[downtownconservative]

I looked up USS Lewis and Clark on wikipedia. It’s a Ben Franklin Class atomic sub. Someone got the ship’s name wrong.

[spodefly]

Lewis and Clark is the class, not the name ... the reporter misremembered. :)

[Eaker]

Different vessels.

USS Lewis and Clark may refer to:

* USS Lewis and Clark (SSBN-644), a Benjamin Franklin-class ballistic missile submarine of the U.S. Navy

* USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1), a dry cargo ship of the U.S. Military Sealift Command

[spodefly]

Turns out it is both the name and the class since this is the first of its type.

The Lewis and Clark class of dry cargo ship is the next class of Combat Logistics Force (CLF) underway replenishment vessels to be constructed for the United States Navy’s Military Sealift Command. Lewis and Clark-class ships will replace the existing fifteen Mars- and Sirius-class combat store ships and the Kilauea-class ammunition ships. When operating in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-class oiler the Lewis and Clarks will also replace Sacramento-class fast combat support ships. The first of the planned twelve ships, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1), was placed in service with the MSC in June 2006, and is being designed for a forty-year service life. The ships will be named for famous American explorers and pioneers.

The primary role of the Lewis and Clarks is to provide logistic lift from supply sources such as friendly ports, or while at sea, from specially equipped merchant ships by consolidation. Lewis and Clarks will transfer cargo (ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts, ship store items, and expendable supplies and material) to station ships and other naval warfare forces. As auxiliary support ships, Lewis and Clarks will directly contribute to the Navy’s ability to maintain a forward presence. When operating together with Henry J. Kaiser-class oilers Lewis and Clarks will provide the carrier battle group and/or amphibious readiness group with product lift equivalent to a Supply-class fast combat support ship.

Construction of the lead ship, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1), was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) of San Diego, California, on 18 October 2001. The contract contains options for eleven follow ships. The option for the first follow ship, USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE-2), was exercised simultaneously with award of Lewis and Clark. The option for an additional ship was exercised in 2002, another one in 2003, two more in 2004 and another two more ships were ordered in 2005. As of 2007[update], a total of nine ships had been ordered.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_class_dry_cargo_ship

[Dan Middleton]

"I looked up USS Lewis and Clark on wikipedia. It’s a Ben Franklin Class atomic sub. Someone got the ship’s name wrong."

There haven't been any Franklin-class subs in service for years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Lewis_and_Clark_(T-AKE-1)

Very first link that comes up on Google. The current Lewis and Clark is the lead ship of her class of supply vessels.

[quikdrw]

Try USNS Lewis and Clark. USNS Lewis and Clark and USS Lewis and Clark are two separate vessels.

[SmithL]

USS Lewis & Clark was decommissioned long ago.

[SoCalPol]

The Lewis and Clark along with several other names explores
are the name of these new Sealift command supply ships.

The are built here in San Diego