USS ''Jack Williams'' (FFG-24), sixteenth ship of the of guided-missile frigates, was named for Pharmacist's Mate Third Class Jack Williams, who was posthumously awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

for his heroism in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Construction and career

Ordered from

Bath Iron Works Bath Iron Works (BIW) is a major United States shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, founded in 1884 as Bath Iron Works, Limited. Since 1995, Bath Iron Works has been a subsidiary of General Dynamics. It is the fifth-largest ...

Bath, Maine Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 8,766 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County, which includes one city and 10 towns. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its ...

, 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 Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...

the same day and recommissioned as . ''Jack Williams'' (FFG-24) was the first ship of that name in the US Navy.

References

External links

1980 ships Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates of the United States Navy Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates of the Bahraini Navy Ships built in Bath, Maine Cold War frigates and destroyer escorts of the United States {{US-mil-ship-stub