Navy ship bearing Indian guide's name to be christened in San Diego - USNS Sacagawea

AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 6/24/06 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

Descendants of Sacagawea will be on hand Saturday as a Navy resupply ship bearing the Indian guide's name will be christened and launched into a bay.

"This is a very humbling experience, not just for our family but for the whole tribe," said Rod Ariwite Sr. of Pocatello, Idaho, a descendant of Sacagawea and member of the Shoshone people. "This ship will be out there carrying Sacagawea's name long after I am gone."

The Sacagawea will carry a crew of 172 and has the largest flight deck in the Military Sealift Command's Naval Fleet Auxiliary. The 41,000-ton vessel also is the first in the fleet to be environmentally friendly. Its propeller is powered by diesel and electricity generated by an in-house power plant.

When the ship joins the sea lift command in eight months, it will be ship No. 120.

This is the second dry cargo and ammunition ship in a new fleet called T-AKE. The first one is named Lewis and Clark. The Navy paid $709 million for the two ships and has exercised its option to buy at least seven more. The third has been named for the late Alan Shepard, one of the original Mercury astronauts.

The Navy has named many ships in honor of American Indians, their tribes and the places where they've lived.

Sacagawea helped guide and interpret for Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during their expedition through the West from 1804 to 1806. She has been recognized before with a gold dollar coin and a collector's stamp.

"Finally, after 200 years, people are noticing the contribution she made," said Amy Mossett, a descendant of Sacagawea. "The legacy of goodwill, generosity, hospitality and guidance from not just her but 50 American (Indian) tribes is finally getting its due."

[NormsRevenge]

This is a pic of first T-AKE series drystores&ammo ship, Sacajawea is 2nd.

[edcoil]

The women that spread STD to Europe is honored.

[AngrySpud]

Ed; STDs like Syphillis are Old World scourges that spread from Europe to America. What STD originated in America?

For that matter, I don't recollect any disease of significance that spread from America to other parts of the world.

And does anyone know if this is the first Navy ship named after a woman?

[DakotaGator]

"Finally, after 200 years, people are noticing the contribution she made," said Amy Mossett, a descendant of Sacagawea. "The legacy of goodwill, generosity, hospitality and guidance from not just her but 50 American (Indian) tribes is finally getting its due."

I resent that remark! Sacagawea's story has always been told with pride and honor as an American story. Anyone who actually sudied American history before it was turned into PC history knows of her overwhelming contribution to the Lewis & Clark Expedition of Discovery. And those who read historical/frontier accounts find her story and contributions. Her story was not obscured but preserved with pride and reverence.

Sacagawea's story is American history. It is much larger than tribal history or race history. It is fitting that she be honored by having a USNS ship named after her. But make no mistake, this ship-naming honors an individual; Sacagawea. Reading anything else into it is inappropriate.

[Leroy S. Mort]

And does anyone know if this is the first Navy ship named after a woman?

Not the first. There's the USS Dix for one. (Irony noted)

[dakine]

Nice boat...looks plain...

[rlmorel]

"..For that matter, I don't recollect any disease of significance that spread from America to other parts of the world....."

Tobacco...:)

*ducks*

[rlmorel]

Hey, she only showed up on a gold coin, right?

Never mind it never caught on...

[stevem]

I can't really object to this. The Sacajawea story is a compelling segment of the truly miraculous Lewis and Clark story that, the more often you review it, the more miraculous it manifests itself to be.

[DakotaGator]

LOL!

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Here's the new USS CLINTON

[wyattearp]

The 41,000-ton vessel also is the first in the fleet to be environmentally friendly. Its propeller is powered by diesel and electricity generated by an in-house power plant.

Huh? So it has a diesel-electric powerplant. How is that "the first in the fleet to be environmentally friendly." The ship I was on was also driven by electric engines, which were powered by oil-fired boilers and steam turbines. What's so unusual about a diesel-electric engine?

[maine-iac7]

The women that spread STD to Europe is honored

And you get your cr*p info from what reliable source?

What a sh*thead.

I'm sure you wont mind that remark - after all, it's mild compared to yours

[Robert A Cook PE]

They'll never spell it right ... 8<)


We had a lot of problems with misspellings (in lots of different ways!) for USS PHOENIX (SSN 702).

[Robert A Cook PE]

I'm going to disagree with you on that.

Asia to Mideast to Venice and the Med ports, I think.

[maine-iac7]

The USS Clinton

LOLLOTFLHHO _{little ole lady laying on the floor laughing her hiney off)}

[jpsb]

"The women that spread STD to Europe is honored."

Completely incorrect, pure crap.

[AmishDude]

Yeah, but I still have to get rid of her everytime I get change from the stamp machine.

[radar101]

NELVIN C. CEPEDA / San Diego Union-Tribune The propeller of the Sacagawea is powered by diesel and electricity generated by an in-house power plant. NOTE-Man walking, near bottom left

[JHL]

And does anyone know if this is the first Navy ship named after a woman?

Not the first. There's the USS Dix for one. (Irony noted)

Also USS (Grace) Hopper