Navy to Commission Aircraft Carrier George H.W. Bush (ooooo! Bubba's gonna be Torked.)

DefenseLink News Release ^

[SandRat]

The Navy’s newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George H. W. Bush will be commissioned Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.

President George W. Bush will deliver the principal address. Dorothy “Doro” Bush Koch, daughter of the ship’s namesake, is the ship’s sponsor. In the time-honored Navy tradition, she will give the order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"

The lastNimitz-class aircraft carrier is named to honor World War II naval aviator and America’s 41st president George H. W. Bush. Born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Mass., Bush began a lifetime of service to America when he joined the Navy on his 18th birthday as a seaman. He became the youngest pilot in the Navy at the time, receiving his commission and naval aviator wings before his 19th birthday.

Bush flew the Avenger torpedo bomber in combat from the carrier USS San Jacinto. During an attack on enemy installations near Chichi Jima in September 1944, his plane was hit by enemy fire while making a bombing run. Although the plane was on fire and heavily damaged, he completed a strafing run on the target before bailing out of the doomed aircraft. Bush parachuted into the sea and was later rescued by the Navy submarine USS Finback. He was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals for his Navy service in the Pacific theater during World War II.

After his time in the Navy ended in September 1945, Bush held a number of public service roles that included two terms as a U.S. congressman from Texas, ambassador to the United Nations, chief of the U.S. Liaison Office to China and director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He then served two terms as vice president under the late President Ronald Reagan before being elected himself as President of the United States in 1988. As commander-in-chief, Bush led the United States and a coalition of nearly 30 other nations during Operation Desert Storm, which ended Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and liberated the people of the Persian Gulf nation.

Capt. Kevin O'Flaherty, from Los Angeles, Calif., and a 1981 Naval Academy graduate, will become the ship’s first commanding officer, leading a crew of more than 5,500 men and women, including embarked air wing personnel. George H. W. Bush will be initially homeported in Norfolk, Va., assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

Construction of the tenth Nimitz-class ship took place at Northrop Grumman-Newport News, Va., starting with the ship’s keel laying Sept. 6, 2003, and christening Oct. 7, 2006. George H. W. Bush towers 20 stories above the waterline, displaces approximately 95,000 tons of water, has a flight deck width of 252 feet, and at 1,092 feet long, is nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall. This floating airfield has a flight deck that covers 4.5 acres. Bush’s two nuclear reactors are capable of more than 20 years of continuous service without refueling, providing virtually unlimited range and endurance, and a top speed in excess of 30 knots.

The ship will support a wide variety of aircraft, including the F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters, the E-2C/D Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning aircraft, the C-2 Greyhound logistics aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler and the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, multi-role SH-60 and MH-60 helicopters, and other future carrier-based aircraft.

[chiefqc]

I wonder what the hands that will serve on the Aircraft Carrier named after “Bubba” will think about telling people that they serve on the “USS Aircraft Carrier “Bent Willie”

[Born In America]

My guess is it will also sink on request of the enemy....

[calex59]

Given enough time, a ship will be named after Bill Clinton.

The only "craft" that should be named after Clinton is a leaky rowboat that will sink 10 minutes after it is named!

[calex59]

Isn't there a rumor going around about a new, stealth latrine enclosure? The Clinton Crapper? Just rumor.....

That is funny, I would say that about 90 percent of FReepers could make a living writing dialogue for conservative standup comics(Maybe the Blue Collar guys!).

[50cal Smokepole]

Thanks. Too bad I'm part of the 10 percent that can't take a friggin’ hint.....

[maine-iac7]

With due respect to 41’s lifetime of heroic service in our military and government...wow it seems there are there a lot of government buildings, school buildings, airports, and now a carrier named after a one term president. Seems 4 times as much as Reagan but I could be wrong.

This 'one term president' has a lot more to his resume - a lot more than bubba and even our beloved Reagan.

He was much more of a war hero than Kennedy - altho' you'll never see hollywood do a story on his military service.

He's being recognized for a lot more than being a president.

