Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

First Lady will christen sub in NN [Laura Bush christens USS Texas July 31]
Newport News, VA Daily Press ^ | July 20, 2004 | Peter DuJardin

Posted on 07/20/2004 5:39:30 AM PDT by Al B.

NEWPORT NEWS -- First lady Laura Bush will christen the shipyard's newest submarine July 31 at a morning event on the banks of the James River, Northrop Grumman Newport News said Monday.

The Texas, known as SSN (submersible ship nuclear) 775, is the second boat in the Virginia class, a new group of nuclear-powered attack submarines that eventually could consist of 30 ships. That boat is the first of the class to be getting its christening in Newport News.

During the traditional event, which celebrates the official naming of the submarine as the Texas, Lone Star State native Laura Bush will strike a champagne bottle against the boat's hull. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) will deliver the keynote address.

 


higher resolution image
The Texas made its first voyage – on land – Saturday, July 17 as part of its roll-out from the Modular Outfitting Facility in preparation for the July 31 christening ceremony. Photo by Chris Oxley


(Excerpt) Read more at dailypress.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: christening; laurabush; newportnews; submarine; usn; usstexas; virginiaclass
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-49 next last

This is the first submarine christening in 9 yrs. at Newport News.

The last, the USS Cheyenne in 1995, was a nighttime affair accompanied by fireworks and a laser light show.


1 posted on 07/20/2004 5:39:31 AM PDT by Al B.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Al B.

USS or SSN?


2 posted on 07/20/2004 5:48:46 AM PDT by Max Combined
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Al B.
A question for all you squids out there. How come a sub can be called a boat but all the other surface vessels are ships? If I were to call a carrier a "boat" all my navy buddies get all over me.

That boat is the first of the class to be getting its christening in Newport News.

3 posted on 07/20/2004 5:53:03 AM PDT by ladtx ( "Remember your regiment and follow your officers." Captain Charles May, 2d Dragoons, 9 May 1846)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Max Combined
Technically at this point, it's just the Texas.

Once the ship is officially commissioned into the Navy, it will be the USS Texas.

4 posted on 07/20/2004 5:53:52 AM PDT by Al B.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Al B.

The fourth ship to have the proud name of the Lone Star State. Long and faithfully may she serve, and bring her crew home with honor. DON'T MESS WITH (USS) TEXAS!!!!


5 posted on 07/20/2004 5:58:28 AM PDT by TXBSAFH (Power corrupts..... Absolute power can be fun.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ladtx
By tradition, any vessel normally carried aboard another ship is called a boat. The early subs were too small and short-legged to self-deploy overseas; therefore they were loaded aboard regular ships for transport to their op areas. Since the Navy takes pride in over two hundred years of tradition unhampered by progress, we still call them "boats".

A real bubblehead will tell you however there's no such thing as ships, just targets.

:-)

6 posted on 07/20/2004 5:59:35 AM PDT by Jonah Hex (Only 5 cents a troll? Must be too many of the varmints around here...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Al B.

I wonder if it will be ready on time? Looking at the picture it seems like there is a lot of people just standing around. Looks like a DOT or phone company project....


7 posted on 07/20/2004 6:01:19 AM PDT by Thermalseeker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ladtx

Boat's are small and can be hauled aboard a ship. Submarine's were so small at one time that they quite probably could have been hauled aboard say, an aircraft carrier. It is also a term of endearment to refer to a submarine as a boat. Those of us who served in submarines, (I served in three), loved them and served proudly.


8 posted on 07/20/2004 6:03:53 AM PDT by submarine571 (The Purple Heart Big Lie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Jonah Hex

As a real "bubblehead" I will tell you this: There are TWO kinds of ships...submarines, and targets!


9 posted on 07/20/2004 6:05:47 AM PDT by submarine571 (The Purple Heart Big Lie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Al B.; submarine571; Jonah Hex

So is it a hunter-killer? Boomer?

Looks too small to be the latter.

Someone help out this landlubber.


10 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:26 AM PDT by martin_fierro (Ham on wry)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Thermalseeker
I wonder if it will be ready on time?

She's about ready to go in the water (pressure hull was finished last year), but it'll be a year or more before she leaves the shipyard and is delivered to the Navy.

The christening ceremony is traditionally when ships are floated for the first time.

11 posted on 07/20/2004 6:10:47 AM PDT by Al B.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: submarine571
Roger that!

:-)

(qualified EDO on S5W/S6G/A4W, and now work for the Army!)

12 posted on 07/20/2004 6:11:30 AM PDT by Jonah Hex (Only 5 cents a troll? Must be too many of the varmints around here...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: martin_fierro
She's a fast-attack boat (i.e. not a boomer).
13 posted on 07/20/2004 6:15:03 AM PDT by Jonah Hex (Only 5 cents a troll? Must be too many of the varmints around here...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: submarine571
As a real "bubblehead" I will tell you this: There are TWO kinds of ships...submarines, and targets!

Sounds like the saying we had when I flew Chinooks. There are two kinds of aircraft...Chinooks and slingloads!

14 posted on 07/20/2004 6:19:18 AM PDT by ladtx ( "Remember your regiment and follow your officers." Captain Charles May, 2d Dragoons, 9 May 1846)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: martin_fierro

Fast Attacks are SSN, Boomers are SSBN. All the Virginia class boats are SSNs.

By the way.... "targets" are also what I hear those P-3 crews called subs.... hehehe....


15 posted on 07/20/2004 6:20:10 AM PDT by tarawa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Max Combined

Texas SSN 775

16 posted on 07/20/2004 6:24:29 AM PDT by Txslady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: martin_fierro

It's a "Fast Attack" submarine. AKA "Hunter Killer." Designed primarily to hunt and kill other submarines, and surface ships, AKA "Skimmers!"


17 posted on 07/20/2004 6:26:11 AM PDT by submarine571 (The Purple Heart Big Lie)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Flyer; PeaceBeWithYou; dixie267

ping!


18 posted on 07/20/2004 6:38:38 AM PDT by Txslady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ladtx

My son served on the USS Alaska. It is called a boat. Thats what he was taught in sub school that's what all the crew called it.
Did you know the US has 18 nuclear subs, the big boys, not the attack subs. And on each sub are 24 missle's and each missle can hold up to 14 nuclear warheads?


19 posted on 07/20/2004 6:59:57 AM PDT by thirst4truth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: submarine571

Question for ya, if you please..I know the Navy's policy, ( or lack of) on naming ships is, shall we say..somewhere between "complex" and "screwed-up"..( I still can't get over the "JImmy Carter"..but when did they stop with the "city" names for subs and revert to "state" names..the former territory of BBs?..Thanks.


20 posted on 07/20/2004 7:03:51 AM PDT by ken5050 (We've looked for WMD in Iraq for LESS time than Hillary looked for the Rose Law firm billing records)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-49 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson