Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
	48k	James Fife was an experienced submariner and former naval observer in London. He was assigned as chief of staff to Submarine Squadron 2 in the Philippines just before war broke out. Leaving Manila after the destruction of the naval base at Serves Cavite, Fife subsequently left Corregidor with other submarine personnel on Seawolf, eventually making his way to Bandung. When Java fell, Fife escaped on a patrol aircraft, arriving at Fremantle in southwest Australia on 3 March 1942 to begin setting up a new submarine base. At about this time, Fife and his squadron commander, John Wilkes, prepared a report on submarine operations in southeast Asia for Admiral King. This report was highly insightful, identifying most of the weaknesses in the submarine force. The Wilkes-Fife report noted that something was wrong with the Mark XIV torpedo, suggesting that the torpedoes were running too deep and that the magnetic exploders might not be reliable -- both of which turned out to be the case. The H.O.R. engines used on many boats were fingered as unreliable and in need of replacement. Submarine silhouettes needed to be reduced by cutting down their conning towers. Onboard equipment needed to be quieter. The submarines needed better distillers, radar, and air conditioning. It had been discovered that the performance of prospective submarine commanders was impossible to predict or test except through actual command of a boat on war patrol, and the recommendation was made that a skipper should be given two patrols to prove himself or be relieved. Fife would later become notorious for his ruthlessness in relieving skippers. When Wilkes was rotated back to the US in early 1942, he was replaced by Charles Lockwood. Fife and Lockwood got along well, and Fife was directed by Lockwood to get to the bottom of the torpedo problem. On 20 June 1942, at about the time that Fife was given command of Submarine Squadron 2, he conducted the first of a series of tests at his Albany headquarters that confirmed that the torpedoes were running too deep. At the start of the war, submarine commanders were typically about 40 years old. Fife began assigning submarine commands to younger officers, and by the end of the war the average submarine commander was closer to 30 years old. Transferred to eastern Australia in September 1942, Fife was later send as "special representative" of Arthur Carpender MacArthur's naval commander, to MacArthur's forward headquarters at Port Moresby, effectively giving up his squadron. His actual role was to protect the security of Navy Ultra. Fife relieved Christie as Commander, Task Force 42, Brisbane, in late December. Here he built up a magnificent submarine base, which included rest camps built around two resort hotels. Among the high-spirited and heavy-drinking submarine crews, he gained a reputation as nondrinker and a strict disciplinarian. Blair describes him as a "strange, solitary, almost lonely figure." Believed that his commanders were too cautious, Fife began micromanaging his boats. Instead of letting the commanders use their own initiative in patrolling their areas, he moved his units like "checkers on a board' with the guidance of Ultra intelligence. In effect, he repeated the mistake of Doenitz in the Atlantic. The loss on 10 Jan 1943 of Argonaut, which really had no business making a regular war patrol, followed by the rapid loss of three fleet boats, prompted an informal investigation by McCann that exonerated Fife. Nevertheless, the controversy prompted Fife to offer his resignation to Carpender, which was refused. Fife had become a protege of MacArthur, and in turn he became a loyal member of "MacArthur's Navy." At the beginning of 1944, Fife was rotated to Washington to become a war planner on King's staff. Fife remained in close touch with Lockwood and helped nudge along his proposals to the Washington brass. In late 1944 Fife, now a rear admiral, returned to the Pacific to take command of all submarines in 7 Fleet. He was much less prone this time around to micromanage his commanders. Apparently he had learned a lesson. However, he went on patrol with Hardhead on 20 March 1945, a rather reckless stunt for a senior commander. Postwar Fife served as an assistant to the General Board and Joint Chiefs of Staff before becoming Commander, Submarines, Atlantic in 1948. He retired a year later, and died in 1975.		Robert M. Cieri
