Dynamics. The shipyard specializes in constructing commercial cargo ships and auxiliary vessels for the US Navy and Military Sealift...
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
; launched on 26 March 1966; sponsored by Mrs. Jacob Javits, wife of the senior Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
; delivered to the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard
Long Beach Naval Shipyard
thumb|right|300px|Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1993The Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which closed in 1997, was located at Terminal Island between the city of Long Beach and the San Pedro district of Los Angeles and approximately 23 miles south of the Los Angeles International Airport.The Long Beach...
, Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, on 20 April 1967; and commissioned on 29 April, with Captain Horace C. Holley in command.
After initial shakedown
Shakedown (testing)
A shakedown is a period of testing or a trial journey undergone by a ship, aircraft or other craft and its crew before being declared operational. Statistically, a proportion of the components will fail after a relatively short period of use, and those that survive this period can be expected to...
, the new combat store ship loaded 2,500 tons of stores at Naval Supply Center
Naval Supply Depot, Oakland
Naval Supply Depot, Oakland was a supply facility operated by the U.S. Navy in Oakland, California. During World War II, it was a major source of supplies and war materials for ships operating in the Pacific....
, Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
and through September completed final acceptance trials and post-shakedown availability at San Diego.
Vietnam, 1968–1973
By 4 February 1968, Niagara Falls completed her shakedown availability and continued preparations for her first deployment. She steamed for WestPacWestpac
Westpac , is a multinational financial services, one of the Australian "big four" banks and the second-largest bank in New Zealand....
on 28 March, arrived at Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
on 14 April, and there conducted the first of many replenishments.
Upon arrival on 22 April at An Thoi, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, she transferred over 100 tons of material, and two days later she supplied amphibious units in Vung Tau
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
. In Cam Rahn Bay 25 April, Niagara Falls supplied ships and the Naval Support Activity there. She also supplied ships of the Naval Gunfire Support
Naval gunfire support
Naval gunfire support is the use of naval artillery to provide fire support for amphibious assault and other troops operating within their range. NGFS is one of a number of disciplines encompassed by the term Naval Fires...
Group off the Vietnam coast, and made several replenishment swings through the Yankee Station
Yankee Station
Yankee Station was a point in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam used by the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 to launch strikes in the Vietnam War. While its official designation was "Point Yankee," it was universally referred to as Yankee Station...
and Market Time
Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time was the United States Navy’s effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
areas.
Niagara Falls completed the last replenishment of her 1971 deployment on 15 September, called at Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
from 17 through 21 September, at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
from 9–10 October, and arrived back at San Diego on 17 October. Completing preparations for another deployment and transfer of homeport to Sasebo to commence 3 January 1969 with the arrival of the New Year, Niagara Falls steamed for WestPac a second time.
During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
the Niagara Falls participated in the following campaigns: Vietnamese Counter Offensive Phases IV, V, VI; Tet 69 / Counteroffensive; Vietnam Summer/Fall 69; Vietnam Winter/Spring 70; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII; Consolidation I; Vietnam Ceasefire.
On 14 September 1970, Niagara Falls found and rescued the 45 feet (14 m) sailboat Galilee that had been the object of an intense search for more than a month. When sighted, the boat was about 400 nautical miles (740.8 km) west/northwest of Honolulu. The three crew members had been without food since 27 July (the Galilee departed Tahiti on 17 June for Honolulu). Rescued were Julian Ritter
Julian Ritter
Julian Ritter was an American painter who painted nudes and clowns and had an ill-fated Pacific voyage that nearly cost the lives of Ritter and his crew....
, Laurene Louise Kokx and Winfried Bernard Heiringhoff. According to the ship's doctor, the rescuees were days away from death.
During the period July 15–30, 1971 Niagara Falls and are noted by operating at Yankee Station as conducting a complex four-helicopter VERTREP
VERTREP
Vertical replenishment, or VERTREP is a method of supply of seaborne vessels by helicopter. The United States Department of Defense defines VERTREP as:- History :...
.
"The Falls" returned to Vietnam in 1972, continued its replenishment cycle of one weekend in port (normally US Naval Base Subic Bay, PI) and two weeks "on line," throughout the Fall of 1972 and into the Spring of 1973. Normal routine included resupplying the destroyers on the gunline and continuing up to Yankee Station to replenish the aircraft carriers, including the USS Ranger (CV-61)
USS Ranger (CV-61)
The seventh USS Ranger is one of four Forrestal-class supercarriers built for the US Navy in the 1950s. Commissioned in 1957, she served extensively in the Pacific, especially the Vietnam War, for which she earned 13 battle stars. Near the end of her career she also served in the Indian Ocean and...
and USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
The supercarrier USS Kitty Hawk , formerly CVA-63, was the second naval ship named after Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the site of the Wright brothers' first powered airplane flight...
