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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8)
ex
 RFA Lyness (A-339) (1966 - 1981)

International Radio Call Sign:
November - Papa - Golf - Alpha
NPGA
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation (3)
Second Row - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (2-Lebanon, 1-Libya) - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (5) - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Sirius Class Combat Stores Ship:
  • Laid down, 1 April 1965, at Swan, Hunter and Wingham, United Kingdom for the Royal Navy as RFA Lyness (A-339)
  • Launched, 1 April 1966
  • Purchased by US Navy, 1 January 1981,
  • Renamed USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8), 18 Jan 1981.
  • USNS Sirius was a unit of the MSC Naval Auxiliary Force, MSC Atlantic
  • De-actived, by the Military Sealift Command 1 July 2005
  • Struck from the Naval Register the same day and transferred to the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD)
  • Custody assigned to the Texas Maritime Academy to serve as training ship TS Texas Clipper III replacing TS Texas Clipper II ex-USNS Chauvenet (T-AGS-29)
    Specifications:
    Displacement 10,205 t. (lt), 16,680 t. (fl)
    Dead Weight 6475 t.
    Length 523' (ov)
    Beam 72'
    Draft 26 ft. Maximum Navigational
    Speed 18 knots
    Aircraft Two UH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
    Armament None
    Complement 123 Civilian, 47 Navy
    Propulsion one diesel engine, 11,520 brake horsepower, single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    RFA Lyness (A-339)
    Sirius 59k RFA Lyness (A-339) getting underway, date and location unknown. TJ Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius, courtesy RFA Association, Plymouth & District Branch, The Mortimore Gallery
    Sirius 51k RFA Lyness (A-339) underway, date and location unknown. TJ Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius, courtesy RFA Association, Plymouth & District Branch, The Mortimore Gallery
    USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8)
    Sirius 92k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) and USNS Rigel (T-AF-58) underway in the Mediterranean, circa 1981.
    US Navy photo    		 T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Emory S. Land 352k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) (background) and USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) (foreground) underway, date and location unknown. TJ Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius, courtesy of CAPT. David Volonino.
    Sirius 58k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) downloading to USS San Diego (AFS-6) while underway, circa 1983. USNS Sirius was returning to the US to undergo a yard period at Braswell Shipyard in South Carolina, at which time she was converted to a fully capable AFS, receiving her helo hanger and enhanced unrep capabilities.
    US Navy photo    		 T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 74k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) downloading to USS San Diego (AFS-6) while underway, circa 1983, prior to entering Braswell Shipyard, South Carolina to improve her unrep capabilities.
    US Navy photo    		 T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 80k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) downloading to USS San Diego (AFS-6) while underway, circa 1983, prior to entering Braswell Shipyard, South Carolina to improve her unrep capabilities.
    US Navy photo    		 T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 67k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) enroute to Norfolk, VA. from Braswell Shipyard in South Carolina after her AFS conversion, 1983.
    US Navy photo    		 T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 55k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) enroute to Norfolk, VA. from Braswell Shipyard in South Carolina after her AFS conversion, 1983.
    US Navy photo    		 T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 64k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) enroute to Norfolk, VA. from Braswell Shipyard in South Carolina after her AFS conversion, 1983.
    US Navy photo    		 T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 56k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) moored pierside at Naval Station Norfolk, VA., October 1983
    Department of Defense Visual Imaging Center photo    		 Fred Weiss
    Sirius 71k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) moored inboard of USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) while at Malaga, Spain circa 1984-85.
    US Navy photo    		 Photo by T.J. Tropea RM1 USN USNS Sirius
    Sirius 99k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) and USNS Saturn (T-AFS-10) moored together at Toulon, France, 4 April 1990. T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius with permission from Hans Rosenkranz, SW Germany.
    Sirius 54k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 MSC web site
    Sirius 132k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) underway, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 .
    Sirius 61k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) underway off NAS Norfolk. USNS Sirius was returning to port on 19 September 1999 after riding out Hurricane Floyd off the east coast of the United States.
    Department of Defense Visual Imaging Center photo    		 Fred Weiss
    Sirius 1241k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) moored to a buoy at Málaga, Spain, 24 June 2000. TJ Tropea, courtesy Javier Bueno Iturbe.
    Sirius 37k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) underway, off the Horn of Africa, circa April 2002. Photo taken from USS Hue City (CG-66). Photo by Lt. Steve Dundas, CHC USNR USS Hue City
    Sirius 41k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) and USNSWalter S. Diehl (T-AO 193) during a replenishment, 19 June 2002, with USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), seen from USS Hue City (CG-66), during Operation Enduring Freedom. Photo by LT Steve Dundas, CHC USNR
    Sirius 164k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) moored pierside at Grand Harbour,Malta in July 2003. TJ Tropea, courtesy Judi & Lee Brown. Glossop, Derbyshire, U,K.
    Sirius 72k USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) underway at Dubai, March 2004. Photo by Laurent LaMarche
    TS Texas Clipper III
    Sirius 59k Ex-Sirius (T-AFS-8) prior to being placed in service as TS Texas Clipper III underway in Galveston Harbor, date unknown. T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 33k TS Tresas Clipper III alongside ex-USNS Chauvenet (T-AGS-29) in service as TS Texas Clipper II at Galveston, date unknown. T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 53k TS Texas Clipper III moored pierside at Galveston, date unknown. T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius
    Sirius 141k TS Texas Clipper III moored pierside at Galveston, 2 February 2008 while being converted to a training ship. T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius courtesy Captain Peter of Sicilia, Italy
    Sirius 136k TS Texas Clipper III moored pierside at Galveston, 7 March 2008. T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret. USNS Sirius courtesy Captain Peter of Sicilia, Italy
    Sirius AirDet Patches
    Contributed by T.J. Tropea RM1 USN Ret USNS Sirius
    Sirius
    		 Sirius
    View the history of USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
    Fleet Reserve Association
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    Navy Fact File - Combat Stores Ships - T-AFS
    Texas A&M University at Galveston
    Texas A&M University, Galveston Gets a New Training Ship
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Combat Stores Ship (AFS) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 25 April 2008