Commander Joseph K. Sikes
Commander Joseph K. Sikes
Commander Sikes was born in Augusta, Georgia, on 29 March 1946. He attended St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio and was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1964. Following graduation in June 1968, Ensign Sikes proceeded to flight training in Pensacola, Florida. He was designated a Naval Flight Officer in June 1969.
Lieutenant (junior grade) Sikes reported to Patrol Squadron SEVENTEEN in Barbers Point, Hawaii in March 1970 and participated in three Westpac deployments in support of operations in Vietnam.
This tour included stints as Legal Officer, Avionics Branch Officer, and NFO Training Officer and was distinguished by his designation as the squadron's first NFO Mission Commander. In August 1973 Lieutenant Sikes reported to Patrol Squadron THIRTY-ONE at Moffett Field, California where he served as Legal Officer, Avionics/Armament Division Officer and NFO NATOPS Officer. During this tour he instructed in both the P3B and P3C aircraft in addition to training Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) crews who were transitioning to P3F aircraft in 1975.
In May 1976 Lieutenant Sikes was ordered to report to Five Squadron, Royal New Zealand Air Force located at Whenuapai, New Zealand as part of the Personnel Exchange Program (PEP). Following two arduous years of flying maritime patrols with KIWI aircrews in support of the ANZUS treaty, he reported to the College of Naval Command and Staff at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island in August 1978.
While a student at the Naval War College, Lieutenant Commander Sikes was swayed by his detailer to return to Hawaii for his department head tour. He was subsequently ordered to Patrol Squadron ONE at Barbers Point, reporting in February 1980. During this tour he served as Tactics Officer, Operations Officer, and acted as Detachment OINC in Diego Garcia, Perth, Australia (Operation Sandgroper) and Sydney, Australia (Operation Sea Eagle).
In January 1982 Lieutenant Commander Sikes transferred to the staff of Commander Patrol Wing TWO at Barbers Point as Readiness/Training Officer and subsequently held the billet of Operations Officer. Commander Sikes was assigned to Patrol Squadron SIX in September 1983 as Executive Officer, and took command of the World Famous Blue Sharks in December 1984. He has never served with a finer group of men and women.
His awards include the Air Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (two awards), Navy Expeditionary Medal (10), Vietnam Service Medal (three campaigns) and the Humanitarian Services Medal. Commander Sikes and his wife, Mary, reside in Ewa Beach with their three children Kelly, Josh, and Mark.