. Following the cease fire, the Niagara Falls supported the minesweep group that was helping clear Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
(Haiphong
Haiphong
, also Haiphong, is the third most populous city in Vietnam. The name means, "coastal defence".-History:Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters in the year 43 C.E.The area which is now known as Duong...
) harbor of the mines that were dropped by naval aircraft.
During the early 1970s the noted spy John Anthony Walker
John Anthony Walker
John Anthony Walker, Jr. is a former United States Navy Chief Warrant Officer and communications specialist convicted of spying for the Soviet Union from 1968 to 1985, at the height of the Cold War...
, Jr. (Johnny) served in Niagara Falls radio room. It was during his three years aboard the Niagara Falls serving as Classified Materials Systems (CMS) Custodian that Walker had access to the various cryptographic machines (KW-7, KWR-37, KG-14, KY-8, and KL-47
NSA encryption systems
The National Security Agency took over responsibility for all U.S. Government encryption systems when it was formed in 1952. The technical details of most NSA-approved systems are still classified, but much more about its early systems has become known and its most modern systems share at least...
) providing the keys for nearly all of them to the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
. Being a supply ship, the Niagara Falls received classified messages about ships movements off Vietnam and in the South China Sea. In order to deliver this classified information to soviet contacts, it is believed by investigators, that CWO3 Walker made dead drops in ports of call including the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Suspecting intelligence breach from the Niagara Falls, an intelligence operative was inserted as a junior Radioman in the mid-1970s to confirm but findings were inconclusive.
Vietnam Agent Orange Legacy, 1968
The Niagara Falls was included on a list of ships that were exposed to Agent OrangeAgent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
. The Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Veterans Affairs may refer to:*Department of Veterans' Affairs, Australia*United States Department of Veterans Affairs*Veterans Affairs Canada*Ministry of Patriots' and Veterans' Affairs...
identified certain vessel types that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland Vietnam waterways. Because she went up river, USS Niagara Falls was recognized as exposed to contaminated waterways during missions on theSaigon River and in Cam Rahn Bay, April 22–25, 1968. Throughout the war, the "Falls" was further exposed to runoff of Agent Orange and other herbicides when she anchored in Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
Harbor, returned to Cam Rahn Bay, and steamed along littoral waters of South Vietnam. Studies of Australian naval ships show that salt water evaporative distilling systems actually increased the concentration of Agent Orange in drinking and cooking water, and the distilling system became coated in herbicide toxins. The Department of Veterans Affairs is yet to recognize these Australian studies and grant health coverage to the "bluewater" sailors who have been exposed on the "Niagara Falls" and other navy ships that performed missions along the Vietnam coast.
1983–1991
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
and became part of the forward deployed elements of CTF 73/75, part of the 7th Fleet. From that time until January 1991 the ship conducted three Refresher Training sessions, five OPPRE's, four SMI's, five ARE's, and three INSURV Inspections. She made port calls to numerous locations such as Yokosuka and Sasebo
Sasebo, Nagasaki
is a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 259,800 and the density of 609 persons per km². The total area is 426.47 km². The locality is famed for its scenic beauty. The city includes a part of Saikai National Park...
, Japan; Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
; Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
and Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
, Philippines; Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, Indonesia; Fremantle
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
/Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Australia; Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
; Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
; Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
; Pattaya
Pattaya
Pattaya is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung in the province of Chonburi....
and Phuket
Phuket City
Phuket is a city located in the southeast of Phuket Island, Thailand. It is the capital of the Phuket Province, covering all of the island. As of 2007 the city has a population of 75,573 people...
, Thailand; Fujiarah, UAE; and Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
. A number of these locations were visited more than once. Niagara Falls participated in numerous Fleet Support Operations including repeated Masirah Airheads, Operation Team Spirit and PACEX-89.
The Niagara Falls received the "7th Fleet Finest Combat Logistic Support Ship" award for her performance in PACEX-89, a combined US, Korean, and Japanese naval exercise which was the largest since the end of the Korean War. Included in PACEX-89 such notable ships as the , , and . During PACEX-89 Niagara Falls was the command ship for the Underway Replenishment Group.
Due to the nature of the tasking of a combat stores ship, and the outstanding performance the Niagara Falls has provided in logistic support service, she has earned the nickname "Fighting Falls" by the U.S. Navy Seventh Fleet. Through 1991 the Fighting Falls had supported Seventh Fleet operations during 15 WestPac/Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf deployments. The Niagara Falls was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
as well as receiving the Battle "E"
Battle Effectiveness Award
The Battle Effectiveness Award , commonly known as the Battle "E", is awarded annually to the small number of U.S...
after an extended deployment for almost eight months followed immediately by another short fuse deployment.
