CVN Naming – Enough With the Politics Already

Steeljaw Scribe ^ | 26 July 09 | Steeljawscribe

[GATOR NAVY]

It’s time to return some sanity to the way ships are named.  Why?  Because the silliness is upon us once again:

111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 83

Expressing the sense of Congress that a nuclear-powered aircraft
carrier of the Navy, either the aircraft carrier designated as CVN-79
or the aircraft carrier designated as CVN-80, should be named the
U.S.S. Barry M. Goldwater.
Bill information and status here  

The nonsense began with CVN-70  and reached the height of historical blindness with the Truman (honestly, naming a carrier for a president who tried his hardest to kill naval aviation and oversaw the death of the United States (CVA-58)  in favor of the B-36).  Why not Enterprise (CVN-65 isn’t long for this world)?  Coral Sea?  Yorktown? Hornet? Midway? Enough with the politicians – these ships are going to last to the middle of the century and outlive many of us reading these words.  Why not go back to naming the carriers after famous battles and reclaim some of our heritage and linkage with notable CVs from the past?  And, BTW, what better way to celebrate naval aviation’s upcoming centenary?

And yes, I’m familiar with Rickover’s quote   – how about standing firm this time anyway?

(h/t: SB  )

UPDATE:  Here’s the text of the petition – should be available online w/in the next 24-hours.

Whereas the namesake ENTERPRISE has been proudly borne by two combat aircraft carriers of the United States Navy;
Whereas the first USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) (seventh ship to bear this name) and her embarked airwing and crew gallantly fought in every major battle in the Pacific during World War Two, including the signatory battle at Midway when vastly outnumbered by the ships and planes of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Combined Fleet, ENTERPRISE, with YORKTOWN and HORNET struck a mortal blow, sinking four enemy aircraft carriers and turning the tide of the war in the Pacific;
Whereas the same ENTERPRISE concluded that war as the most decorated warship in the United States Navy with 20 battle stars, a Presidential Unit Citation, a British Admiralty Pennant, Navy Unit Commendation, Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, and Task Force 16 Citation among many other accolades;
Whereas the second United States Navy aircraft carrier to be named ENTERPRISE (CVAN/CVN-65) was the first such ship of her class in the world to be nuclear powered;
Whereas that ENTERPRISE, the eighth ship to bear that name in the United States Navy is concluding a half-century of service to this nation and has honorably served in every theater of operations from leading the naval quarantine off Cuba in 1962 to conducting the first strikes following the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11th, 2001;

Be It Resolved
That the next nuclear aircraft carrier to be constructed (CVN-79) should bear the name USS ENTERPRISE in recognition and honor of the fighting men and women of the United States navy who have sailed in her namesakes through the centuries.

We The Undersigned:
Call upon the Congress of the United States to remand H. CON. RES. 83 and replace it with a resolution supporting the naming of CVN-79 or the next nuclear aircraft carrier to be constructed, the USS ENTERPRISE.

Call upon the Secretary of the Navy to support this petition of the tax-paying people of these United States and name the next nuclear aircraft carrier to be constructed the USS ENTERPRISE

UPDATE 2: Here is the petition  

[CaptRon]

During his unparalleled tenure of fifty plus years, he also completed a record breaking twenty-nine years as Chairman of the House Naval Affairs and Armed Services Committee. In that position, Congressman Vinson forged and moved through Congress the landmark Vinson-Trammel Act which provided authority for the eventual construction of ninety-two major warships, the birth of the two ocean Navy

[CaptRon]

My favorites have always been those named for Revolutionary war battles; Cowpens, Saratoga, etc.

[buccaneer81]

My favorites have always been those named for Revolutionary war battles; Cowpens, Saratoga, etc

Ticonderoga and Yorktown are (or last were) cruisers.

[john in springfield]

I just thought of something even worse than a USS Clinton-a USS Edward M. Kennedy.

We need to name a submarine after Kennedy.

