USS Sides FFG 14 / Admiral John H. Sides / Oliver Hazard Perry class Guided Missile Frigate
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Naval Forces Technology, History & Information

 

Guided Missile Frigate

FFG 14   -   USS Sides

USS Sides (FFG 14)

US Navy photo

Type, Class:

 

Guided Missile Frigate; Oliver Hazard Perry – class (short hull);

planned and built as FFG 14;

Builder:

 

Todd Pacific Shipyard, San Pedro, California, USA

STATUS:

 

Awarded: February 27, 1976;

Laid down: August 7, 1978;

Launched: May 19, 1979;

Commissioned: May 30, 1981;

Decommissioned: February 28, 2003;

 

Fate: stricken May 24, 2004;

as of January 2007 the ship laid up at NAVSEA Inactive Ships, Bremerton, Washington;

planned disposition:Foreign Military Sales (FMS); maybe sold to Portugal or Bahrain;

Homeport:

 

-

Namesake:

 

Named after and in honor of Admiral John H. Sides ( ? – 1978);

> see history, below;

Ship's Motto:

 

> SAVVY <

Technical Data:

(Measures, Propulsion,

Armament, Aviation, etc.)

 

see: INFO > Guided Missile Frigate / Oliver Hazard Perry - class.

 

Pictures, photos & more ...

 

John H. Sides

 

Photo credits: US Navy, US Naval Historical Center

 

Namesake & History:

Admiral John H. Sides (? – April 3, 1978);

 

Throughout a distinguished naval career spanning nearly four decades, Admiral Sides contributed immensely to the field of weapons, specifically with regard to shipboard missile systems. The guided missile frigate Sides (FFG-14), the first ship so named in his honor, represents a most appropriate marriage of platform and namesake.

A native of Roslyn, Washington, Admiral Sides received his commission from the U.S. Naval Academy, having graduated with distinction in the class of 1925. His early sea tours were served principally aboard battleships. While ashore he pursued development of his specialty - ordnance - First, in 1942, as Chief of Ammunition and explosive section of the Bureau of Ordnance; then in 1948 as Deputy to the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Guided Missiles; in 1951 in the Office of the Director of Guided Missiles, Office of the Secretary of Defense; and, most notably, in 1952, as Director of the Guided Missile Division, Office of the CNO, from which he director the Navy's Guided Missile Efforts for almost four years.

Admiral Sides at sea commands include: Commander Mine Division Eight (1944), Commander Destroyer Squadron Forty-Seven (1945), USS ALBANY (1950), and Commander Cruiser Division Six (1956).

On August 31, 1960, he was appointed Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and served in that capacity until September 30, 1963 at which time he retired from active duty. He passed away April 3, 1978 leaving his spouse, the former Virginia E. Roach and daughter, Mrs. Joanne Savina Sides Watson.

 

USS Sides (FFG 14):

 

... FFG 14 history wanted ...

 

… and patches …

 

 

 

 

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