View source for USS Niagara Falls

{{short description|Cargo ship of the United States Navy}}
{{For|ships with a similar name|USS Niagara}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[Image:USNS Niagara Falls T-AFS-3.jpg|300px|USNS Niagara Falls off the coast of Badang, 2005]]
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1994}}
|Ship name=USS ''Niagara Falls''
|Ship namesake=The city of [[Niagara Falls, New York]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[National Steel and Shipbuilding Company]], San Diego
|Ship laid down= 22 May 1965
|Ship launched= 26 March 1966
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned= 29 April 1967
|Ship decommissioned= September 1994
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship homeport=*San Diego, CA
*Sasebo, Japan
*Alameda, CA ( – Sep 1983)
*Guam, (1983–1994)
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=''The Fighting Falls''
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate= Transferred to Military Sealift Command, 23 September 1994.
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=yes
|Ship country=
|Ship flag=
|Ship name=USNS ''Niagara Falls''
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=23 September 1994
|Ship out of service=30 September 2008
|Ship struck=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship homeport=[[Guam]], (1994–2008)
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname= Fighting Falls
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate= Sunk as a Target
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class= {{sclass|Mars|combat stores ship}}
|Ship displacement={{convert|17500|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} full load
|Ship length={{convert|581|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|79|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|27|ft|m|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*3 × [[Babcock & Wilcox]] [[boilers]]
*1 × De Laval [[turbine]], 1 shaft
|Ship speed={{convert|20|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=*''As USS'' :
*480–530 (with HC-5/3 Air Detachment)
*''As USNS'' :
*49 Navy, 125 civilian merchant seamen
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*''As USS'' :
*4 × [[Twin 3"/50 caliber gun]]s (2×2)
*     [[Later reduced to Two Forward Twin 3"/50 caliber gun]]s<ref>Navsource.org</ref>
*[[Chaff (radar countermeasure)|Chaff]] launchers
*4 × [[M2 Browning machine gun|M2]] 12.7×99mm heavy machine guns
*''As USNS'' :
*4 × [[M240 machine gun|M240G]] 7.62×51mm medium machine guns ''or'' [[M249 Squad Automatic Weapon|M249]] 5.56×45mm light MG
*1 [[M2 Browning machine gun|M2]] 12.7×99mm heavy machine gun when security detachment is embarked
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=*''As USS'' :
*2 × [[UH-46 Sea Knight]] [[helicopter]]s HC-5 Providers
*''As USNS'' :
*2 × [[SH-60 Sea Hawk]] helicopters HSC-25 Island Knights
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USS ''Niagara Falls'' (AFS–3)''', a {{sclass|Mars|combat stores ship}}, 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 [[List of Military Sealift Command ships#Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force|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 matériel 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 [[Underway replenishment|replenishment]] of one ship on each side as well as transfer of matériel by cargo helicopters, which she carried.

==Service history==
''Niagara Falls'' was laid down on 22 May 1965 at the [[National Steel and Shipbuilding Company]] in San Diego; launched on 26 March 1966; sponsored by wife of the senior senator [[Jacob Javits]], from New York; delivered to the [[United States Navy|Navy]] at the [[Long Beach Naval Shipyard]], [[Long Beach, California]], on 20 April 1967; and commissioned on 29 April.

After initial [[shakedown cruise|shakedown]], the new combat store ship loaded 2,500 tons of stores at [[Naval Supply Depot, Oakland]], 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 [[WestPac]] on 28 March, arrived at [[US Naval Base Subic Bay]], Philippines on 14 April, and there conducted the first of many replenishments.

Upon arrival on 22 April at [[An Thoi Naval Base|An Thoi]], [[South Vietnam]], she transferred over 100 tons of matériel, and two days later she supplied amphibious units in [[Vũng Tàu]]. In [[Cam Ranh Bay]] 25 April, ''Niagara Falls'' supplied ships and [[Cam Ranh Bay#Naval use of Cam Ranh Bay|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 [[Operation Market Time|Market Time]] areas.

