The Fall River (CA-131) was launched on August 13, 1944 by New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. Alexander C. Murray, wife of the mayor of Fall River. Fall River was commissioned on July 1, 1945, with Captain D. S. Crawford in command.

On October 31, 1945, Fall River arrived at Norfolk, out of which she sailed in experimental development operations until January 31, 1946. The cruiser was assigned to JTF 1, organized to conduct Operation Crossroads, atomic weapons tests in the Marshall Islands in the summer of 1946. To prepare for this duty, Fall River sailed to San Pedro, California, where from February 16 to March 6 she was altered to provide flagship accommodations. Arriving at Pearl Harbor on March 17, she embarked Rear Admiral F. G. Fahrion, commander of the target vessel's group for the tests, and with she sailed in the Marshalls between May 21 and September 14.

After west coast training, Fall River served a tour of duty in the Far East as flagship of Cruiser Division 1 from January 12 to June 17, 1947. She returned to Puget Sound Navy Yard, where she was placed out of commission in reserve on October 31, 1947.

The bow of Fall River now graces the entrance to Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA. It remains as a testament to those brave cruiser sailors who defend our country.

RADM Fahrion flew his flag from Fall River.

ADMIRAL F.G. FAHRION: USS Fall River served as flagship to Admiral Frank George Fahrion during the 1946 atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands. The namesake of the decommissioned guided missile frigate USS Fahrion (FFG-22), Frank George Fahrion was born on April 17, 1894, in Pickens, West Virginia.

During World War II, Fahrion was the Destroyer Screen Commander for the “Yorktown” carrier task force in the early Central Pacific raids on the Gilbert Islands. For service as Chief of Staff to Commander North Pacific Force, he was awarded the Legion of Merit. He earned a Gold Star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit for the skillful direction of research development and manufacturing phases of the successful torpedo program, while commanding the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, Rhode Island, February 1943 - July 1944. The Bronze Star Medal for Valor was won by Fahrion as Commanding Officer of the battleship USS North Carolina during Fleet raids ranging from the Philippines to Iwo Jima and Okinawa. He was advanced to flag rank in January of 1945. In recognition of his skillful and intensive direct naval gunfire support missions while commanding Cruiser Division Four throughout the Okinawa Campaign, Admiral Fahrion received a Gold Star in lieu of a second Bronze Star Medal.

After retirement from the Navy, Admiral and Mrs. Fahrion made their home in La Jolla, California, where he died on January 16, 1970. Source