The FReeper Foxhole Studies Ship Naming in the United States Navy - June 27th, 2003

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER ^

[SAMWolf]

Course they could always use a blue dress on their logo and also as their commissioning pennant.

Good Morning DD.

LOL! I think that's a great idea!

[SAMWolf]

Morning Johnny. IMHO, that's one ugly plane.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Pukin Dog. Thanks.

[Diver Dave]

Very interesting theme snippy. Thanks.

I served in the USS Piedmont (AD-17), a Destroyer Tender.

AD's were named after geographical regions of the US. The PIEDMONT was a Dixie class tender. There were three AD's operating within out of San Diego during my era. The DIXIE, PRAIRIE, and PIEDMONT. Each took a rotation 6 month WESTPAC cruise, followed by 9 months in our homeport.

A late 60's built AD, the SAMUEL GOMPERS, was I believe the first AD to bear a name of an individual vs. a geographical area.

My former "home"...

[ken5050]

A great essay, and a great thread as always.....however, you might want to delve into two of the more interesting stories of ship's names....one the "dead Admiral's "class of frigates, and second, sadly, the USS Jimmy Carter.....the latter really irks me, but not as much probably as those who sail on her....

[Pukin Dog]

Bear and Badger crewmen were famous for holding copies of Playboy magazine and cans of CocaCola against the windows of their planes when being "escorted" through their excursions during the cold war. Usually, it would be the tail gunner, back there exposed who would be the first to know if we had been cleared to fire on them, who would enthusiastically express his love for all things American, but you could watch his guns follow you, wherever you flew, from right to left and back, as your RIO took photos of their plane.

I always felt a bit guilty, wondering what activities I might have interupted between the tailgunner and his Playboy magazine stash. Those bombers did have very long missions to fly, and I guess it got a bit lonely back there in the tail. I guess we made them have to put down their 'weapon', so that they could pick up their guns?

[w_over_w]

Hey Snip & Sam~

Quick question . . . the USS Ranger (see photo) has an interesting painting configuration on the port side. What's that all about? Thanks.

[snippy_about_it]

Isn't that painted for camouflage?

I think I learned that from aomagrat's posts.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning feather.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning fiddlstix.

[snippy_about_it]

Yes, the Jimmy Carter naming was/is a real disappointment.

[snippy_about_it]

I just pray we NEVER get a Secetary of the Navy who will name a ship after Clinton.

SAM, don't even think it! It just couldn't happen.

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you, we are glad you appreciate and enjoy it.

It's our labor of love for our country and our Armed Forces members be they currently serving or Veterans.

Not to mention SAM and I both enjoy history. :)

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks Johnny. lol. USS Johnny Gage, it does sound good!

[Fiddlstix]

Good morning, Snippy J

[snippy_about_it]

'Course they could always use a blue dress on their logo....Open channels to all intelligence data..

LOL Diver Dave! I'd like to think it would be sunk before getting underway and with all souls saved unless Clinton himself were on it.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks Dave, I'm glad you liked the theme.

Thank you for the picture of your 'former' home, the USS Piedmont and the bit of history about the AD naming.

Good to see you dropping by. :)

[snippy_about_it]

Hi ken, long time no see. I did have a piece on the Carter naming, it was depressing. Not that I didn't want to share but I thought it just might be able to be it's own thread some day as disappointing of a story as it is.

Good to see you.

Running into that scum in your neighborhood lately? LOL.

[SAMWolf]

That's one of the various camoflauge schemes thry tried during WWII. They tried various schemes to brak up the ships silhouettes to make then harder to identify.

Some schemes used had "fake" bow waves painted on them to cofuse speed estimates or painting the bow wave fatrher back to make the ship look like a smaller class. I don't hoow evvective thay were but seeing as how most ships finally didn't carry them I guess they found that it wasn't worth the time or effort.

[SAMWolf]

Not to mention SAM and I both enjoy history. :)

I thought you weren't going to mention that. ;-)