Navy to Christen New Guided-Missile Destroyer Halsey

To: colorado tanker

He wasn't perfect ... but he was one of the great ones. He deserves a ship.

Godspeed USS Halsey!

21 posted on 01/15/2004 12:14:45 PM PST by ArrogantBustard

To: ArrogantBustard

Godspeed, indeed. Halsey was certainly one of the giants of WWII.

22 posted on 01/15/2004 12:19:39 PM PST by colorado tanker ("There are but two parties now, Traitors and Patriots")

Didn't Ray Spruance fill in for Admiral Halsey when he had the shingles during the battle of Midway?

23 posted on 01/15/2004 12:29:47 PM PST by longhorn too

Didn't Ray Spruance fill in for Admiral Halsey when he had the shingles during the battle of Midway?

24 posted on 01/15/2004 12:29:51 PM PST by longhorn too

25 posted on 01/15/2004 12:30:26 PM PST by Poohbah ("Beware the fury of a patient man" -- John Dryden)

Navy to Christen New Guided-Missile Destroyer Halsey ~ Bump!

26 posted on 01/15/2004 12:32:49 PM PST by blackie

To: longhorn too

Didn't Ray Spruance fill in for Admiral Halsey when he had the shingles during the battle of Midway?

If shingles are general dermatitis then yes. Nimitz said Halsey getting beached then was a godsend. Spruance was the kind of cold, calculating commander needed for Midway. Halsey recommended him so even when going into the hospital he contributed to victory.

His decision at Leyte Gulf to chase the Japanese carriers (leaving the back door open and the invasion force vulnerable) had its roots in his orders. If an opportunity to destroy the IJN fleet presented itself, that became the primary mission rather than defending the beachead. He equated the carriers with the IJN fleet since carriers have become the most valuable elements. He didn't know those carriers wer decoys, designed to decoy him. It worked but the bravery of sailors on destroyers and destroyer escorts saved the day. They flung themselves into the teeth of fleet which included battelships (including the Yamato) as well as cruisers. The Japanese fleet turned around in the face of that and some determined air attacks. They probably saved Halsey's bacon.

27 posted on 01/15/2004 4:19:52 PM PST by Dilbert56

See here also: The FReeper Foxhole Revisits Typhoon Cobra ~ Disaster at Sea (18 December 1944)

I think Spruance should have received the Navy's other 5 star rather than Halsey, but I'm still glad to see him get another ship. Could have been worse, could have been named after a cogress critter.

The first USS HALSEY (CG-23)

28 posted on 01/15/2004 4:38:36 PM PST by GATOR NAVY

My brother served on that ship. Was lost at sea on January 6, 1968 on his way to Nam for his second tour. Glad to see the name continues with a new vessel.

29 posted on 01/15/2004 4:51:16 PM PST by 7.63Broom

Almost as long as a WW II battleship.

30 posted on 01/15/2004 4:56:15 PM PST by stumpy

To: SAMWolf; colorado tanker; GATOR NAVY; aomagrat

31 posted on 01/15/2004 5:22:31 PM PST by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)

Sorry to hear about your brother.
The new Spruance is larger and better armed. She will be around for 30-50 years.

32 posted on 01/15/2004 7:08:42 PM PST by rmlew (Peaceniks and isolationists are objectively pro-Terrorist)

33 posted on 01/16/2004 12:50:53 AM PST by windchime (Podesta about Bush: "He's got four years to try to undo all the stuff we've done." (TIME-1/22/01))

34 posted on 01/16/2004 1:17:32 AM PST by windchime (Podesta about Bush: "He's got four years to try to undo all the stuff we've done." (TIME-1/22/01))

Thank you. I appreciate that very much.

35 posted on 01/16/2004 9:30:51 AM PST by 7.63Broom

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