''Niagara Falls'' completed the last replenishment of her 1968 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 [[U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo|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]] ''Niagara Falls'' participated in the following campaigns: Vietnamese Counter Offensive Phases IV, V, VI; [[Tet Offensive|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 {{convert|45|ft|m|0|adj=on}} sailboat ''Galilee'' that had been the object of an intense search for more than a month. When sighted, the boat was about {{convert|400|nmi|km|-1}} 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.<ref>"On Rescue ship". ''Los Angeles Times''. 18 September 1970, p. C4.</ref>

During the period 15–30 July 1971 ''Niagara Falls'' and {{USS|Sacramento|AOE-1|6}} are noted by {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|6}} operating at Yankee Station as conducting a complex four-helicopter [[VERTREP]].

''Niagara Falls'' returned to Vietnam in 1972, continued its replenishment cycle of one weekend in port (normally Subic Bay) and two weeks "on line," throughout later 1972 and into early 1973. Normal routine included resupplying the destroyers on the [[wikt:gun line|gun line]] and continuing up to Yankee Station to replenish the aircraft carriers, including {{USS|Ranger|CV-61|6}} and {{USS|Kitty Hawk|CV-63|6}}. Following the cease fire, ''Niagara Falls'' supported [[Operation End Sweep]] to clear [[Haiphong]] harbor of the mines that were dropped by naval aircraft. [[Captain (United States O-6)|Captain]] [[Eugene McDaniel|E.B. McDaniel]] served as Commanding Officer from June 1975 to September 1976.

The noted spy [[John Anthony Walker]], Jr. (Johnny) served in ''Niagara Falls''{{'}} radio room from 1971 to 1974. It was during his time aboard ''Niagara Falls'' serving as [[communications officer]] and Classified Materials Systems (CMS) custodian that Walker had access to the various cryptographic machines ([[NSA encryption systems|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, ''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 Walker made dead drops in ports of call including the Philippines and 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 the findings were inconclusive.<ref>Jeffrey T. Richelson, ''A Century of Spies'', Oxford University Press US, 1997 {{ISBN|0-19-511390-X}}, 9780195113907 pp. 396</ref> Walker's accomplice [[Jerry Whitworth]] served aboard ''Niagara Falls'' as chief radioman and CMS custodian from 1978 to 1979.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bamford |first=James |year=1986 |title=The Walker Espionage Case |magazine=Proceedings |volume=112 |issue=5 |pages=111–119 |publisher=[[United States Naval Institute]] }}</ref>

===Vietnam Agent Orange Legacy, 1968===
''Niagara Falls'' was included on a list of ships that were exposed to [[Agent Orange]]. The [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Department of Veterans Affairs]] identified certain vessel types that operated primarily or exclusively on the inland Vietnam waterways. Because she went up river, ''Niagara Falls'' was recognized as exposed to contaminated waterways during missions on the [[Saigon River]] and in Cam Ranh Bay, 22–25 April 1968. Throughout the war, ''Niagara 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 [[Royal Australian Navy]] 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.<ref>CO-DISTILLATION OF AGENT ORANGE AND OTHER PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS IN EVAPORATIVE WATER DISTILLATION, Jochen F. Müller, Caroline Gaus, Katie Bundred, Vincent Alberts, Michael R. Moore, and Keith Horsley; www.bluewaternavy.org/aussie/diox-019.pdf</ref> 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 ''Niagara Falls'' and other navy ships that performed missions along the Vietnam coast.

===1983–1991===
[[Image:USSNiagraFallsAFS3.jpg|thumb|right|''Niagara Falls'']]
On 6 September 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 [[United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka|Yokosuka]] and Sasebo, Japan; Hong Kong; Subic Bay and [[Cebu]], Philippines; [[Bali]], Indonesia; [[Fremantle, Western Australia|Fremantle]]/[[Perth]], Australia; Singapore; [[Muscat]], Oman; [[Bahrain]]; [[Pattaya]] and [[Phuket city|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.

