Navy names USS Gabrielle Giffords

The Hill ^ | 2/10/12 | Daniel Strauss and Jeremy Herb

[ColdOne]

The Secretary of the Navy announced on Friday that a new littoral combat ship will be named after former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).

The announcement comes the same day that President Obama signed the last piece of legislation sponsored by Giffords, a bill aimed at reducing drug trafficking along the American borders with Canada and Mexico.

Giffords, who recently stepped down from office, was the target of a shooting rampage in early January 2011.

“The name this ship bears and the story represented by that name will inspire all those who come in contact with her,” said Navy Secretary Ray Mabus at a naming ceremony at the Pentagon Friday.

Giffords appeared at the ceremony with her husband, former Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) and Roxanna Green, the mother of Christina Taylor-Green, the 9-year-old girl who was killed at the Giffords shooting last year.

Mabus said that Green would be the sponsor of the USS Gabrielle Giffords.

The ship named after Giffords is a littoral combat ship, a smaller ship designed for operations close to the shore. The USS Gabrielle Giffords is the Navy’s 10th LCS ship.

[Happy Rain]

Her ONLY claim to fame is that she was a Leftist who got shot.

Guess we gonna have the USS Che Guevara,Nicolae Ceausescu and Biggy Smalls next. Jimmy Carter weakened the military but THIS smegma in chief endeavors to sully its' honor.

[Friendofgeorge]

Would have been more appropriate if they had named it after Christina Taylor-Green...or perhaps a fallen soldier.

It always surprises me when liberal democrats have near death experiences, but never manage to have their life flash before them? I would think that they might be more open to a personal encounter with the Almighty, examining the liberal non Christian positions they have held...abortion etc? Fear of God? But I am not seeing it.

[Friendofgeorge]

I think Ted is still dealing with the fact that he was not introduced in eternity as Senator...talk about a wake up call

[central_va]

When this current bunch of lunatics is thrown out of office, I propose we name a ship the USS Mary Jo Kopechne.

Good idea but maybe best used to name a submarine. Just sayin'.

[Happy Rain]

Great, name a ship—something that floats on water—after a murderer who murdered his victim by drowning...

...the obscene irony alone would strangle the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[matginzac]

I, too, have got the barf bag on my lap and am using it...
My hubs worked on Freedom to launch it...
now we have a Gabby ship - revolting....

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

I’m cool with a submarine. The boat’s logo should include the image of a 1965 Oldsmobile (IIRC).

[manc]

talked to a couple of Navy vets this morning and told them this and they thought I was joking.
After a couple of minutes telling them it’s the truth they were disgusted.

[tanknetter]

Really, naming buildings, roads, bridges, ships or anything after living people is distasteful.

To a certain extent, this all harkens back to the earliest days of the Republic, when men like George Washington, John Adams and even John Hancock had USN ships (so USS prefix) named after them while they were still alive. IIRC John Adams actually had TWO ships named for him (USS John Adams and USS Adams) that were in commission at the same time - and while he was alive.

I don't think that Giffords rates a ship named after her. And to be blunt, I really don't like the disjointed naming convention for the two LCS classes. Started out with Freedom and Independence, then shifted to medium-sized city names and now to people. I'd rather that they kept to the original convention - would be neat to have a "Liberty" or an "Intrepid" (ok, know that's a traditional CV name - maybe it'll end up hung on one of the America-class LHAs) back in the fleet.

[Happy Rain]

My late father was a WWII and Korean War Chief. One of my older brothers retired as a Chief. My other older brother as well as I did four year Nav hitches while my little brother is now a Boomer Bubblehead Master Chief nearing his thirty.

My son was a plank sailor on the USS Ronald Reagan.

This dishonor makes us all—and I can include dad—sick!

[JHL]

How about naming a USS LARRY MCDONALD. He was a congressman who was killed dead by the Soviets in 1983. Nah, it’ll never happen.

[ronniesgal]

I thought this was absurd, but figured I was being a bee-yotch.
Apparently not! I should always go with my gut!!

[2CAVTrooper]

First there was the USS Jimmy Carter a submarine named for a flunkie who decimated the military and allowed the muzzie nutjobs to take over in Iran.

Then there was the USNS Ceasar Chavez a support ship named for an America hating communist aggitator.

Now there is the USS Gabby Giffords named for a vapid airhead treasoncrat who like the other two did absolutely NOTHING for the military.

WTH is wrong with the Navy?

[Happy Rain]

DADT

Democrats Attacking Duty and Tradition...

...oh, and the removal of that other DADT is part of their evil agenda as well.

[X Fretensis]

USS Arizona is still a commissioned ship in the U.S.Navy.
That name cannot be used again until BB39 is decommissioned

[N. Theknow]

Make sure the ship doesn't have portholes in any of the bathrooms.

Wouldn't want any "Hole in the Head" jokes.

[2CAVTrooper]

Does it have a hole in the bow?.................

No its in the ships bridge.

[2CAVTrooper]

They should just rename the USS Cole.

No, renaming a ship is supposedly bad luck.

Just name it the USS Stark since the Stark was decommissioned back in ‘99.

[Aut Pax Aut Bellum]

"The ship named after Giffords is a Clittoral combat ship, a smaller ship designed for operations close to the shore. The USS Gabrielle Giffords is the Navy’s 10th LCS ship."

[2CAVTrooper]

Its just like the last airshow I went to where the wingwipers would walk around yucking it up during the National Anthem.

Some would be walking around with their hands in their pockets, or on their cell phones.

And when it came to wearing the uniforms, some had their ABU tops on, others had them off, some wore headgear, others didnt. Tee shirts hanging out, etc, etc.

It was thoroughly unprofessional IMO.