Namesake:

Admiral John H. Sides

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 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.

Historical Notes:

DECOMMISSIONING:

Ship's Crest:

The Shield: Light blue is symbolic of the hours of daylight and dark blue of the night. Together they connote the 24 hour watch and the vigilance required of warships at sea. The three arcs on the light blue suggest the very high frequency radio waves of radar, those on the dark blue symbolize the acoustic waves used in sonar to detect submerged objects. The broad arrow represents a missile on course to its target.

The Crest: Blue and gold are the colors associated with the Navy. The scaled horse's head, alluding to the heraldic sea horse, represents a knight, one of the pieces in the game of chess, suggesting at once the personal reputation of Admiral Sides as a man of knightly character and integrity and as a naval officer experienced in the strategies of sea warfare. The mullets, heraldic symbols related to the spurs of a knight, symbolize the four star rank attained by the Admiral.

PHOTOS