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Navsource Online: Frigate Photo Archive


Ship's Patch Courtesy
of Mike Smolinski

USS Fahrion (FFG 22)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - F - G - F
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons




Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Second Row: Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation - Navy "E" Ribbon (3) - National Defense Service Medal
Second Row: Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal w/ 1 star - Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon - CG Special Operations Service Ribbon


"Tenacity"
Specifications:
Class: Oliver Hazard Perry (Short Hull, As Built)
Type: SCB No. 201 / 1973 - 1978
Number in Class: 25 (7, 9 - 34) / 26
Displacement: 3109 tons (std), 3993 tons (full)
Length: 408' (wl), 445' (oa)
Beam: 45.4' (extreme)
Draft: 24' 6" (draft limit)
Propulsion: 2 GE LM 2500 gas turbine engines; 41,000 shp; 1 shaft, cp propeller, 325 hp retractable propeller pods
Speed: 29 kts
Range: 4,500 nm @ 20 knots, 5400 nm @ 16 knots
Complement: 13 / 206 (includes 19 man air detachment)
Missiles: 1-Mk 13 Mod 4 launcher, 4-SSM McDonnell-Douglas Harpoon missiles, 36-GDC-Pomona Standard SM-1MR missiles
Guns: 1 OTO Melara Mk 75 3"/62 cal., 1 Vulcan Phalanx CIS, 4-.50 cal. MGs
ASW Weapons: 6-324mm Mk 32 (2 triple) tubes / Mk 46 torpedoes
Radars: AN/SPS-55 (surface), AN/SPS-49(V)214 (air)
Sonars: AN/SQS-56, AN/SQR-19 TACTAS (Towed Array)
Elec. Warfare: SLQ-25 Nixie System, SLQ-32(V)2 Electronic Countermeasures System
Fire Control Systems: 1 Mk13 Weapon-Direction System, 1 Mk92 weapons FCS, 1 modified SPG-60 STIR radar (Separate Target Illumination Radar)
Helicopter: 1 - SH-2 LAMPS Helicopter
Fahrion (FFG 22) Building and Operational Data:
  • 28 February 1977: Building contract awarded to the Todd-Pacific Shipyard Corp.
  • 01 December 1978: Keel laid by the Todd Pacific Shipyard, Seattle, Wash.
  • 24 August 1979: Launched and christened, sponsored by Mrs. Kathleen Dwyer Fahrion, Adm. Fahrion's widow
  • 16 January 1982: Commissioned at Seattle, Cmdr. Thomas M. Daly in command
  • 30 September 1988: Assigned to Naval Reserve Force at Charleston, S.C.,
  • 31 March 1998: Decommissioned after 16 years and 2½ months of service, struck from the NVR, transferred as Grant Aid to Egypt, renamed Sharm El-Sheikh (F901)
    29 December 1981: Seattle, Wash. - A high angle bow view of Fahrion at 100 percent completion.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-84-02802 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image
    Size Image Description Contributed
    By And/Or Copyright
    Fahrion
    072201

    Fahrion

    117k Admiral Frank George Fahrion was born on 17 April 1894 in Pickens, West Virginia. He was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 1917, and served in a succession of destroyers. Prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, he lead a destroyer division guarding convoys to Iceland and to Mid-Atlantic rendezvous with British escorts. 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 or 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 Office of the battleship USS North Carolina (BB 55) during Fleet raids ranging from the Philippines to Iwo Jim 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. At the close of World War II, Admiral Fahrion was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a third Legion of Merit for superbly organizing and directing the target and salvage units of the Joint Task Force One during "Operation Crossroads," the atomic bomb tests of July 1946 at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands. Before retirement, he served as Inspector General, Pacific and U.S. Pacific Fleet: Commander Destroyers, U.S. Pacific Fleet (1946 - 1948), and Superintendent of the Naval Gun Factory, Washington, D.C. In July 1950, he assumed command of the Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and was Commander Amphibious Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, from January 1952 until his retirement on 1 May 1956. After retirement from the Navy, Admiral and Mrs. Fahrion made their home in La Jolla, California, where he died on 16 January 1970.

    USS Fahrion (FFG 22) (1979-1998) was the first ship to be named in his honor. (Photo from the Naval Historical Foundation.)
    Bill Gonyo
    Downey, Cal.

