Del Dolemonte Says:
April 26, 2007 - 22:43
Strangely enough, a certain AM political radio talk show host predicted exactly that this would happen, right down to the exact day that it would happen. But I digress...
As it happens, I was in Hawaii (where I grew up in the 1960s right after Statehood) for 2 weeks in 2003. The aircraft carrier Bush landed on stopped there on its way home. As the local Hawaiian TV stations reported, the crew of said aircraft carrier had already erected a “Mission Accomplished” banner, which had nothing to do with Bush and Iraq.
In fact, it was meant as a banner for the ship’s successful return from their deployment. My late father was executive officer on a US military ship in the 1950s and 1960s, and he told me (and proved with the pictures he took while on duty) that the ships would always make and display such banners when returning to port after their missions, no matter what the missions were. In his case, the ship he was on was stationed as a weather ship in the North Atlantic.
It’s also interesting to note that Bill Clinton did 5 photo-op visits on US aircraft carriers while he was pResident. That’s 5 times more than the current President, and more than any other President in history.
Considering the fact that Mr. Clinton was the first pResident in almost 50 years who never saw military service (FDR was the last), that’s pretty funny!
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq49-1.htm
Presidential visits to US Navy ships:
William J. Clinton (1992-2001)
Carrier Carl Vinson (1993; 1995)
Carrier George Washington (1994)
Carrier Independence (1996)
Carrier Harry S. Truman (1998)
Guided Missile Cruiser (AEGIS) Hue City (2000)
George W. Bush (2001- ) Carrier Abraham Lincoln (2003)
Want more? The 1994 Clinton visit to the USS GW included these tidbits:
“President Clinton used the aircraft carrier George Washington to ferry himself, various high-ranking officials, 40 White House aides, and 23 members of the Press Corps across the English Channel. He made remarks on the ship June 5, and the next day he and his entourage went ashore for the ceremonies in France (images of which were later used in campaign commercials). Along with them went dozens of towels and bathrobes lifted from the ship’s stores. The Navy investigated and presented the White House a bill for $562. On June 16, 1994, the White House Office of Scheduling and Advance issued a memo to the staff asking that those who took the items please remit payment. No checks were forthcoming, so a member of the office paid the entire bill just to kill the issue. “
Want more?
“(Democrat) President Franklin Roosevelt also took the Cruiser U.S.S. Houston to the Galapagos Islands for a fishing trip. “
“Mission Accomplished”, indeed!
Thank you, Doug, for getting the word straight from the navy.
Just for everyone’s information.
President Visits USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Personnel Notes
US Navy Press Releases
. President Visits USS Dwight D. Eisenhower NORFOLK Va. (NNS) — President Bill Clinton paid a visit to Sailors and Marines aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) Oct. 6 to thank them for their service off Haiti. He reminisced that the ship’s namesake was the first president he could remember from his childhood and spoke of the example President Eisenhower set for the country.
“President Eisenhower’s life of service to our country and incredible leadership throughout his military career, culminating in his leadership in World War II and, of course, ultimately, in his election to the presidency was an inspiration to me and to every other young American, and I know is a continuing inspiration to all of you who are privileged to serve on this great carrier and in this group. Much has been asked of you, and you have delivered,” said the president.