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City of Niagara Falls to mark 50th anniversary of commissioning of USS Niagara Falls

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Fri, Apr 28th 2017 04:00 pm

More than 100 servicemen & families expected to attend from across country

Mayor Paul A. Dyster will welcome more than 100 servicemen and women and their families to the Niagara Falls Veterans Memorial (Robbins Drive, Hyde Park) at noon on Saturday, April 29, for a ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the commissioning of the USS Niagara Falls.

The event will also serve as a reunion for the crew of the USS Niagara Falls, which is traveling from across the U.S. to mark the anniversary. The crew will be presented with a mayoral proclamation and key to the city.

The only Navy ship to be named after the City of Niagara Falls, the USS Niagara Falls was launched out of San Diego on March 26, 1966. One year later it was officially commissioned into service with the United States Navy in Long Beach, California. 

Throughout its service, the USS Niagara Falls provided much-needed food and supplies to troops fighting in South Vietnam; performed cargo transfers at sea operating off the coast of North Vietnam; and succumbed to the spraying of "Agent Orange," resulting in chronic and serious illness to many members of the crew. 

Following the Vietnam War, the USS Niagara Falls served throughout the Persian Gulf War, earning the Combat Action Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Award and many others. 

The USS Niagara Falls was officially decommissioned in 1994, chosen to be sunk as a target in 2010, and was sunk off the coast of Kauai on July 14, 2012. 

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