''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 {{USS|New Jersey|BB-62|2}}, {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|2}}, USS ''Enterprise'' and {{USS|Nimitz|CVN-68|2}}. 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 ''Niagara Falls'' provided in logistic support service, she has earned the nickname "Fighting Falls" by the Seventh Fleet. Through 1991 ''Niagara Falls'' had supported Seventh Fleet operations during 15 WestPac/Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf deployments. ''Niagara Falls'' was awarded the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] as well as receiving the [[Battle Effectiveness Award|Battle "E"]] after an extended deployment for almost eight months followed immediately by another short fuse deployment.

''Niagara Falls'' participated in the [[Iran–Iraq War#Attacks on shipping|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 ''Niagara 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 ''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 an operating area in the northern end of the [[Persian Gulf]], known as the 'NAG' or North Arabian Gulf operational area, this was the sea opposite Kuwait which was heavily mined by Iraqi prior to the start of combat operations.  Due to limited mine countermeasure assets in the Persian Gulf and ''Niagara Falls'' operating area, an [[United States Navy EOD|EODMU detachment]] was assigned. During the course of the war ''Niagara Falls'' destroyed five [[naval mines]] herself while operating in the northern Persian Gulf.

One interesting incident on 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 Persian Gulf.

On 29 March ''Niagara Falls'' assisted the M/V ''Mercs Horana'' which was undergoing a major shipboard fire while underway in the central Persian Gulf. ''Niagara Falls'' arrived at night and the crew was presented with the sobering image of the ''Horana''{{'}}s superstructure fully engulfed in flames, and four other coalition ships, including {{USS|Shasta|AE-33|2}} and {{USS|Francis Hammond|FF-1067|2}} 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 USS ''Missouri'' and her battlegroup, however she also serviced USS ''Ranger'', the Amphibious Group, and the hospital ships. During this period ''Niagara Falls'' would mainly resupply from [[Jebel Ali]], [[Dubai]], however stops were also made at Bahrain and [[Abu Dhabi]].

===1991–1994===
While returning from the Gulf War and enjoying a liberty call at Phuket, Thailand, when the volcano [[Mount Pinatubo]] erupted in the Philippines. ''Niagara Falls'' duty crews loaded some stores at Phuket and while ending the liberty port call early, proceeded to Singapore to load additional supplies, and steamed to Subic Bay 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, ''Niagara Falls'' was quickly covered in layer of ash reminiscent of a heavy snowfall. Five crewmen were left in Phuket and rejoined the ship at her home port in Guam.

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.

On 19 September 1992 while transiting the [[Malacca Strait]] near [[Medan]], Indonesia the ship responded to distress calls from the collision of the oil tanker Nagasaki Spirit and container ship Ocean Blessing.  The Niagara Falls was the first ship on the scene, using her helicopters to search the waters for survivors and crew to secure the wrecked ships and body recovery.

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, {{USS|White Plains|AFS-4|2}}, was torn from its mooring lines and ran aground on hard coral beach in [[Apra Harbor]].

Once made operational, ''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.

===Military Sealift Command, 1994–2008===
[[File:Ex-USS Niagara Falls sinking.jpg|thumb|Ex-''Niagara Falls'' sinking on 14 July 2012]]
''Niagara Falls'' was decommissioned in September 1994 and assigned to the [[Military Sealift Command]] where she was placed in service on 23 September 1994 as '''USNS ''Niagara Falls'' (T-AFS-3)''', assigned to the [[List of Military Sealift Command ships#Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force|Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force]].

On 19 April 1997, while conducting a VERTREP with {{USS|Constellation|CV-64|2}} one of ''Niagara Falls'' [[UH-46 Sea Knight|UH-46E Sea Knight]] helicopters crashed into the sea. The crash occurred approximately {{convert|2000|nmi|km|-2}} 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 ''Niagara Falls'' the same day.

