About this Unit
USS Concord (AFS-5) was a Mars-class combat stores ship commissioned by the United States Navy in 1968. Designed to provide underway replenishment of food, stores, and ammunition to naval combat forces, Concord played a vital logistical role during the Cold War, supporting fleet operations across the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Throughout her service, the ship participated in numerous exercises and deployments, ensuring sustained naval readiness. After over two decades of service, USS Concord was decommissioned in 1992 and later transferred to the Military Sealift Command as USNS Concord (T-AFS-5), continuing her support role until her final inactivation in 2009.
Historical Facts
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Fast Combat Support Ship: USS Concord (AFS-5) was a Mars-class combat stores ship, designed to carry and quickly deliver ammunition, food, repair parts, and stores to ships at sea, supporting U.S. Navy operations worldwide.
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Commissioning: Concord was commissioned on 27 November 1968, at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.
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Mars-class Innovation: The Mars-class, to which Concord belonged, was groundbreaking as it combined the capabilities of three separate supply ships (stores, refrigerated stores, and ammunition) into one hull, greatly increasing fleet efficiency.
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Vietnam War Service: Concord supported fleet operations during the Vietnam War, delivering vital supplies to aircraft carriers, destroyers, and other vessels operating in the Gulf of Tonkin.
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Operation Desert Storm: USS Concord played a key logistics role during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990–1991, keeping the U.S. Navy fleet supplied during intense combat operations in the Persian Gulf.
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Nickname: The crew affectionately called her “Concord Grapes,” a nod to her name and the fruit, which also appeared in some ship’s unofficial insignia.
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Multiple Homeports: Over her career, Concord operated from several U.S. homeports, including San Francisco, Norfolk, and Earle, New Jersey, reflecting her global logistical reach.
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“Unrep” Specialist: Concord was specially equipped for underway replenishment (UNREP), using helicopters and underway transfer rigs to move tons of cargo to other ships—even while sailing at sea.
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Transfer to Military Sealift Command: In 1992, she was decommissioned as a U.S. Navy ship and transferred to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as USNS Concord (T-AFS-5), operated by a civilian crew with a military detachment.
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Final Fate: After decades of service and supporting nearly every major U.S. naval operation from the 1960s through early 2000s, the Concord was finally taken out of service and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 2009.
