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.

Upon arrival on 22 April at An Thoi, South Vietnam, she transferred over 100 tons of matériel, and two days later she supplied amphibious units in Vũng Tàu.

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.

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.

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.

Following the cease fire, Niagara Falls supported Operation End Sweep to clear Haiphong harbor of the mines that were dropped by naval aircraft.

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 (KW-7, KWR-37, KG-14, KY-8, and KL-47) providing the keys for nearly all of them to the KGB.

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.

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.

[5] 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.

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.

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.

Due to limited mine countermeasure assets in the Persian Gulf and Niagara Falls operating area, an EODMU detachment was assigned.

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 Shasta and Francis Hammond circling the burning vessel.

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.

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, White Plains, was torn from its mooring lines and ran aground on hard coral beach in Apra Harbor.

[6][7] At approximately 11:30 am 14 July 2012, Niagara Falls was sunk by multiple UTM-84, RGM-84, GBU-10, GBU-32 and 30mm impacts[8] in waters 15,480 feet (4,720 m) deep, 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) southwest of Kauai as a target vessel during the 2012 RIMPAC exercise.

[9] The USS Niagara Falls is authorized the following awards:[10] This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.