Destroyer's 97-Year-Old Namesake on Hand to Witness Ship's Christening [Paul H. Nitze...]

TBO.COM ^

[Sub-Driver]

Destroyer's 97-Year-Old Namesake on Hand to Witness Ship's Christening By David Sharp Associated Press Writer

BATH, Maine (AP) - A 97-year-old former Navy secretary and chief arms control adviser in the Reagan administration was on hand Saturday as a warship bearing his name was christened. Paul H. Nitze smiled broadly from his wheelchair as his wife swung a champagne bottle against the destroyer's bow to the cheers of hundreds of onlookers. A band then broke into "Anchors Aweigh" and red, white and blue streamers and confetti shot into the air.

The event marked only the eighth time in U.S. Navy history that a warship was named for a living person. The last time that happened was when retired Adm. Arleigh Burke participated in a launching in 1989.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, recalled Nitze's career as a Navy secretary who improved sailors' lives, a high-ranking defense official during the Cuban missile crisis and a hard-nosed arms negotiator.

Nitze, who served under eight presidents, was one of the architects of the U.S. policy of containment of the Soviet threat, she said.

"The Cold War was unlike any other war in history," Collins said. "The policy crafted by Secretary Nitze worked. Freedom won. Communism lost."

Nitze's wife, Elisabeth "Leezee" Porter, said her husband was surprised when former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig announced a guided missile destroyer would be named for Nitze.

"He knew that it was unusual to name a ship for a living American and he was really thrilled," she said.

Nitze served as Navy secretary from 1963 to 1967 and as an arms negotiator during the 1969-1973 Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. Later, he opposed ratification of SALT II over concerns of Soviet rearmament. He was President Reagan's chief negotiator for intermediate range nuclear missiles and later became special adviser to the president and secretary of state.

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On the Net:

Nitze DDG-94: http://www.cnsl.spear.navy.mil/ships/nitze/

[NormsRevenge]

Nitze, who served under eight presidents, was one of the architects of the U.S. policy of containment of the Soviet threat..

What's a destroyer cost these days anyway?

Job well done, Sir.

[Tennessee_Bob]

The event marked only the eighth time in U.S. Navy history that a warship was named for a living person. The last time that happened was when retired Adm. Arleigh Burke participated in a launching in 1989.

Are they saying that Reagan is dead? CVN-76 was commissioned last year, correct?

[Arkinsaw]

Nitze certainly deserves a destroyer naming. But I still regret that we have abandoned the tradition of naming ships only after the departed.

I hope we never use this as a precedent for abandoning the same tradition on coins and notes.

[ken5050]

Mixed blessing.....we have the Ronald Reagan, and sadly, the Jimmy Carter.....I really feel for that crew..

[Arkinsaw]

Mixed blessing.....we have the Ronald Reagan, and sadly, the Jimmy Carter.....I really feel for that crew.

Yes, if we had to have a Jimmy Carter I would certainly have preferred that it wait until later. If the ship is used in some operation that Carter disapproves of (which would be most operations) he could make statements about it and have a negative immediate impact on the ship and its morale. In my mind, this is why we don't name vessels after living personalities. While alive, they can still embarass the ship. Reagan is an exception due to his illness in my mind. Naming after living persons can come back to bite you either through public statement or closet skeletons, etc.

[VOA]

But I still regret that we have abandoned the tradition of naming ships only after the departed.

Naming buildings, bridges, etc. after the living is unseemly. But apparently
this is a real trend.
I kinda' gagged when I learned from a newspaper article that the San Jose, CA
airport is named after Norm Mineta.

[Arkinsaw]

I kinda' gagged when I learned from a newspaper article that the San Jose, CA airport is named after Norm Mineta.

Well, perhaps they should have just named the lines at the ticket counters after him. The Norm Mineta Memorial Endless Queue for Bad Service.

[PAR35]

The event marked only the eighth time in U.S. Navy history that a warship was named for a living person. The last time that happened was when retired Adm. Arleigh Burke participated in a launching in 1989.

Are they saying that Reagan is dead? CVN-76 was commissioned last year, correct?

While it is a long way from commissioning, CVN-77 has already been named for a living George H.W. Bush.

Someone else has already mentioned the Jimmy Carter (SSN23).

[Ready4Freddy]

There's already a tollway in Dallas named after George H.W. Bush.

[navygal]

He was the eighth living person to be present at the commisioning ceremony.

[Tennessee_Bob]

According to Wikipedia:

"USS Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), the third and last Seawolf-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for former President Jimmy Carter, who served in the US Navy as an officer and nuclear engineer. Very few ships of the United States Navy have been named for a person who was alive at the time of the christening; the list includes Carl Vinson (CVN-70), Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709), Bob Hope (T-AKR-300), and is likely to include George H. W. Bush (CVN-77).

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Jimmy_Carter_(SSN-23)

That list doesn't include this ship, of course - too recent.

[Tennessee_Bob]

It's all a matter of semantics and the difference between launching and commissioning.

Vinson was present for the launching (March 15, 1980), but died (June 1, 1981) before the commissioning (March 13, 1982).

Reagan was alive, but not able to be present for the commissioning.

I think they just miscounted - by accident or otherwise. Then again, they're reporters.

[Jack Black]

I kinda' gagged when I learned from a newspaper article that the San Jose, CA airport is named after Norm Mineta.

Roger that. I was there and almost gagged. A sitting politician? Did he just BUY the name? It's more than unseemly, it's corruption personified.

[PAR35]

Carl Vinson (CVN-70), Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), Jimmy Carter (SSN-23), Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-709), Bob Hope (T-AKR-300), and is likely to include George H. W. Bush (CVN-77).

You have to spot the reporter the Vinson and Rickover, since they were both pre-89. They mentioned the Burke. They could justify not counting the Hope since it is a USNS rather than a USS. That leaves them with 3 clear errors - Reagan, Bush and Carter.

[broadsword]

The only ship right to cristen as the Jimmy Carter would be a garbage scow.

[Tribune7]

God Bless you Paul Nitze

[Tribune7]

The only ship right to cristen as the Jimmy Carter would be a garbage scow.

No way. A USS Jimmy Carter firing crusie missiles at Iran will be the ultimate act of poetic justice. Especially when he bitches about it.

[krb]

Nitze's wife, Elisabeth "Leezee" Porter,

No wait, that's "Weasey"

[ASA Vet]

I really feel for that crew

I doubt if they'll have volunteers.

Is there were we're supposed to discuss the proposed USS Slick Willie?
It's a very small cigar shaped boat which is bent in the middle
and is only used in sinks.