Posted on 01/16/2007 10:24:22 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Navy Names Next Aircraft Carrier For Gerald Ford
(AP) WASHINGTON The Navy said Tuesday its next aircraft carrier will be named the USS Gerald R. Ford in honor of the late president, a tribute to his love of the Navy.
Ford, who served in the Navy during World War II, died Dec. 26 at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif., at age 93. Former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld had said the Navy was planning the honor during a eulogy at Ford's funeral.
"President Ford will always be an example to us of personal kindness, loyalty and coolness under pressure," said Vice President Dick Cheney, who served as Ford's chief of staff, during a Pentagon ceremony.
Susan Bales Ford said her father had mentioned the impending honor in a letter to a friend shortly before his death. He wrote, "In my life, I received countless honors, but none was greater than the opportunity to wear the uniform of lieutenant commander of the United States Navy."
Betty Ford did not attend the ceremony but planned to watch it on a Pentagon broadcast, said Bales Ford, who was joined by her three brothers. She said the family was grateful to the U.S. service branches for accompanying them during the services honoring their father.
(Excerpt) Read more at wcbstv.com ...
Why would they name a boat after a snowblower engine maker? Are they that well respected up there?
Is it possible inadvertanly to "shank" an airstrike into a friendly country?
Understandable that you don't much like Tecumseh (nor would you be a fan of Joseph Brant if you knew who he was), but it's a different story here. Tecumseh was a hero for the Good Guys in the War of 1812 ;-)
"The USS William Clinton is scheduled to be a hospital ship..."
Didn't they name the latest model of the Hummer after him?
I suppose now this carrier can assume the role of bumping into everything, and give those submarines a break.
It was sunk by the Soviet Killer Rabbit.
How about The Ontario, Eh?
"It's a Forrrrrrd!"
or: Know what time it is when one Ford passes another"
Tin passed tin!
We're due for another Yorktown, Wasp, and Hornet. And after the Ford replaces CVN-65, we'll need another Enterprise!
We have a USS Wasp:
The last USS Hornet, CV-12, is a museum:
The last Yorktown, CG-48, was decommissioned in 2004.
USS Ford F-150,000 ???
I forgot about the Wasp (LHD-1). And Yorktown needs to be a carrier! But is 20 years service normal for a Destroyer? Or was it just one of the casualties of a smaller Navy?
LOL Yeah I can imagine there's gonna be some interesting nicknames for the USS Ford. Case in point: My husband was in the Navy (2000-2006) and in that time we learned such nicknames as the PierWolf (for the Seawolf) and the Menopause (for the Minneapolis-St.Paul).
I'd guess the latter. My husband's former command, the USS Rickover (SSN 709), is being decommissioned this March after *thinks, does the math* 23 years. Hell look at the USS Kitty Hawk, commissioned in '61 and according to Wikipedia not due to decom till 2009? Wow.
Fitting tribute. President Ford served honorably in WWII with the rest of the Greatest Generation.
Very appropriate. A fine honor for a good guy.
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