    Assoc. Researcher
    Navsource
    Fahrion
    072202
    100k 01 December 1978: Seattle, Wash. - The keel laying ceremony for the guided missile frigate USS Fahrion (FFG 22), takes place at Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11680 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the Defense Visual Information Center)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Fahrion
    072203
    146k 24 July 1979: Seattle, Wash. - A starboard beam view of Fahrion at 20 percent completion.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-84-02788 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072233
    652k 24 July 1979: Seattle, Wash. - A bow view of Fahrion at 20 percent completion.

    (U.S. Navy photo #330-CFD-DN-SN-84-02790 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Fahrion
    072204
    144k 20 August 1979: Seattle, Wash. - The port bow view of Fahrion under construction.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11682 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Fahrion
    072205
    123k 24 August 1979: Seattle, Wash. - A view of the port stern section of Fahrion, on the ways during its launching ceremony at Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11688 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072206
    137k 24 August 1979: Seattle, Wash. - A view of guests attending the launching ceremony of Fahrion.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11686 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072207
    141k 24 August 1979: Seattle, Wash. - A view of the launching party for Fahrion.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11685 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072208
    107k 24 August 1979: Seattle, Wash. - A view of Mrs. Kathleen Dwyer Fahrion (Adm. Fahrion's widow), ship's sponsor, during the launching ceremony of Fahrion.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11684 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072209
    125k 24 August 1979: Seattle, Wash. - Mrs. Frank G. Fahrion, sponsor, christens the guided missile frigate USS Fahrion (FFG 22) during the ship's launching ceremony at Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation.v
    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11689 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072210
    104k 24 August 1979: Seattle, Wash. - A stern view of Fahrion sliding down the ways during its launching ceremony.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11690 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072211
    126k 6 October 1981: off Seattle, Wash. - An aerial port beam view of Fahrion as Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation conducts sea trials.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11696 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072224
    154k 06 October 1981: off Seattle, Wash. - An aerial bow view of Fahrion as Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation conducts sea trials.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11692 from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072225
    91k 6 October 1981: off Seattle, Wash. - A starboard view of Fahrion underway during sea trials.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11691 from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072212
    121k 06 October 1981: off Seattle, Wash. - An aerial port bow view of Fahrion as Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation conducts sea trials.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-83-11695 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072213
    139k 06 October 1981: off Seattle, Wash. - An aerial starboard quarter view of Fahrion as Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation conducts sea trials.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-8-311694 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072234
    588k 06 October 1981: the Atlantic Ocean - A starboard view of the guided missile frigate USS Fahrion (FFG 22) underway. The ship was built by Todd Pacific Shipyards.

    (U.S. Navy photo NAID #6350402 from the National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.)
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Fahrion
    072214
    108k Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Fahrion
    072215)
    146k 29 December 1981: Seattle, Wash. - A starboard bow view of Fahrion at 100 percent completion.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-84-02801 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072216
    113k 29 December 1981: Seattle, Wash. - A stern bow view of Fahrion at 100 percent completion.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-84-02800 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072217
    88k 21 February 1985: off Norfolk, Va. - A port quarter view of Fahrion underway off the Virginia Capes.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-11618 from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072218
    90k 21 February 1985: off Norfolk, Va. - A starboard bow view of Fahrion underway off the Virginia Capes.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-11629 from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072219
    129k 21 February 1985: off Norfolk, Va. - A port bow view of Fahrion underway off the Virginia Capes.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-11619 from the v)
    Fahrion
    072220
    76k 21 February 1985: off Norfolk, Va. - A starboard quarter view of Fahrion underway off the Virginia Capes.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-11616 from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072221
    77k 21 February 1985: off Norfolk, Va. - A starboard beam view of Fahrion underway off the Virginia Capes.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-11617, from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072222
    88k 21 February 1985: off Norfolk, Va. - A port quarter view of Fahrion underway off the Virginia Capes.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-11618 from the DVIC)
    Fahrion
    072223
    82k 21 October 1985: off Norfolk, Va. - A right side view of an SH-2F helicopter from the Helicopter Light Antisubmarine Squadron 34 (HSL-34) taking off from the deck of Fahrion during deck landing qualifications.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-86-00875 from the DVIC)
    FFG-22 USS Fahrion
    072230
    246k Fall 1993: Charleston, S.C. - Fahrion at the Charleston Naval Station, her homeport. I took this shot from USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) when I had the honor of going on a Tiger Cruise. James "Rick" Barton
    West Palm Beach, Fla.
    Fahrion
    072226
    582k 11 October 1993: Port Everglades, Fla. - A port bow view of Fahrion tied to the pier at Port Everglades.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-94-00525 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Fahrion
    072227
    880k 11 October 1993: Port Everglades, Fla. - A port bow view of Fahrion tied to the pier at Port Everglades.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-94-00524 by OS2 John Bouvia from the DVIC)
    FFG-22 USS Fahrion
    072228
    110 04 July 1994: at Eastport, Maine Wendell McLaughlin
    Fahrion
    072229
    174k 28 January 1996: Norfolk, Va. - Aerial view of destroyer and submarine (D&S) pier 23 at the naval base. Moored to the south side of the pier is the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Mississippi (CGN 40) with the Naval Reserve Force guided missile frigate Fahrion moored outboard. Forward of CGN 40 is an unidentified Spruance class destroyer.

