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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.) |
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1 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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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. (U.S. Navy photo DVID #DN-SN-83-11689 by the Todd Pacific Shipyards Corp. from the DVIC) |
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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) |
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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) |
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6 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) |
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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) |
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6 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) |
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6 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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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4 July 1994: at Eastport, Maine |
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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) |
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