USS Jack Williams

USS Jack Williams (FFG-24), sixteenth ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class of guided-missile frigates, was named for Pharmacist's Mate Third Class Jack Williams, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

USS Jack Williams (FFG-24) on 1 March 1983
History
United States
Name	Jack Williams
Namesake	U.S. Navy Pharmacist Mate, Jack Williams
Ordered	28 February 1977
Builder	Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine
Laid down	25 February 1980
Launched	30 August 1980
Sponsored by	Mrs. Fern Williams Carr, sister of PhM3c Williams
Commissioned	19 September 1981
Decommissioned	13 September 1996
Stricken	13 September 1996
Homeport	Mayport, Florida
Identification	Hull symbol:FFG-24 Code letters:NNJW
Motto	Guardez Bien (Guard Well)
Nickname(s)	The Arky
Fate	Transferred to Bahrain as RBNS Sabha, 1996
General characteristics
Class and type	Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate
Displacement	4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load
Length	445 feet (136 m), overall
Beam	45 feet (14 m)
Draught	22 feet (6.7 m)
Propulsion	2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller 2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azimuth thrusters for maneuvering and docking.
Speed	over 29 knots (54 km/h)
Range	5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (9,300 km at 33 km/h)
Complement	15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers
Sensors and processing systems	AN/SPS-49 air-search radar AN/SPS-55 surface-search radar CAS and STIR fire-control radar AN/SQS-56 sonar.
Electronic warfare & decoys	AN/SLQ-32
Armament	As built: 1 × OTO Melara Mk 75 76 mm/62 caliber naval gun 2 × Mk 32 triple-tube (324 mm) launchers for Mark 46 torpedoes 1 × Vulcan Phalanx CIWS 4 × .50-cal (12.7 mm) machine guns. 1 × Mk 13 Mod 4 single-arm launcher for Harpoon anti-ship missiles and SM-1MR Standard anti-ship/air missiles (40 round magazine) Note: As of 2004, Mk 13 systems removed from all active US vessels of this class.
Aircraft carried	1 × SH-2F LAMPS I

Construction and career

Ordered from Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, on 28 February 1977 as part of the FY77 program, Jack Williams was laid down on 25 February 1980; launched on 30 August 1980, sponsored by Mrs. Fern Williams Carr, sister of PhM3c Williams; and commissioned on 19 September 1981.

in 1983, the ship accidentally launched a live MK-46 torpedo while berthed at Naval Station Mayport in Florida. The torpedo skidded across the top of a concrete pier but did not detonate.

Decommissioned and stricken on 13 September 1996, she was transferred to Bahrain the same day and recommissioned as RBNS Sabha (90).

Jack Williams (FFG-24) was the first ship of that name in the US Navy.

References

 This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.

External links

Media related to USS Jack Williams (FFG-24) at Wikimedia Commons