First lady Michelle Obama to sponsor Northrop Grumman-built ship

The Mississippi Press ^ | July 21, 2009 | APRIL M. HAVENS

[Peter Horry]

PASCAGOULA -- First lady Michelle Obama will sponsor the Coast Guard's third Legend-class national security cutter, which is about 25 percent complete at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's Pascagoula yard, officials said Monday.

In August 2007, the Coast Guard awarded Northrop Grumman a $285.5 million contract to construct the Stratton.

The 418-foot cutter, WMSL 752, is named in honor of Dorothy C. Stratton, the first female commissioned officer in the Coast Guard. Stratton served as director of the SPARS, the Guard's women's reserve, during World War II.

[SJSAMPLE]

“Dorothy C. Stratton”

Man, whe was HOT.

[MestaMachine]

I’m sorry. I think this is disgusting.

[RexBeach]

“Sponsor” a USCG cutter? How is she going to do that? Show them how to grow organic veggies in the galley?

[Tijeras_Slim]

A 418 foot ship with a 392 foot beam.

[A_Former_Democrat]

Does that mean she’ll had to be “proud” of the ship?

[tet68]

Not her but still worth a post.

[Bon mots]

I'll betcha when she smashes the bottle on the side of the boat at its launch, the bottle is empty!

[Darksheare]

It’s gonna sink.
Just paint Ole Angry Eyes Michelle on the front before it goes down.
That’ll scare the waves out of the way so it’ll be an easy plunge to the bottom.

[silverleaf]

“sponsor” is an odd word. It’s already named or they could commission it in her honor

the USS PMS

Maybe the next one will be named after Angela Davis

[silverleaf]

bada bing!

[PGR88]

I Hereby Christen Thee - The USS ACORN!

[Travis T. OJustice]

Dorothy Stratten, the definitof HOT!

[SlowBoat407]

So, she’s sponsoring a national security cutter while her husband is sponsoring cuts in our national security?

[Dick Bachert]

Actually, it will be a NAVY ship as well. Fears that the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne might rupture the thin neoprene hull, at the christening, she will sprinkle a few drops of water from the open trench urinal beside the Kabaa in Mecca.

Armed with a single MA-2 .50 caliber Browning, this much feared naval vessel carries up to 30 rounds of armor piercing ammunition. It is the first in an entirely new naval architecture class -- technically, “clitoral” (not to be confused with “littoral”) -- being pushed on the Pentagon by the defense minded wussies in the Obama Administration as a cost-saving measure. If you look closely, you can see the heavy-duty seat restraint which prevents the pilot/gunner – Kamakazi Kowalski – from leaping from the vessel prior to engaging the enemy. The 12 V trolling motor – which lacks a reverse function -- propels this sophisticated craft forward at a top speed of 4 knots. Reverse travel – at approximately 35 knots -- is achieved by firing the Browning.

The no-bid contract to build 200 of these fearsome warships was recently awarded to Obama-Soros-Emanuel Shipbuilding and Stormdoor Manufacturing (formerly General Dynamics) and will be administered by trusted Obama associate and Chief-of-Staff Rahm Emanuel who commented that, at $12 million each, they are a bargain. They will be constructed exclusively at the company’s facility in Kenya with major subcomponent production (rivets and miscellaneous fasteners) at the company’s Harlem and Skokie plants. Delivery is expected to begin in 2024 (or as soon as the subcontractor's funds are safely in the contractor's Swiss account).

[Maceman]

Can someone please explain to me how one "sponsors" a US vessel?

Is she buying a display ad on the side? Is she donating money to its construction?

Can anyone please enlighten me?

[Citizen Tom Paine]

Where is a pic? Where are the ship specs? Since it is so advanced is it nuclear powered? Does it have an icebreaker hull? Etc. This is an example of a news story with no news.

[Peter Horry]

Dang, that's quite a makeover, who did it?

[quikdrw]

>>A 418 foot ship with a 392 foot beam.

Must look damn near square!!!!

[MHGinTN]

It was built to mimic her backside.

[Travis T. OJustice]

Must look damn near square!!!!

That's about right:

[MissDairyGoodnessVT]

does this cutter come with a belt ala Machete Machelle?

[indylindy]

They probably plan to use her as an anchor. That mouth of hers could take on alot of water.

[Non-Sequitur]

Where is a pic? Where are the ship specs? Since it is so advanced is it nuclear powered? Does it have an icebreaker hull? Etc. This is an example of a news story with no news.

Link

[Travis T. OJustice]

Fat floats, though, and that big old badonkadonk would be a hazard to navigation.

[Travis T. OJustice]

Where is a pic? Where are the ship specs? Since it is so advanced is it nuclear powered? Does it have an icebreaker hull? Etc. This is an example of a news story with no news.

The ship is not news, MO's involvement is.

[Peter Horry]

This will get you to all the information you want about the class http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/nsc-program.htm .

[bicyclerepair]

She sure has a big @$$, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

[HairOfTheDog]

>>A 418 foot ship with a 392 foot beam.

Must look damn near square!!!!

Don't believe *everything* you read. I think Tijeras was making an ungentlemanly remark about Michelle, not the ship.

Ramius... new boat ping... :~)

[PA Engineer]

From the title it sounded like they were rebuilding the Titanic.

[Pan_Yan]

If it was nuclear powered there would be a whole paragraph about it letting everyone know that the reactor is safe and there was no leak of radiation. Just like in every single article that mentions an aircraft carrier or submarine.

[9YearLurker]

Looks like this means she’s going to christen it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponsor

Seems rather Christian-centric, doesn’t it?

[indylindy]

We can call her Ole Barnacle Butt.

[Ramius]

Here's the Legend class... this is the CGC Bertholf as it neared completion:

[Tijeras_Slim]

;)

[Peter Horry]

This is one I like of Janet Blair (you can find far sexier images of her) at the keel laying of Tidewater (AD-31), doesn't take but a glance to see she isn't an ordinary "Rosie the Riveter".

[freebird5850]

bump for later

[Peter Horry]

“We can call her Ole Barnacle Butt.”

That has a certain ring to it but doubt it will ever have the impact of “Old Ironsides”.

[rabidralph]

Michelle Obama is a warmonger(er)

[Deb]

Gorgeous. Perfect. Tragic.

[rabidralph]

Show some respect. This woman was proud to serve her country, unlike the current occupants of the WH.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

In my local pup a sponsor buys.

[Peter Horry]

“Show some respect”

Lighten up, I meant no disrespect to Stratton (I commend her service), my comment was simply on the difference between her picture and the one posted by Travis.

I also meant no disrepect to the many “Rosie the Riveters” in post 36.

[SuziQ]

I didn't realize they built CG ships at Pascagoula! You can see the gantries and cranes of the shipyard from my family's fish camp on the Pascagoula River! My sister and her husband just bought a house a few blocks away from the yard.

My Daddy used to shrimp in an area just west of there that he called the Mud Lumps. Later, the Navy built it up and made it into a Home Port.