	168k	Undated, location unknown.		-
	112k	Undated, location unknown. Photo from "Twenty-First Century Warships" by Steve Crawford.		Robert Hurst
	90k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	93k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	98k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	94k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	80k	Undated, location unknown.		Tom Armstrong
	197k	Undated, in Melbourne, Australia.		Chris Howell
	215k	Undated, in Melbourne, Australia.		Chris Howell
	64k	Fitting out at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, on 20 July 1979. They were the final two of the original thirty Spruance class destroyers ordered by the U.S. Navy, and were to be formally christened on the following day, 21 July. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	62k	Off Point Loma, San Diego, CA in 1981. Postcard Copyright © Marine Photos, San Diego, CA.		Mike Smolinski
	97k	DN-ST-85-00254. Quartermaster 3rd Class (QM3) Ray B. Ortega and Lieutenant J. W. Sweet, ship's navigator, man the chart table on the bridge of the destroyer USS FIFE (DD 991) during operations near Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines. Photo by PH1 Dave MacLean, March 12 1982.		Bill Gonyo
	93k	Photographed while Fife was attached to Battle Group Echo (USS Ranger CV 61) on deployment from 1983 to 1984.		Jerry Hays
	122k	DN-SC-84-04677. April 14 1983, an aerial starboard bow view of the destroyer USS Fife (DD 991), left, and the battleship USS New Jersey (BB 62) underway. The crew of the Fife is involved in a wash down operation. U.S. Navy Photo by PH2 D. Smith.		Robert M. Cieri
	54k	DN-SC-85-00409. An aerial port quarter view of the destroyer USS FIFE (DD 991) returning to San Diego from a Western Pacific (WESTPAC) cruise with the aircraft carrier USS RANGER (CV 61). Photo by PHC O`CONNOR dated March 29 1984.		-
	51k	USS Leftwich (DD-984), USS Worden (CG-18) and USS Fife (DD-991) at Vancouver's 1986 EXPO 86 Worlds Fair.		David Freeburn
	33k	Vancouver, BC July 3 1986.		Marc Piché
	42k	Vancouver, BC July 3 1986.		Marc Piché
	33k	Vancouver, BC July 3 1986.		Marc Piché
	41k	Vancouver, BC July 3 1986.		Marc Piché
	60k	Fremantle, Australia November 10 1989.		Marc Piché
	73k	August 8 1991, Persian Gulf, the British destroyer HMS Gloucester (D-96), foreground, comes alongside the combat stores ship USS Niagara Falls (AFS-3) for an underway replenishment as the destroyer USS Fife (DD-991) steams nearby during Operation Desert Storm. DVI photo.		Fred Weiss
	93k	The destroyer USS Fife (DD 991) was on scene at the crash of Alaskan Air Flight 261 to assist in search and rescue operations Jan. 31 through Feb 2 2002. This image is from 24 Aug. 1999 and shows the ship underway in Puget Sound. U.S. Navy photo.		Fred Weiss
	102k	Everett, WA September 1998.		Marc Piché
	132k	August 24 1999, the Spruance class destroyer USS Fife (DD 991) returns home from a day-to-day exercise. U.S. Navy Photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class William R. Stearmer.		Bill Gonyo
	112k	020621-N-1056B-001. At sea aboard USS Fife (DD 991), June 21 2002, Ensign Jesse Alvarez marks the position of a Colombian frigate from USS Fife while the two ships are off the Eastern Coast of South America participating in the 43rd annual UNITAS exercise. UNITAS is the largest multinational naval exercise conducted with naval forces from the U.S., the Caribbean Sea, and South and Central America. The exercise focuses on building multinational coalitions while promoting hemispheric defense and mutual cooperation. U.S. Navy photo by Lieutenant Corey Barker.		Bill Gonyo
	52k	The Pacific Ocean, Jun. 25, 2002. The destroyer USS Fife (DD 991) is the U.S. Task Group flagship for the Pacific phase of the 43rd annual UNITAS exercise conducted between June 27 and July 11 with naval forces from five nations off the coast of Chile. Fife's five-month deployment to the eastern Pacific Ocean for Counter-Drug Operations and the UNITAS exercise is the final deployment for the Spruance-class destroyer. It is scheduled to be decommissioned in February 2003. Fife is homeported in Everett, Wa. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Corey Barker. [020625-N-1056B-004]		Fred Weiss