Niagara Falls participated in the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War supporting Operation Prime Chance
Operation Prime Chance
Operation Prime Chance was a United States Special Operations Command operation intended to protect U.S.-flagged oil tankers from Iranian attack during the Iran–Iraq War. The operation took place roughly at the same time as Operation Earnest Will , the largely Navy effort to escort the tankers...
and Operation Earnest Will
Operation Earnest Will
Operation Earnest Will was the U.S. military protection of Kuwaiti owned tankers from Iranian attacks in 1987 and 1988, three years into the Tanker War phase of the Iran–Iraq War. It was the largest naval convoy operation since World War II.The U.S. Navy warships that escorted the tankers, part of...
. In one near action the Niagara Falls crossed paths with an Iranian minelayer and during a tense hour the Fighting Falls prepared to defend herself. There was no exchange of fire, the intelligence on the minelayer was relayed by Captain Gay to the fleet and the Iranian ship was subsequently intercepted by US Navy combatant forces. Niagara Falls often visited Bahrain, Fujiarah, Muscat, and the obligatory Masirah Airhead Evolutions during this time.
Niagara Falls was one of the first non-depot ships to be assigned female crew members, starting with Lt-Cmdr. Carol Rengstorff as Executive Officer. Approximately 30 female sailors and officers were made part of the Niagara Falls crew shortly thereafter.
First Gulf War
Niagara Falls participated in Operation Desert Storm, transiting the Straits of Hormuz at midnight on 16 January 1991 and assigned the operating area known as the "NAG" (North Arabian Gulf.) Due to limited mine countermeasure assets in the Gulf and the "Fighting Falls" operating area, an EODMU detachmentUnited States Navy EOD
United States Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians render safe all types of ordnance, including improvised, chemical, biological, and nuclear. They perform land and underwater location, identification, render-safe, and recovery of foreign and domestic ordnance...
was assigned. During the course of the war the Niagara Falls destroyed five naval mines herself while operating in the northern Persian Gulf.
One interesting incident on the 23 January was the visible flash of an explosion reported by the aft lookout, possibly an errant Scud missile which had been reported heading out into the Gulf.
On 29 March the Niagara Falls assisted the M/V Mercs Horana which was undergoing a major shipboard fire. The Falls arrived at night and the crew was presented with the sobering image of the Horanas superstructure fully engulfed in flames, and four other coalition ships, including the and circling the burning vessel. Niagara Falls At-Sea Fire Party was told to stand ready to motorboat over, however the Commonwealth Coalition ship in charge at the scene declined the manpower and requested spare fire fighting foam be supplied.
For spending 143 days in the combat zone, and operating North of 28.30 N and West of 49.30 E between 17 January–28 February 1991 the ship was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon
Combat Action Ribbon
The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal military decoration of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, and United States Coast Guard which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy and Coast Guard , have actively participated in ground or...
. During the course of the war the Niagara Falls primary assignment was the USS Missouri's
USS Missouri (BB-63)
|USS Missouri is a United States Navy Iowa-class battleship, and was the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri...
battlegroup, however she also serviced the , the Amphibious Group, and the hospital ships. During this period the Niagara Falls would mainly resupply from Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali
Jebel Ali is a port town, located 35 kilometres southwest of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . The village has a thriving expatriate community with over 300 residents. The area is also home to "5,500 companies from 120 countries"....
near Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, however stops were also made at Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
.
1991–1994
While returning from the Gulf War and enjoying a liberty call at PhuketPhuket City
Phuket is a city located in the southeast of Phuket Island, Thailand. It is the capital of the Phuket Province, covering all of the island. As of 2007 the city has a population of 75,573 people...
, Thailand, when the volcano Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is west of the dormant and...
erupted in the Philippines. The Niagara Falls duty crews loaded stores at Phuket while completing the liberty port call and immediately steamed to Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
, Philippines to offload food and stores for the relief and recovery effort, named Operation Fiery Vigil
Operation Fiery Vigil
Operation Fiery Vigil was the emergency evacuation of all non-essential military and United States Department of Defense civilian personnel and their dependents from Clark Air Base and U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay during the June 1991 volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines...
. Even arriving in Subic Bay some days after the main eruption, the Falls was quickly covered in layer of ash reminiscent of a heavy snowfall.
Late 1991 to early 1992 the ship entered drydock for refit and overhaul. This saw the upgrade to refueling station capacities by adding an "arm" to one of the ship's "M" Frames.
In the spring and summer of 1992, the ship took a mini-Westpac cruise of the south-west Asian ports of Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.