    (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SC-97-00619 by Robert Sitar from the DVIC)
    Mike Smolinski
    Clifton, N.J.

    Navsource DE/FF/LCS
    Archive Manager
    Fahrion
    072231
    150k 15 February 2018: the Red Sea - The Egyptian guided-missile frigate Sharm El-Sheikh (F901) in the Red Sea.

    (U.S. Navy photo #180215-N-OI558-1056 by MC3 Chanel L. Turner from the Navy News Stand)
    Bob Hurst
    Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
    England, United Kingdom
    Fahrion
    072232)
    626k 15 February 2018: the Red Sea - Guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) steams with Egyptian navy’s guided-missile frigate Sharm El-Shiek (F901) during a passing exercise in the Red Sea. Sampson is deployed with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group to the 5th fleet area operations in support of maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners and preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region.

    (U.S. Navy photo #180215-N-NO146-0002 from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)
    Fahrion
    072235
    495k 14 March 2021: the Red Sea - The Egyptian guided-missile frigate ENS Sharm El Sheikh (FFG 901) (the former USS Fahrion, FFG 22) transits alongside amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25), not pictured, during a passing exercise in the Red Sea. Somerset, part of the Makin island Amphibious Ready Group, and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of naval operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the western Indian Ocean and three strategic choke points.

    (U.S. Navy photo #210314-N-JC800-1188 by MC2 Heath Zeigler from the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

    Fahrion Memoribilia
    Navy Times Ship in the Spotlight
    © Mario DeMarco
    Fahrion
    Courtesy of
    Mike Smolinski

    USS Fahrion FFG 22 History
    Note: History is unavailable at this time
    This class of ship was built too late to be covered by the DANFS project

    Fahrion's Commanding Officers
    Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves
    Dates of Command Commanding Officers
    1.)  16 Jan. 1982 - 02 Aug. 1983Cmdr. Thomas Milton Daly (USNA '68) (Plainfield, N.J.)
    2.)  02 Aug. 1983 - 18 Oct. 1985Cmdr. John Bullard Mitchell Jr. (Bridgeport, Conn.)
    3.)  18 Oct. 1985 - 15 Jan. 1988Cmdr. Arthur Eugene Osiecki (OCS '67) (Salem, Mass.)
    4.)  15 Jan. 1988 - 01 Mar. 1990Cmdr. Thomas E. Plichta (Milwaukee, Wis.)
    5.)  01 Mar. 1990 - 10 Jan. 1992Cmdr. Kevin J. Tackett
    6.)  10 Jan. 1992 - 29 Oct. 1993Cmdr. Thomas Beeman Carter Jr.
    7.)  29 Oct. 1993 - 18 Jul. 1995Cmdr. James Thomas Harrington (OCS '71)
    8.)  18 Jul. 1995 - 14 Mar. 1997Cmdr. David Morel (Hawthorne, N.J.)
    9.)  14 Mar. 1997 - 31 Mar. 1998Cmdr. Robert L. Cullinan

    Crew Contact And Reunion Information

    None
    Note About Contacts

    Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
    made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
    a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists, rosters, or deck logs available. Please see the
    Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.


    Additional Resources

    Tin Can Sailors
    The U.S. Navy Memorial
    The Destroyer Escort Historical Museum
    The Destroyer History Foundation
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    This page created by Daniel N. Dunham,
    expanded and maintained by Mike Smolinski
    All pages copyright Navsource Naval History
    by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved.
    Page Last Updated: 22 December 2022