Posted on 02/15/2005 4:53:00 PM PST by conservativebabe
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy will commission its newest nuclear-powered attack submarine Jimmy Carter on Saturday, Feb. 19, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn.
The attack submarine Jimmy Carter honors the 39th president of the United States.
President Carter is the only U.S. president to have qualified in submarines. He has distinguished himself by a lifetime of public service, and has long ties to the Navy and the submarine force. Carter graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946, served as a commissioned officer aboard submarines, and served as commander-in-chief from 1977 to 1981. Carter's statesmanship, philanthropy and sense of humanity earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
Retired Adm. Stansfield Turner, a classmate of the president who served in the Carter administration as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Rosalynn Carter is the sponsor for the ship named for her husband, with daughter Amy serving as matron of honor. In a time-honored Navy tradition, Rosalynn Carter will give the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"
Jimmy Carter is the third and final submarine of the Seawolf class. As the most advanced submarine in the class, Jimmy Carter will have built-in flexibility and an array of new warfighting features that will enable it to prevail in any scenario, against any threat from beneath Artic ice to shallow water. Differentiating Jimmy Carter from all other undersea vessels is its multimission platform (MMP), which includes a 100-foot hull extension to enhance payload capability. The MMP will enable Jimmy Carter to accommodate the advanced technology required to develop and test a new generation of weapons, sensors and undersea vehicles for naval special warfare, tactical surveillance and mine-warfare operations.
Capt. Robert D. Kelso, a native of Fayetteville, Tenn., will serve as Jimmy Carters first commanding officer, leading a crew of approximately 130 officers and sailors. Built by General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Conn., the 12,130-ton Jimmy Carter is 453 feet in length, has a beam of 40 feet, and can operate at speeds exceeding 25 knots when submerged.
This is terrible news. Who the hell would want to serve aboard the Jimmy Carter?
Shouldn't this be called a "defeat and retreat" sub? Oh yeah, you forgot the barf alet.
The speed is totally understated. If I told you by how much (which I won't) you wouldn't believe it. Just remember, a WW2 Japanese attack sub, would go 19 knots submerged.
The next generation of submarine is being tested at this time. The Kennedy Class. Propulsion method classified.
I thought for a minute that Kelso was the name of the character Kelsey Grammer played in Down Periscope. If ever a submarine was destined to crash into a seamount ...
Yeah, I've noticed that the US navy likes to understate their sub max speeds.
It will be painted yellow.
Did the Navy break tradition, and order it painted yellow?
I think Jimmuh should test the missile launch or torpedo tubes to make sure they work.
Pity us Georgians, he is always there.
One more respect thought.... What goes around comes around and he certainly has not shown a respect for President Bush in a time of war or for the office he once held.
Zell Miller received no respect from Carter when Senator Miller failed to follow the extreme dem left in the Senate. I believe the word he used was "betrayal."
Bob Woodward's special on the Presidents aired on the History Channel. It was interesting. Carter was talking about his tenure. I will remind people Iran is where it is today because he failed to support the Shah. Interest rates were sky high (he actually defended those high rates saying those high rates saying his decision to raise those rates are the reason for the recovery period which followed), and gas prices skyrocketed. Gas lines were unbearable because of the oil embargo against Iran (that worked--not!). Unemployment was up. Home forelosures were proceeding left and right.
Carter only deserves as good as he gives. The fact is so many families suffered and paid the price for his failed policies at home and abroad. If it was a matter of respecting an ex-President whose policies I disagreed with, respect wins every time. It isn't a policy issue. It is a character issue. Even today he refuses to acknowledge the damage his policies caused.
He defended the high interest rates, yet said nothing about the horrible effects they had on our lives.
We are still paying the price he extracted from us in the 70's.
"I thought they were only supposed to name ships after dead men."
He is dead, only from the neck up!
Bad idea to name ships after living persons. Bubba will be next. Count on it.
IO don't get it. Why Monty Python jokes? What is the Carter/Sub connection to Python?
They may as well scrap it before it is built.
SO9
And bring the missus as well.
bump
CAPTAIN: "Midshipman, fire the torpedoes!"
MIDSHIPMAN: "Yes, sir!"
(Click. Beep.)
MIDSHIPMAN: "Sir, it's asking if we're sure."
CAPTAIN: "Yes we're damn sure, that boat out there has Osama bin Laden on it! Fire away!"
MIDSHIPMAN: "Aye, aye, sir!"
(Click. Beep.)
MIDSHIPMAN: "Sir, it's asking if we're really, really sure and to think of the families of the people on the boat we're about to destroy."
CAPTAIN: "Goddamn it, just fire the damn thing before he gets away!"
MIDSHIPMAN: "Aye, aye, sir!"
(Click. Loud beep.)
CAPTAIN: "What is it now?"
MIDSHIPMAN: "Sir, it says since we're obviously so aggressive, that the torpedoes have removed to the care of the United Nations, locked up, and only the French have the key."
Regards, Ivan
Perfection!
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