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Sims was born to American parents living in Ontario, Canada. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1880, the beginnings of an era of naval reform and greater professionalization. Commodore Stephen B. Luce founded the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1884, to be the Service's professional school. During the same era, Naval War College instructor Captain Alfred Thayer Mahan was writing influential books on naval strategy and sea power.

As a young officer, Sims sought to reform naval gunnery by improving target practice. His superiors resisted his suggestions, failing to see the necessity. He was also hindered by his low rank. Never one to let obstacles stand in his way, Sims overcame the opposition by writing directly (in 1902Events January-April January 28 The Carnegie Institution is founded in Washington, DC with a $10 million gift from Andrew Carnegie. France, Loisy's L'evangile et l'Eglise which inaugurates the Modernist Crisis February 11 Police beat up universal suffrage) to President Theodore RooseveltTheodore Roosevelt Order 26th President Term of Office September 14, 1901 March 4, 1909 Predecessor William McKinley Successor William Howard Taft Date of Birth Wednesday, October 27, 1858 Place of Birth New York City Date of Death Monday, January 6, 1919. The President, who had previously served as Assistant Secretary of the NavyAssistant Secretary of the Navy (abbrev. ASN") is the title given to certain senior officials in the U. Department of the Navy. They serve as chief assistants to the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). As of 2004, there are four Assistant Secretaries of the N, was intrigued by Sims' ideas and made him the Navy's Inspector of Target Practice.

When the United States entered World War I, now- Rear AdmiralThe term Rear Admiral originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons, and is most directly associated with the British Royal Navy. Each Naval Squadron would be assigned an Admiral as its head, who would command from the center vessel and direct the a Sims was serving as President of the Naval War College. Just before the U.S. entered the war, the WilsonWoodrow Wilson Order 28th President Term of Office Tuesday, March 4, 1913 Friday, March 4, 1921 Predecessor William Howard Taft Successor Warren G. Harding Date of Birth Sunday, December 28, 1856 Place of Birth Staunton, Virginia Date of Death Sunday, Feb Administration sent him to London as a naval representative. After the U.S. entry, Sims was given command over U.S. naval forces operating from Britain. He ended the war as a vice admiral, in command of all U.S. naval forces operating in Europe.

Sims served a second tour as President of the Naval War College (1919–1922), and retired in October 1922. He died in Boston, Massachusetts on September 25, 1936, with the rank of full admiral.