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 Sea Hawk|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 {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|CVN-72|2}} 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, ''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 selected to be sunk as a target.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.navysite.de/afs/afs3.htm|title=USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS 3)|website=www.navysite.de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.navyphotos.net/details.php?image_id=2780&sessionid=825ebf289c8a28a6f5695cc8b7fe9aac|title=Photo of exUSNS Niagara Falls T-AFS-3 waiting to be sunk as a target.|access-date=20 May 2011|archive-date=24 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324081534/http://www.navyphotos.net/details.php?image_id=2780&sessionid=825ebf289c8a28a6f5695cc8b7fe9aac|url-status=dead}}</ref>

At approximately 11:30&nbsp;am 14 July 2012, ''Niagara Falls'' was sunk by multiple UTM-84, [[RGM-84]], [[GBU-10]], [[GBU-32]] and 30mm impacts<ref>Unclassified RIMPAC12 SINKEX report dated 12 July "A. EX-USS NIAGARA FALLS AFS-3 WAS SUNK BY MULTIPLE UTM-84, RGM-84, GBU-10, GBU-32 AND 30MM IMPACTS ON 14JUL12 11:31:52W."</ref> in waters {{convert|15,480|ft}} deep, {{convert|63|nmi}} southwest of Kauai as a target vessel during the 2012 [[RIMPAC]] exercise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/162548406.html?id=162548406 |title=RIMPAC crews sink former Navy ship Niagara Falls off Kauai - Hawaii News - Honolulu Star-Advertiser |website=www.staradvertiser.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116135419/http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/162548406.html?id=162548406 |archive-date=2014-01-16}}</ref>

==Honors and awards==
The USS ''Niagara Falls'' is authorized the following awards:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webbas01.nsf/(vwWebPage)/home.htm?OpenDocument |title="U.S. Navy Awards Website" |access-date=24 March 2016 |archive-date=15 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515120005/https://awards.navy.mil/awards/webbas01.nsf/(vwWebPage)/home.htm?OpenDocument |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;"
|colspan="3"|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Combat_Action_Ribbon.svg|width=106}}&nbsp;{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Joint_Meritorious_Unit_Award-3d.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy_Unit_Commendation_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{ribbon devices|number=4|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy_Meritorious_Unit_Commendation_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Battle Effectiveness Award ribbon, 3rd award.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=3|type=service-star|ribbon=Navy Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=service-star|ribbon=National_Defense_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=8|type=service-star|other_device=|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|other_device=|ribbon=Humanitarian_Service_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam_gallantry_cross_unit_award-3d.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Global_War_on_Terrorism_Service_ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg|width=106}}
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/n4/niagara_falls.htm }}
* USS ''Niagara Falls'' (AFS-3) Change of Command Pamphlet, January 1991

==External links==
{{Commons category|USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3)}}
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/52/5203.htm Navsource listing for USS ''Niagara Falls'']
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/n4/niagara_falls.htm NHHC Profile of USS/USNS ''Niagara Falls'']
* [http://www.msc.navy.mil/sealift/2003/April/niagarafalls.htm MSC Apr 2003: ''Niagara Falls'' delivers mail in a new, big way] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050313102816/http://www.msc.navy.mil/sealift/2003/April/niagarafalls.htm |date=13 March 2005 }}
* [http://www.msc.navy.mil/msfsc/news.asp?show=1220547838&edition=092008/ MSC Sept 2008: The Legacy of the “Mighty Falls” draws to a close with CONSOL to USNS Richard E. Byrd] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607121729/http://www.msc.navy.mil/msfsc/news.asp?show=1220547838&edition=092008/ |date=7 June 2011 }}
* [http://navysite.de/afs/afs3.htm USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS-3)]
* [http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/sinkex-live-fire-exercises-deliver-realistic-training/ Defense Media Network article covering detail of sinking of exUSNS Niagara Falls and other targeted vessels.]

{{Mars class combat stores ship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Niagara Falls}}
[[Category:Mars-class combat stores ships]]
[[Category:Cold War auxiliary ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Vietnam War auxiliary ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships built in San Diego]]
[[Category:1966 ships]]
[[Category:Gulf War ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as targets]]