	70k	Off the coast of Comquimbo, Chile (Jul. 3, 2002), the guided missile destroyer USS Fife (DD 991) leaves to begin the Pacific Phase of the annual UNITAS exercise held in the waters near South America. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Shane T. McCoy.		Fred Weiss
	130k	Southern Pacific Ocean, July 5 2002, the Guided missile destroyer USS Fife (DD 991) fires a RIM-7 NATO "Sea Sparrow" surface-to-air missile during a UNITAS live-fire exercise conducted off the coast of Chile. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Shane T. McCoy.		Fred Weiss
	111k	020706-N-6067M-001. Southeastern Pacific Ocean, July 5 2002, Operations Specialist Seaman Ja'Ida Davis mans a radar console aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Fife (DD 991) during the Pacific Phase of UNITAS. UNITAS (Latin for Unity) is an exercise which involves warships from six countries participating in ten days of intense wargames designed to build multinational coalitions while promoting hemispheric defense and mutual cooperation. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Shane T. McCoy.		Bill Gonyo
	193k	020707-N-6967M-006. Southern Pacific Ocean, July 7 2002, Seaman Matthew Johnston (left) and Boatswain's Mate Petty Officer 3rd Class Lody Quinola (right) free the “pelican hook” anchor chain locking mechanism aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Fife (DD 991) during exercise UNITAS 2002. UNITAS (Latin for “unity”) is an exercise which involves warships from six countries participating in ten days of intense wargames designed to build multinational coalitions while promoting hemispheric defense and mutual cooperation. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Shane T. McCoy.		Robert M. Cieri
	53k	Invitation to the Decommissioning Ceremony.		Tom Armstrong
	61k	030228-N-6477M-191. Naval Station Everett, WA, February 28 2003, Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Derrick L. Paulding stands ready to sound bells for distinguished visitors arriving aboard USS Fife (DD 991) during the ship’s decommissioning ceremony. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Eli Jody Medellin.		Bill Gonyo
	140k	A series of seven photos taken by PH1 (AW/SW/NAC) Keith DeVinney taken during SINKEX August 23 2005 in the Pacific. This image displays a hit by a MK 48 Torpedo.		Joe Gardella
	111k	As above. This image displays the hit by a MK 48 Torpedo.		Joe Gardella
	155k	As above. This image displays the Fife with her bow gone.		Joe Gardella
	152k	As above. This image displays the Fife after taking countless 5" projectiles.		Joe Gardella
	86k	As above. This image displays the Fife after taking a practice round that went completely through the ship. Close inspection of this photo will reveal a rush of water coming out from where the round passed near her bottom end.		Joe Gardella
	86k	As above. This image displays more of the 5" damage.		Joe Gardella
	68k	As above. This image displays the Fife as she begins to slip beneath the waves.		Joe Gardella
	76k	Ship's patch		Mike Smolinski
	32k	Ship's patch		Mike Smolinski

CDR John Yale Schrader Jr.    May 31 1980 - Sep 26 1981

CDR William Stanley Ulrich    Sep 26 1981 - Sep 19 1983

CDR Lloyd Phillip Amborn    Sep 19 1983 - Jan 8 1986

CDR William Joseph Keating Jr.    Jan 8 1986 - Feb 26 1988

CDR Louis William Bauer Jr.    Feb 26 1988 - Jan 29 1990

CDR Curtis Allen Kemp    Jan 29 1990 - Feb 20 1992 (Later RADM)

CDR Daniel Thomas Vilotti    Feb 20 1992 - Feb 12 1994

CDR Edmund Tyler Wooldridge III    Feb 12 1994 - Feb 7 1996

CDR Andrew Brian Tamayo    Feb 7 1996 - Dec 15 1996

LCDR Phillip Raymond Kessler    Dec 15 1996 - Jan 24 1997

CDR Carl Andrew Carpenter    Jan 24 1997 - Sep 18 1998

CDR Steven Howard Huber    Sep 18 1998 - Apr 5 2000

CDR John Edward Field II    Apr 5 2000 - Oct 1 2001

CDR Fernandez Lewis (Frank) Ponds    Oct 1 2001 - Feb 28 2003 (Later RADM)

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