Posted on 11/04/2012 6:33:18 AM PST by Berlin_Freeper
WASHINGTON After half a century on the high seas, the oldest warship in the American fleet, the USS Enterprise, will return to port Sunday for the last time.
From the Cuban Missile Crisis to the war in Afghanistan, the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has played a part in every conflict involving the United States since she was commissioned in 1961.
But when the massive vessel glides into the US naval base in Norfolk, Virginia on Sunday morning, with sailors in white uniforms standing on deck, it will mark the end of her 25th and final deployment after an eight month tour in the Mediterranean and the Gulf, the Navy said.
"Homecoming will no doubt be a bittersweet day," said Captain William Hamilton, the ship's commanding officer.
"We are pleased to be returning to our families after a very successful deployment, but to know that it is the last time Enterprise will be underway through her own power makes our return very sentimental."
The ship will be formally retired at a ceremony on December 1 but the vessel known as the "Big E" already relinquished its ammunition and ordnance last week at sea, with helicopters ferrying more than 1,500 tonnes of missiles and bombs to cargo ships nearby.
With a length of 342 meters (1,123 feet), the Enterprise is the longest naval ship in the world, and has a displacement of nearly 95,000 tonnes. The floating base can accommodate 4,500 sailors and aviators, as well as 72 planes and helicopters.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
1909 Lincoln 1¢
1932 Washington 25¢
1938 Jefferson 5¢
1946 Roosevelt 10¢
1964 Kennedy 50¢
The Kennedy half was being struck within TWO MONTHS of his death.
We are already perilously close to honoring living kings presidents on our money.
Let's fully reset to allegorical figures.
Before "In God We Trust" is removed from our money to be replaced by, say, Obama's ugly mug.
I have often wondered what the Big E’s true top speed was...have heard some wild stories...
“...If were going to go Treky - you gotta get it right. NCC 1701....”
Are you talking about me?
I didn’t include the Eisenhower dollar because I can’t recall a single instance of it being used to purchase anything outside of a chance in gaming.
In any event, it would only bump the timeline out to a whopping 62 years, less than one aversge human’s life expectancy.
If the Navy still uses any DMS (destoyer-minesweeper) vessels, the USS Barack Obama would be a fair name for that cannon fodder...
If the Navy still uses any DMS (destoyer-minesweeper) vessels, the USS Barack Obama would be a fair name for that cannon fodder...
Here is a YouTube video that shows a home built model of the Big E.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJqPiQyqk9Q
The story behind it, as I understand it, is that someone started building it in his garage and it got too big for him to keep. So the builder called the Smithsonian and asked them if they wanted to take in off his hands and place it on display. They said they had enough models so he sent some pics. Smithsonian people got interested and sent some representatives to look her over. They were impressed enough to take her to D.C. where she is today. Quite an impressive effort. She shows up at the 1:17 mark of the vid.
I stand corrected. I'm not Navy....my interest comes from my background in nuke issues/reactors. The idea of EIGHT nuke reactors (even small ones) on a single ship was sort of mind-boggling when I heard it.
PING
America’s pride!
Thanks, cutie. The big ‘E’! We’ll keep her docked for a while ................................................... FRegards
Thanks! That’s very interesting. The actual parallel matches the pic. (Maybe that’s the “Obama parallel character” in the front of the boat.)
It’s too bad so many modern “slaves” (and not just black “slaves”, either!) don’t realize how insidiously they’ve been made to lose their freedom, for which so much was paid by so many.
One of my thrills was sitting in the Captains chair on the big E!
Hey friend, Please put me on your ping list! I miss too much otherwise! :)
33.6 knots tops. Sorry.
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