[GATOR NAVY]

Yeah, they gave USS America to the new LHA class. Better than a stick in the eye but that name should be a CVN.

[CaptRon]

Yorktown was a carrier, sunk at Midway. The Ti was indeed a cruiser, but I wasn’t speciying hull types, just like the names

[Al B.]

It will be a shame to see CVN-65 go into retirement. Still the fastest major vessel in the fleet. A great ship. My dad was on the sea trials of the Big E and was mighty proud of its capabilities.

A FReeper years ago told a great story of serving on the ship during Vietnam and how the Capt. of the ship challenged the Bainbridge and Long Beach (Nuke destroyer and cruiser) to a race to liberty port at Subic Bay. The Capt. had everything lashed down tight and told the crew to hang on...LOL. I'll never forget his description of the guys on the Big E watching the Bainbridge and Long Beach disappear over the horizon while the carrier lumbered up to speed, then left the smaller ships in its wake. Great story.

[buccaneer81]

The fifth Yorktown (CG-48) was a guided missile cruiser, commissioned in 1984 and decommissioned in 2004.

After CV-5 Yorktown was lost, CV-10 Yorktown (Essex class) was commissioned. Then, the fifth Yorktown (CG-48) was a guided missile cruiser, commissioned in 1984 and decommissioned in 2004.

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

Some suggested ship names for the Obama Navy: USS Diversity, USS Affirmative Action, USS Redistribution, USS Hugo Chavez......

[buccaneer81]

Last time I was in your neck of the woods, I saw USS Warrior (MCM-10) from my condo balcony. She was sailing a pattern a mile or so off shore.

[tanknetter]

The current Enterprise will be out of service by the time CVN-79 comes along. Should be a no-brainer.

With the early retirement of the Kennedy and the slipping of the Ford's construction schedule, there has been talk of giving Enterprise another refueling to maintain the number of carriers. There's a real cost downside though ... nobody expects that she'd do more than another deployment or two (US CVNs run 6-8 month deployments every 18 months or so), but refueling would cost a few billion dollars (for getting five years or so out of 15-20 year cores).

Having said that, notice that the language in the proposed resolution specifically says CVN-79 or -80. I know a lot of people in DC and in the Navy are cognizant of the significance and symbolism of the name "Enterprise". Not just for the CV-6 and CVN-65 legacy, but also for the fact that Trekkies can be expected to go berzerk if the name is allowed to slip into disuse (people still remember how they managed to get OV-101's name changed). I think the resolution is deliberately worded to hold a slot open for the name, depending on whether CVN-65's decommissioning coincides with CVN-79 or -80 coming into service.

I've even heard the really neat idea that Enterprise name would be transferred from CVN-65 to the new "Enterprise" in a joint decommissioning/commissioning ceremony with the two ships sharing a pier at Norfolk.

[Salgak]

. . .until we name a **Starship** USS Enterprise, that is. . .

[CaptRon]

Not my neck. Last thing you would have seen there was the Hudson River Mothball fleet (my father worked on it as an electrician).

The last thing that moved out of there was the USS New Jersey on its way to 'Nam. Saw it from my senior English class!

[Salgak]

USS Devastator
USS Executor
USS Dominator

[Al B.]

I heard the Obama DOD was already planning to skip the planned refueling of the Lincoln and sending it to early retirement as part of the DOD budget cuts. That was several months ago so I don't know where that stands.

If they really do retire the Lincoln early, it doesn't make much sense to do an extra refueling of an older hull.

[CaptRon]

I’m right on Hudson. where were you?

[CaptRon]

I’m right on Hudson. where were you?

[buccaneer81]

Not my neck. Last thing you would have seen there was the Hudson River Mothball fleet (my father worked on it as an electrician).

I meant Panama City Beach. Did you relocate?

[CaptRon]

Part of the Carriers for Beercans initiative. If we get drunk enough we won’t notice how screwed we’regetting.

[buccaneer81]

I’m right on Hudson. where were you?

Panama City Beach.