George H. W. Bush joined the Navy and at the age of eighteen and became the youngest naval pilot (from 1942 to 1945). During his 58th mission, his aircraft was hit over Chichi Jima island. Although on fire and obviously crippled, instead of turning and heading back to possible rescue before the plane came apart, Bush continued on his mission and dropped his bombs. Only then did he turn and make a run for it back to the ship.

The plane didn't last long enough and he crashed into the sea. It was four hours before he was rescued - and plucked from the sea by the crew of the U.S.S. Finback, an American submarine, just before a Japanese ship that was closing in on him.

He was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross and sent back home.

In addition to this and his two terms as Vice President and one term as President, his public service career included:

1971 to 1973, Permanent Representative of the United Nations.

1972 until 1973, he was the President of the Republican party

1974 to 1975, he was Ambassador to Beijing (China).

Served in the House of Representatives

1976 to 1977, he was the director of the C.I.A.

He is being given this honor more for his military career than political...

Every time there's mention of this carrier being named after him, the same rhetoric comes out of the woodwork" "This for a one term president?!"

Echoes of DU

Well deserved, Mr. President. Thank you for your service.

[buccaneer81]

Given enough time, a ship will be named after Bill Clinton.

Nope. Impeachment took care of that.

Unpopular or controversial Presidents don't get ships named after them.

Johnson, Nixon didn't get one. Ford did, despite being a seat-warmer. Carter got an attack sub, because he was involved in the Rickover nuke projects.

GWB...maybe someday, but I wouldn't put big money on it. And not a CVN, simply because the name is going to be tied up for the next 50 years.

[LiberConservative]

If there is ever a USS “W” it will be armed to the teeth ... but it will cost $1T and will only be used to ferry illegals from Mexico to LA.

[calex59]

Thanks. Too bad I'm part of the 10 percent that can't take a friggin’ hint.....,/I>

[Vermont Lt]

Why is it that a hero, such as Kennedy or Bush, or even McCain for that matter, have to have their ship or airplane shot out from under them to gain that status? You’d think someone that could keep them afloat would be more of a hero?

(Just tongue in cheek. I have the greatest respect for all three’s service and suffering during their actions.)

[maine-iac7]

stuff it

[uglybiker]

I kinda figured he'd already be torqued. ;-)

[KevinDavis]

With all due respect to GHWB and Ford, I prefer ships named the Yorktown or the Enterprise....

[maine-iac7]

Why is it that a hero, such as Kennedy or Bush, or even McCain for that matter, have to have their ship or airplane shot out from under them to gain that status?

Well, they wouldn't 'have their ship or airplane shot out from under them' if they weren't brave enough to put their as*es on the line in the first place.

[hinckley buzzard]

Yes they will find some kind of ship to be the USS Clinton. Maybe a garbage scow.

Meanwhile back in Cleveland the clowns in the city council are preparing to rename a school after OBama. They seem to think Nathan Hale isn't significant enough not to be replaced by a Black guy who has been nowhere and done nothing.

[buccaneer81]

With all due respect to GHWB and Ford, I prefer ships named the Yorktown or the Enterprise....

I agree with you 100%! No Enterprise after 2011. Sad. One admiral said that there should always be an Enterprise in the US Navy. The name is iconic.

Naming an entire class of carriers after Ford is wrong. Should have been Enterprise class, with the first ship being Enterprise.

[MilspecRob]

When did it become common to name USN ships after living anybodies?

[SandRat]

I’m not sure but I think, I may be wrong on this, during Zipper’s 8 years in office.

[KevinDavis]

I agree.. The name Enterprise has been in the US Navy since the Revolutionary War.. Heck even the Confederacy had a ship named Enterprise...

[napscoordinator]

Clinton has a good shot at a carrier with Obama and Dems in office unless Clinton does not want a carrier like carter. I could never understand why Carter turned it down considering he is a Navy Academy Grad and Navy Veteran. Oh well his loss He wanted some kind of humanitarian U.S. Naval Ship or something like that.