USS Mars (AFS-1) 2992457 224034291 2008-07-07T00:49:31Z Mlaffs 5875630 [[:en:User:NicoV/Wikipedia Cleaner/Documentation|WikiCleaner]] 0.76 - Repairing link to disambiguation page - [[Wikipedia:Disambiguation pages with links|You can help!]] {{sections}} {| border="1" align="right" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="300" |colspan="2"|[[Image:USSMarsAFS1.jpg|300px|USS Mars (AFS-1)]] |- !align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|Career !align ="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|[[Image:US Naval Jack.svg|48px|USN Jack]] |- |Ordered: | |- |Laid down: |[[5 May]] [[1962]] |- |Launched: |[[15 June]] [[1963]] |- |Commissioned: |[[1 December]] [[1963]] |- |Decommissioned: |[[19 February]] [[1998]] |- |Struck: |[[24 May]] [[2004]] |- |Fate: |Sunk as a target [[15 July]], [[2006]] |- !colspan="2" align="center" style="color: white; height: 30px; background: navy no-repeat scroll top left;"|General characteristics |- |Displacement: |15,900-18,663 tons |- |Length: |581 feet |- |Beam: |79 feet |- |Draught: |27 feet |- |Propulsion: |Steam turbine with one propeller |- |Speed: |20 knots |- |Range: | |- |Complement: |486 |- |Armament: |4 x 3"/50 guns (2x2) |- |Aircraft: |two [[UH-46 Sea Knight]] helicopters |} {{otherships|USS Mars}} The third [[United States Navy]] ship to bear the name Mars, '''USS ''Mars'' (AFS‑1)''', was laid down by the [[National Steel and Shipbuilding Company]] in [[San Diego, California]], on [[5 May]] [[1962]]; launched on [[15 June]] [[1963]], sponsored by Mrs. Clyde Doyle, widow of Representative [[Clyde Doyle]] of [[California]]; and commissioned at [[Long Beach Naval Shipyard]] on [[21 December]] [[1963]], with [[Captain (United States)|Captain]] Russel C. Medley in command. ''Mars'' was the first of a new class that was intended to replace three types of supply ships: the '''AF''', '''AKS''', and '''AVS'''. Two innovations were [[CH-46 Sea Knight|Boeing UH‑46 helicopters]] and an automatic highline [[shuttle]] transfer system to make a rapid transfer of supplies possible. To speed replenishment processing, ''Mars'' became the first ship in the [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]] to be equipped with a 1004 [[Univac]] [[computer]] system. Assigned to [[Service Squadron 1]], ''Mars'' left [[San Diego]] on [[16 March]] [[1964]] for [[Acapulco]], [[Mexico]], for [[shakedown]], returning to San Diego [[Easter Sunday]]. On [[1 September]] she departed for the western [[Pacific]], arriving at [[Yokosuka]], [[Japan]], on the 23rd. With Yokosuka as home port, the combat storeship operated from the [[Philippines]] to the [[South China Sea]] through the rest of the year. ''Mars'' continued through the next 3 years to provide logistic support to the far‑ranging [[7th Fleet]] at sea, especially off [[Vietnam]], while revisiting the [[Oceania|South Pacific]] ports of [[Hong Kong]]; [[U.S. Fleet Activities Sasebo|Sasebo]], [[Japan]]; and [[Subic Bay]], Philippines. Typical of the combat storeship’s supply activities was a night vertical replenishment of [[USS Canberra (CA-70)|USS ''Canberra'' (CAG‑2)]] while the [[heavy cruiser]] was fighting off [[Vietnam]], her 8‑inch guns on the engaged side fired in support of troops ashore. ''Mars'' had taken an especially active part in similar operations helping block [[People's Republic of China|Chinese]] [[communist]] inspired [[Vietcong]] aggression in [[South Vietnam]]. She set several replenishment records in 1967 and 1968, and into 1969 continued to play an important role in the fleet operations in the Southeast Asia area. She underwent extensive overhaul from late August, 1971 through April, 1972 in Richmond, CA, receiving naval distillate fuel burning boilers, upgrade electronics, etc. She was then immediately deployed to the [[South China Sea]] to support the [[Seventh Fleet]] and Marine Amphibious forces after the increased Vietnam war activity that Spring. She returned to her homeport of [[Alameda, CA]], that December; homeport was then moved to [[Sasebo, Japan]] during April, 1973. From April, 1973 through the end of 1974, ''Mars'' continued replenishing the ships of the western Pacific and made two trips to the [[Indian Ocean]] to support the US Navy patrolling the [[Persian Gulf]] area.[[Image:BellofMars.jpg|thumb|left|125px|The bell of the ''Mars'' in [[Mars, Pennsylvania]]]] On [[May 14]], [[1979]], {{USS|Cook|FF-1083}} and ''Mars'' collided off [[Point Loma]] near [[San Diego]], CA, injuring seven. ''Mars'' participated in PACEX '89 with port visits to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, Pusan, Korea, Yokosuka, Japan and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. ''Mars'' was decommissioned on [[19 February]] [[1998]], and laid up in the [[Pacific Reserve Fleet]], [[Pearl Harbor, Hawaii]]. ''Mars'' was struck from the [[Naval Register]] on [[24 May]], [[2004]] and disposed of as a target during [[RIMPAC]] 2006 exercises off the coast of Hawaii on [[15 July]], [[2006]]. Mars rests in 2,750 fathoms of water some 54 miles off the coast. ''Mars'' received the [[Navy Unit Commendation]] and eleven campaign stars for [[Vietnam War]] service. In April of 2006, the [[Ship's bells|bell]] of the ''Mars'' was donated to the small borough of [[Mars, Pennsylvania|Mars]], [[Pennsylvania]] as a memorial. The ship was named after the [[Western Pennsylvania]] community. [[U.S. Senator]] [[Rick Santorum]], and former crew members were present at the ceremony, and helped to dedicate the large [[brass]] bell to the ship's namesake. ==References== *{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/m5/mars-iii.htm}} ==External links== *[http://www.ussmars.com/page/page/1792121.htm Offical Home Page of the USS/USNS Mars (AFS/TAFS-1) Reunion Association] *[http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/52/5201.htm navsource.org: AFS-1 ''Mars''] {{Mars class combat stores ship}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Mars}} [[Category:Mars class combat stores ships|Mars AFS-1]] [[Category:Cold War auxiliary ships of the United States|Mars AFS-1]] [[Category:United States Navy Pennsylvania-related ships]]