USS Garcia
NamesakeFernando Luis Garcia
Awarded22 June 1961
Builder
Laid down16 October 1962
Launched31 October 1963
Acquired3 December 1964
Commissioned21 December 1964
Reclassified30 June 1975*
Decommissioned31 January 1989
Out of service1989
Identification
  • DE-1040 (1964)
  • FF-1040 (1975)
Struck31 January 1989
HomeportCharleston, South Carolina, U.S.
FateScrapped 29 March 1994
USS Garcia
CountryPakistan
RenamedSiaf
Acquired31 January 1989
IdentificationF264
Out of service1994
NamesakeSaif
USS Garcia
ClassGarcia-class frigate
Displacement2,624 tons (light)
Length414 ft 6 in (126.34 m)
Beam44 ft 1 in (13.44 m)
Draft24 ft 6 in (7.47 m)
Propulsion
  • 1 Westinghouse turbine,
  • 1 screw
Power
Speed27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Complement
  • 16 officers
  • 231 enlisted
Sensors
Armament
Aircraft1 x SH-2F Seasprite LAMPS I

USS Garcia (FF-1040) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer escort ships, later reclassified as frigates, in the United States Navy. She was named for U.S. Marine Private First Class Fernando Luis Garcia, the first Puerto Rican Medal of Honor Recipient.

Laid down on 16 October 1962 by Bethlehem Steel of San Francisco, California, Garcia was launched on 31 October 1963 and commissioned on 21 December 1964. Originally designated DE-1040, she was redesignated FF-1040 in 1975 as part of the Navy's 1975 ship reclassification.

She served in the Atlantic Fleet and was homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, and Charleston, South Carolina.

Pakistan service

Following her decommissioning on 31 January 1989, she was transferred to Pakistan on the same day. Renamed Saif, she was returned to the United States on 13 January 1994 and was then sold for scrap on 29 March 1994.

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Navy Unit Commendation (with one star)
Navy "E" Ribbon
Navy Expeditionary Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

References

  • K. Jack Bauer and Stephen S. Roberts, "Register of Ships of the U. S. Navy, 1775-1990," p. 243.
  • Naval Institute "Proceedings," May 1995, pp. 219, 220.