[Charles Martel]

I don’t know if it’s the Navy determining the name, I thought it was congress that makes the decision...

All the other ships in the class are named for American cities. According to what I read, Mabus sent a memo down which designated this ship name. So absent any contradictory information, Ray owns this stinker of a decision.

[smoothsailing]

You’re right, Mabus owns this.

http://www.seaforces.org/usnships/lpd/San-Antonio-class.htm

Apparently in an attempt to outdo himself, Mabus has also named a Navy cargo ship after Cesar Chavez...

“Cesar Chavez, the Marxist community organizer and farm union leader, who hated the U.S. Navy and capitalism, has been honored with a Lewis and Clark class Naval vessel named the Cesar Chavez.”

http://lonelyconservative.com/2011/05/us-navy-names-cargo-ship-usns-cesar-chavez/