USS Concord AFS 5 – History of the U.S. Navy's Combat Stores Ship & Navy Decals

USS Concord AFS 5 – History, Service Record & Navy Decals

The USS Concord (AFS-5) was a Mars-class combat stores ship that served the United States Navy for over two decades, delivering provisions, repair parts, aviation stores, and general supplies to fleet units operating across the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and beyond. Named for the Battle of Concord — the April 19, 1775 engagement in Massachusetts that, along with the Battle of Lexington, fired the opening shots of the American Revolutionary War and the "shot heard round the world" — she carried one of the most historically resonant names in the American military tradition throughout a career of essential and professional service at sea.

Keel, Launch & Commissioning

Concord's keel was laid down on March 26, 1965, at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego, California. She was launched on December 17, 1965, and commissioned into the U.S. Navy on November 27, 1968, as the fifth ship of the Mars class under hull designation AFS-5.

Class & Design

USS Concord was one of seven ships in the Mars class of combat stores ships (AFS) — the most capable and versatile replenishment vessels of the Cold War era. At 581 feet in length and displacing approximately 16,500 tons fully loaded, she could carry and transfer in a single replenishment evolution the complete range of fleet stores: aviation and ship spare parts, general stores and consumables, provisions and refrigerated food, clothing, and small stores.

Equipped for both alongside replenishment and vertical replenishment (VERTREP) via helicopter, Concord could simultaneously sustain multiple combatants with remarkable logistical efficiency — dramatically extending the operational endurance of the fleet units she supported.

Atlantic Fleet & Mediterranean Service

Homeported at Norfolk, Virginia, USS Concord served as a primary combat stores ship for Atlantic Fleet combatants throughout the Cold War. She deployed extensively to the Mediterranean Sea, supporting Sixth Fleet carrier strike groups and surface combatants with comprehensive stores replenishment that kept the fleet sustained and ready through decades of Cold War forward presence.

Her underway replenishment operations were a cornerstone of Sixth Fleet operational endurance — allowing carrier groups to remain deployed in the Mediterranean for extended periods without returning to Stateside or European port facilities for stores replenishment. This sustained forward presence was a critical element of American naval strategy in the Mediterranean throughout the Cold War.

Cold War & Post-Cold War Operations

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, USS Concord adapted to the evolving logistics requirements of a changing fleet while maintaining her core mission of comprehensive at-sea stores support. She remained a reliable and professional presence in Atlantic Fleet logistics operations through the Cold War's final years and into the post-Cold War era, sustaining fleet units through one of the most significant periods of transformation in modern naval history.

Decommissioning

USS Concord was decommissioned on December 7, 1991, after more than 23 years of commissioned service. Her decommissioning came as the post-Cold War Navy began its restructuring in the wake of the Soviet Union's collapse, reducing its combat logistics force in step with a smaller and differently configured fleet.

Legacy

For the sailors who served aboard Concord — the storekeepers, aviation boatswain's mates, culinary specialists, and logistics professionals who kept Atlantic Fleet and Sixth Fleet combatants sustained across more than 23 years of Cold War operations — she represents a career of professional dedication and the quiet pride of keeping the fleet ready to fight. Named for the battle that launched the American experiment in liberty, USS Concord honored that heritage through every deployment, every replenishment, and every year at sea.

Shop USS Concord AFS 5 Navy Gifts & Decals

Honor your service or give a meaningful gift to a USS Concord veteran with our full line of USS Concord AFS 5 products:

• USS Concord AFS 5 Aluminum License Plate — Show your Navy pride on the road.
• USS Concord AFS 5 License Plate U.S. Flag — A patriotic twist on the classic plate.
• USS Concord AFS 5 Vinyl Decal Oval U.S. Flag — Perfect for cars, trucks, and RVs.
• USS Concord AFS 5 License Plate Frame (Metal or Plastic) — Pair with your license plate for a complete look.
• USS Concord AFS 5 License Plate Frame All-State Metal — Heavy-duty metal frame built to last.
• USS Concord AFS 5 Motorcycle License Plate Frame — For the veteran who rides.
• USS Concord AFS 5 Aluminum Street Sign Blue/White — A one-of-a-kind display piece for any veteran's home.
• USS Concord AFS 5 Aluminum Street Sign Navy Blue/Yellow — A bold Navy-themed display piece.
• USS Concord AFS 5 Parking Sign Blue/White — Reserve your spot in style.
• USS Concord AFS 5 Parking Sign Red/White — Another great option for the garage or driveway.

All products ship from the USA. Custom options available — contact us for details.