In August 1992, Typhoon Omar
Typhoon Omar
Super Typhoon Omar was the 15th tropical depression, the 15th named storm, and the 9th typhoon of the 1992 Pacific typhoon season...
swept through the island of Guam. The ship was down for service to main gear and was unable to go to sea. The ship was torn from its mooring lines and swept across the main harbor, hitting a refueling barge and ultimately running aground on the lagoon's shallow shore. The damage to the ship was minimal, however her sister-ship, , was torn from its mooring lines and ran aground on hard coral beach in Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor is a deep-water port on the western side of Guam in the Mariana Islands. The harbor is formed by Orote Peninsula in the south and Cabras Island in the north. To the south, the harbor narrows and then widens again to form an inner harbor. The southern end of the harbor is the location...
.
Once made operational, the Niagara Falls sailed to the Yokosuka Naval Base's
United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, or Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka is a United States Navy base, in Yokosuka, Japan. Its mission is to maintain and operate base facilities for the logistic, recreational, administrative support and service of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan, U.S. 7th Fleet and...
shipyard for further repairs and trials. The ship return to Guam in early September to load its stores for its next deployment. The ship left late September 1992 for the Persian Gulf.
Military Sealift Command, 1994–2008
Niagara Falls was decommissioned in September 1994 and assigned to the Military Sealift CommandMilitary Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
where she was placed in service on 23 September 1994 as USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS-3), assigned to the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force.
On 19 April 1997, while conducting a VERTREP
VERTREP
Vertical replenishment, or VERTREP is a method of supply of seaborne vessels by helicopter. The United States Department of Defense defines VERTREP as:- History :...
with one of the Falls UH-46E Sea Knight helicopters crashed into the sea. The crash occurred approximately 2000 nautical miles (3,704 km) southwest of Hawaii and all four crew members were safely rescued. The helicopter crew members from Helicopter Support Squadron Five were rescued by the quick reaction of other CH-46 helicopters on-scene at the time of the incident. Assisting in the rescue was a motor-whale boat from Niagara Falls. The four crew members, who escaped injury, were transported to Constellation for medical observation and were released to the Niagara Falls the same day.
On 27 November 2001 Supply Officer Donald J. O'Brien retired from the Military Sealift Command aboard the Niagara Falls, thirty years after retiring from the U.S. Navy aboard the same ship.
Between 11 September and 27 November 2001 Niagara Falls broke both her Navy and TAR records for number of pallet
Pallet
A pallet , sometimes called a skid, is a flat transport structure that supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift, pallet jack, front loader or other jacking device. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load which allows handling and storage efficiencies...
s moved with a total of 10,743 pallets, double the average number during a similar deployment time frame.
It was reported in April 2003 that Niagara Falls crewman had developed a unique external method for transporting mail during VERTREP to overcome differences of the SH-60 helicopters compared to the older, roomier HH-46 helicopters.
Niagara Falls was dispatched from Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
on 2 January 2005 in support of Tsunami Relief Operations (Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance
Operation Unified Assistance is the name of the United States military's response to the tsunami of 2004.-Overview:On 28 December, the first elements of the Combined Support Force were deployed to Utapao, Thailand following that country's approval of the use of that base.More than 12,600...
), ferrying relief supplies from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to the for distribution to the damaged areas.
On 27 October 2005 Niagara Falls ran aground while departing Malakal Harbor, Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
at 13:00 local time, but was able to free itself two days later at 16:20. There were no reports of injuries or leakage from the ship. Over the period of two days, the Niagara Falls transferred fuel and cargo aft within the ship, reducing the weight of the forward area of the ship. During the afternoon high tide period on 29 October, the ship was able to free itself under its own power and with the assistance of a local tug boat.
USNS Niagara Falls completed her last mission support operation in July 2008, and was deactivated at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
in September 2008.
In 2010 the ship was reported be selected to be sunk as a target.
Commanding officers
As listed in the 1991 Change of Command Pamphlet.- Capt. H.C. Holley (April 1967–August 1968)
- Capt. A.F. Huff (August 1968–February 1970)
- Capt. E.M. Cocke (February 1970–October 1971)
- Capt. C.C. Carter (October 1971–September 1972)
- Capt. C.R. Long (September 1972–March 1974)
- Capt. C.S. Christensen, Jr. (March 1974 - June 1975)
- Capt. E.B. McDaniel (June 1975–September 1976)
- Capt. P.F. McCarthy (September 1976–December 1977)
- Capt. R.E. Schlenzig (December 1977–December 1979)
- Capt. B.C. Lee (December 1979–July 1981)
- Capt. R.R. Terry (July 1981–January 1983)
- Capt. J.M. Bowers (January 1983–June 1984)
- Capt. G.I. Beck (June 1984–June 1986)
- Capt. H.A. Browne, Jr, II (June 1986–January 1988)
- Capt. J.P. Gay (January 1988–August 1989)
- Capt. R.E. Houser (August 1989–January 1991)
- Capt. J.S. Daughtry, Jr. (February 1991–October 1992)