USS Garcia (FF-1040) was the lead ship

Lead ship

The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable military ships and larger civilian craft.-Overview:...

 of her class

Garcia class frigate

Garcia class frigates were United States Navy warships. These frigates were originally ocean escorts bearing the hull classification DE or DEG until 1975...

 of destroyer escort

Destroyer escort

A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...

 ships, later reclassified as frigate

Frigate

A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...

s, in the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

. She was named for Private Fernando Luis Garcia

Fernando Luis García

Private First Class Fernando Luis García , a member of the United States Marines, was the first Puerto Rican, from a total of five, to be awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.-Early years:...

.

Laid down on October 16, 1962 by Bethlehem Steel

Bethlehem Steel

The Bethlehem Steel Corporation , based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was once the second-largest steel producer in the United States, after Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based U.S. Steel. After a decline in the U.S...

 of San Francisco, California

San Francisco, California

San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...

, Garcia was launched on October 31, 1963 and commissioned on December 21, 1964. Originally designated DE-1040, she was redesignated FF-1040 in 1975 as part of the Navy's 1975 ship reclassification

United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification

The United States Navy reclassified many of its surface vessels in 1975, changing terminology and hull classification symbols for cruisers, frigates, and ocean escorts.- Classification prior to 1975 :...

.

She served in the Atlantic Fleet and was homeported in Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

.

Following decommissioning on January 31, 1989, she was transferred to Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

 on the same day. Renamed Saif, she was returned to the United States on January 13, 1994 and sold for scrap on March 29, 1994.

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

• Navy Unit Commendation
  Navy Unit Commendation
  The Navy Unit Commendation of the United States Navy is an award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944...
  
   (with one star)
• Navy "E" Ribbon
• Navy Expeditionary Medal
  Navy Expeditionary Medal
  The Navy Expeditionary Medal is an award of the United States Navy which was first created in August 1936 by General Orders of the Department of the Navy...
  
  
• National Defense Service Medal
  National Defense Service Medal
  The National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
  
  
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy...
  
  

External links

• USS Garcia on NavSource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive
• Photo of Garcia