Posted on 03/25/2013 8:29:13 PM PDT by Red Steel
The Navys newest ship will be the USS Gabrielle Giffords.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus made the announcement at a Pentagon ceremony today, calling Giffords someone whose name is synonymous with courage.
Former Rep. Gabby Giffords looked on at the Pentagon as Mabus made the announcement in a public ceremony. Also in attendance at this afternoons brief ceremony in the Pentagon Courtyard was Roxana Green, the mother of 9-year-old Christina-Taylor Green.
Christina-Taylor was among those killed in last years deadly shooting rampage in Tucson that targeted Giffords as she met constituents outside a supermarket. Roxana Green will be the ships sponsor.
Giffords is still recovering from the gunshot wounds to her head that she suffered during last Januarys shooting incident. She stepped down from Congress two weeks ago.
The ship named today for her, which has yet to be built, will be the Navys 10th Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a new kind of ship designed to bring the Navy fighting power into shallow coastal areas. The first two ships in this class were called Freedom and Independence, but the conventional practice since then has been to name the other ships in the class after a city.
Its very appropriate that LCS 10 be named for someone who has become synonymous with courage, who has inspired the nation with remarkable resiliency and showed the possibilities of the human spirit, said Mabus.
Mabus said the notion occurred to him that this would be a fitting tribute not only to Giffords but to Navy families because she was a Navy spouse. Her husband, Mark Kelly, was until recently an astronaut and Navy pilot.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
You've really been absent during all the FR Littoral Cargo Ship discussions.
It’s crew is liberal, gay, and female, and has no weapons.
yeah i know they arent destroyers and some say they’ve had systems scaled back, i’m just sayin military ships are boats WITH GUNS on them.
crap people give me a freaking break.
No. It is an obscenity. Honor every sailor, soldier, and Marine who was wounded in defense of his or her country first. To honor a politician whose only virtue was that of being a victim is to dishonor all those who came before her. If the individuals behind this are members of my Navy I hang my head in shame.
Why is there no ship named after Justice Roll, who lost his life shielding Gabby from other deadly bullets. Could it be that Roll was a conservative Republican. I have never heard anyone say how courageous he was.
second amendment it should be. (getting tired)
What about the others who were shot and injured.
I think it’s a slap at the 2nd amendment supporters. Dumb name in my view.
I understand that BOHICA has a different meaning in the USN now than it did back in my day.
With her stand on gun control I hope it’s an unarmed garbage scow!
And let's not forget the USNS Cesar Chavez...should have just named it the USNS Commie B@$t@rd (same thing).
Mabus also is the same moron who has the Navy paying 15-20 times the regular price for bio-fuels.
And here's the crew, cross-decking from the USS Raging Queen:
‘USS Sinking Fast’
nope, i’ve never heard this either.
Oh for f***s sake. Are they going to christen it the St. Gabby?
USS Sean Penn. It comes with a Red Solo Cup for bailing.
+++1
What is not mentioned in the article are certain very basic problems associated with the design of this particular ship. This ship will be unable to maneuver readily in close quarters, especially important in a 'littoral' craft, due to its inability to turn to starboard. As it can only turn to port, maneuvering will involve moving the ship fore and aft while steering the rudder to port. Another issue with its design is that it is strictly a 'lightweight'.
/sarc off
+++1
The Navy needs that ship like it needs another hole in the head...
I understand there is a big hole in the head. (Sorry, I just had to say it.)
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