All photos by AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
Posted on 08/01/2009 6:27:04 PM PDT by Cheap_Hessian
BATH, Maine (AP) - In a solemn ceremony punctuated by talk of courage, service and sacrifice, the mother of a Marine corporal on Saturday christened a warship honoring her son, who died after covering an exploding grenade to protect his comrades in Iraq.
After composing herself and taking a deep breath, Deb Dunham smashed a bottle of champagne over the bow of the 510-foot warship Jason Dunham, then held the bottle aloft before a cheering crowd of more than 1,500 people.
She was joined by the Marines who served with her son, by her husband, Dan Dunham, and their daughter Katelyn Dunham. Two other Dunham boys also were in the audience.
Retired Gen. Michael Hagee, a former Marine commandant who was with the Dunhams when their son died at Bethesda Naval Hospital days after the explosion, said Jason gave the "gift of valor." Hagee said the warship will serve as a reminder that freedom "is paid for by the men and women who wear the cloth of this nation."
"They are willing to give up everything that is important: love, marriage, children, family, friends," Hagee said of the 22-year-old Marine. "I can tell you I've always stood in awe of that."
At the Bath Iron Works shipyard, a special place was reserved for those who served with Dunham in Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines. Dunham's company commander, Maj. Trent Gibson, Sgt. Bill Hampton and Cpl. Kelly Miller, who were present the day Dunham died, were among them. Hampton and Miller were next to Dunham when the grenade detonated. It was them whose lives were saved because of him. They suffered burns and shrapnel wounds but recovered.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
All photos by AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
My God bless and keep this fine young man, and may He bring peace and solace to his family.
My all-time favorite name for a ship is HMS Furious.
Seriously though, this honor couldn't have gone to a more deserving person. I'm so tired of our ships being named for life-long politicians instead of our real American heroes. Great for this Marine and I'm happy as can be his family could relish in the celebration.
That's a good one. I'm a big fan of the USS Aggressor and the USS Defiance.
Wonderful photographs, beautiful new ship.
Godspeed and fair seas to all who serve aboard her.
Thank you for adding the video. It’s a moving story.
SEMPER FI
SEMPER FI
My favourite was another British ship, the magnificently named HMS Devastation, by heck you’d stay well clear of that ship. Now the Brits are afraid of upsetting anyone when it comes to naming their ships, the most modern ship they have is the dreadfully insipid HMS Ocean, may as well be a cruise ship with a name like that.
Amen to you brother. Lets name our ships, tanks, planes, etc after heros who have made great sacrifices.
Just look at the bittersweet expression on Mrs. Dunham's face, and the sad look on the sister's face. You just know, looking at that one photograph, that naming a ship after this brave marine was the right thing to do.
I'm not entirely sure what's extinguished the Brits will to fight. Perhaps it was Hitler and his relentless Blitzkrieg. Or, it may have been the near-unbridled immigration policies of the last half of the twentieth century and the subsequent embrace of all things multicultural. Whatever it was, they certainly aren't the same people that they once were.
Just be glad he didn't decide to change the name to the USS William Ayers or the USS Malcolm X.
The Brits were past masters at naming great ships
The Repulse
The Hood
The Revenge
The Magnificent
The Victorious
Illustrious
Goliath
Vengeance
Just a few
To your point, the Brits did oust Churchill right after WWII. Margaret Thatcher reversed some of the UK military decline. The biggest decline for Britain has been their navy. The UK could barely get a naval force together to defend the Falklands from the Argentinians in 1982. I believe socialism infected Britain and you have to figure many pro-military men died in WW2.
I realize you're kidding (maybe). While the tradition is to name a ship before it's christened, as a practical matter the US Navy rarely changes a ship's name after the hull's been laid down. It may happen, but I can't think of a time in the modern era when it's happened. Also, a popular misconception is that Congress names ships. But, in actuality it's a decision that is the sole responsibility of the Secretary of the Navy, by law (for at least the last 100 years, probably longer).
I think you can make bank on the fact that we will see a USS Malcolm X, or some other such nonsense in the coming years. Also, there's a handful of ships that have been named for non-US citizens. Most recently, the USS Winston Churchill. So, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a USS Nelson Mandela or USS Kofi Annan. And, the way things are going, maybe even a USS Fidel Castro or a USS Hugo Chavez. Hope and Change.
HMS DREADNOUGHT
HMS IMPLACABLE
HMS FURIOUS
HMS INDEFATIGABLE
HMS WARSPITE
HMS BELLEROPHON
That's not the reason.
Long standing RN policy. Take the ship, take the name, take the very identity - for all time.
Not exactly a we don't wish to offend attitude.
(It's also how they salvaged the now traditional RN names Vengeance (French 1758), Temeraire (French 1759), Hazardous (French 1703), and others.)
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