John H. Sides | |
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As director of the Weapons System Evaluation Group, circa 1957.
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Nickname(s) | Savvy |
Born |
Roslyn, Washington |
April 22, 1904
Died | April 3, 1978 San Diego, California |
(aged 73)
Place of burial | Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California |
Allegiance |
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Service/branch |
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Years of service | 1925–1963 |
Rank |
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Commands held | United States Pacific Fleet |
Battles/wars |
World War II Cold War |
Awards |
Navy DSM Legion of Merit (2) Navy Commendation Medal (2) |
Admiral John Harold Sides (April 22, 1904 – April 3, 1978) was a four-star admiral in the United States Navy who served as commander in chief of the United States Pacific Fleet from 1960 to 1963 and was known as the father of the Navy's guided-missile program.
Born in Roslyn, Washington to George Kelley Sides and Estella May Bell, he attended primary and secondary schools in Roslyn, then studied for one year at the University of Washington before being appointed to the United States Naval Academy, from which he graduated ninth in a class of 448 in 1925.
Commissioned ensign, he served four years aboard the battleship Tennessee before being dispatched to the Asiatic Station with the destroyer John D. Edwards to participate in the Yangtze River Patrol. He returned to the United States in June 1931 to study naval ordnance at the Naval Postgraduate School in Annapolis, Maryland, beginning a long career in that field. He completed the ordnance course at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1934, and in May began two years as assistant fire control officer aboard the light cruiser Cincinnati. He served as flag lieutenant on the staff of a battleship division commander from 1936 to 1937, then spent two years in the ammunition section of the Bureau of Ordnance.
In July 1939, he assumed command of the destroyer Tracy, which was assigned to Mine Division 1 and operated out of Pearl Harbor with the Battle Force. He commanded Tracy until November 1940, then reported aboard the light cruiser Savannah as gunnery officer.