Ships
- USS Sproston (DD-577) Captain, 19 May 1943 – 14 October 1943
Fred Russell Stickney was born in Texas on 1 July 1902. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with the class of 1925 and was promoted to lieutenant commander on 1 August 1939.
In the first year of the Pacific war he commanded the destroyer Gridley. He took her on 2 March 1942, while still a lieutenant commander, and remained in command until 8 February 1943. On 1 August 1942, during that tour, he was advanced to the temporary rank of commander.
His next ship was new. The Fletcher-class destroyer Sproston (DD-577) was laid down on 1 April 1942 at the Consolidated Steel Company in Orange, Texas, and launched on 31 August 1942 with Mrs. Aline G. Darst as sponsor. Stickney placed her in commission on 19 May 1943 and was her captain until 14 October 1943. On 20 July 1943, while he still had the ship, he received the temporary rank of captain.
The months in his hands were the ship's working-up period. After commissioning, Sproston carried out shakedown training off Cuba, and Stickney turned over command on 14 October 1943 with the destroyer still preparing for her passage to the Pacific.
Michael Joseph Luosey relieved him that day and commanded Sproston until 6 February 1945. Under Luosey she transited the Panama Canal on 4 November 1943, called at San Francisco, sailed for Pearl Harbor on 15 November, and entered Kuluk Bay at Adak on 1 December to join Destroyer Squadron 49 for Aleutian and Kuril operations, later taking part in the Philippines campaign. Robert John Esslinger commanded her from 6 February 1945 to 2 November 1945. Robert Duane Karl was her last wartime commanding officer, from 2 November 1945 until she was placed out of commission at San Diego on 18 January 1946.