Sunday, May 29, 2011

It could be a worse Kennedy

It was understandable that the previous USS KENNEDY (CV-67) was named what it was when it was.

In the decades since then, we have a more nuanced and accurate view of the man. We could have taken a pass - one Carrier should be enough for that family's ego - but alas. Given the powers that be and the silly game politicians have made of naming ships - I am not shocked. They are focused on their games - not the Navy and the nation it serves.

Of course ENTERPRISE, SARATOGA, etc .... they mean nothing.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced today the next Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier will be named the USS John F. Kennedy.

The selection John F. Kennedy, designated CVN 79, honors the 35th President of the United States and pays tribute to his service in the Navy, in the government, and to the nation.

“President John F. Kennedy exemplified the meaning of service, not just to country, but service to all humanity,” said Mabus. “I am honored to have the opportunity to name the next aircraft carrier after this great Sailor and inspirational leader, and to keep the rich tradition and history of USS John F. Kennedy sailing in the U.S. Fleet.”
I'm not sweating it though - with each passing year I have less and less respect for the political class. Wait - no; I have the same amount of respect for them as they show for our Navy.

Hey - it could have been named after Teddy.

152 comments:

  1. Byron23:09

    It's enough to make you cry. Hope all the New England Democrats are happy now. Seriously hope the next JFK has a better crew than the last one...and yeah, I've been around a lot of ships' crews.

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  2. steeljawscribe23:14

    Having had time with CVW-3/JFK and well over a hundred traps on JFK, I’ve no particular beef with another JFK – just think we should have had another Enterprise first. Mabus blew an opportunity to take advantage of a Memorial Day announcement, recognize JFK’s birthday and honor a generation by naming CV-79 and CVN-80 together — just like Clinton did with Truman and Reagan (though for different reasons). And if SECNAV wanted JFK first – OK, use it as the occasion to reset the naming of our carriers back to tradition, beginning with Enterprise (and maybe followed by Midway).

    Still, guess 3,000+ signatures on the petition sent to SECNAV didn't quiver a needle on the E-ring.  So, we'll give it another shot and hope for more - more info to follow on a new petition.
    w/r, SJS

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  3. UltimaRatioRegis23:17

    You know my joke about any US warship named after Teddy Kennedy.

    She sails erratically, and suddenly rolls to port and capsizes in shallow water off Edgartown.  There are no survivors, save the CO, who doesn't report the loss of his ship until the next morning. 

    That one never gets old.

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  4. steeljawscribe23:19

    You know, there is another Kennedy it could have been named after...

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  5. UltimaRatioRegis23:26

    Yep!

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  6. Wharf Rat23:44

    Here’s a big problem – this means an effective 10 year gap in having ‘Enterprise’ in the fleet. Honestly, this smacks of the Obama administration getting involved. Think about it – CVN 76, CVN 77, CVN 78 all named after Republican Presidents.

    Then CV 67 is retired. No question – there was less concern about maintaining the Big E name than there was about this. Now, where I have to be careful is this…………there is great navy history surrounding CV 67, so they can use that to back this up. I have every confidence that this is a political move. Don’t get me wrong – naming CVN 78 after Ford? Also a political move.

    Since they broke protocol by moving the name ‘America’ over to a big deck amphib, is it possible they move the name ‘Enterprise’ over to LHA 7? She will commission w/in a couple of years after CVN 65 decoms. With the naming process they’ve had over the last few years – it’s plausible.

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  7. Eric Palmer00:43

    I hear they are going to change all the names of Littoral Combat Ships to that of politicians.
    Horribly ineffective ones.

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  8. Retired Now01:43

    The drawing of CVN-78 only shows a total of 3 aircraft elevators.   And one third the number of radars.

    Rough Math Estimate:

    CVN-77 ended up over budget, but still is half the price of CVN-78.   At latest estimates.

    So, Navy doubles the price and gets only 3 elevators vice 4.   Are elevators expensive to remove ?

    Oh, and CVN-78,79,...  might even receive the infamous SPY-4 Volume Search Radar, generously funded to Lockheed Martin.

    Too bad VSR couldn't make it onto DDG-1000, so that Navsea could decide to kill it before delivering it to CVN-78.

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  9. MT1(SS) WidgetHead03:09

    This new slab of Iron is named after the right Kennedy. I'd say Topside got this one right.
    As for Ted, he was a great Senator but a very bad date.

    MT1(SS) WidgetHead

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  10. WCOG03:10

    Honestly, Byron? Those people don't pay attention to the military and have no interest in doing so. They peobably won't even notice that there's a second USS John F. Kennedy. Plus, President Kennedy might have represented New England Liberals in the 1950s but in this day and age his actions would generally characterize him as conservative.

    This doesn't bug me as much as it could have, CV-67 had enough history to justify giving its name to another ship. I would have preferred another Constellation though...

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  11. ewok40k03:50

    well, it could be worse... USS Jimmy Carter anyone? ... Oh crap... there is one!
    JFK fought well in the WW2 and managed to stare Khrushtchev into abandoning Cuban adventure without blowing the world up. He did startup on the Apollo program, and boosted US missile programs with Minuteman and Polaris. Too much unknowns on the Vietnam outcome, should Kennedy survive and do second term, so no comments here.
    He might not be the knight in the shining armor from the Camelot, but still not a bad president.
    But can we get Enterprise, pwetty, pwetty pleeeez?

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  12. Wstr06:46

    With that criteria at least they'll have no shortage of names to choose from!

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  13. Wstr07:49

    I noticed earlier this month that General Atomics delivered the first set of EMALS components for fitting in CVN 78 (Gerald R Ford). As the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) doesn't get as much media coverage as its cousin (no sexy F-18 launch vids) does anyone know if the AAG still proceeding on track and thus will be available from the get go?

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  14. murphy07:54

    Is there anything We Citizens, Patriots & Veterans can do about this current disgusting & shameful "political" practice of naming once proud US Navy Warships...?

    I write my useless Congressmen...but whats the point? Is there a point in contacting the SECNAV...?

    Being a USN Vet & History major it breaks my heart seeing the names of new US Warships...DOES ANYONE! IN THE US NAVY READ OR RESPECT NAVAL HISTORY ANYMORE!??  :'(

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  15. Byron07:55

    What worries me is only two hangar bays...kinda gives you to big hangar bays instead of 3 large ones, and more room for a catastrophic fire, doesn't it?

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  16. UltimaRatioRegis07:59

    Great Senator?

    The man should have been hanged for treason, AFTER serving his term for manslaughter.  He was a disgraceful dipso womanizer who did everything he could, including contacting the leadership of an enemy government, to undermine America.

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  17. Byron07:59

    Ask the crowd here how much Naval History is studied at the Academy. This whole mess is enough to make me cry.

    And in my not so humble opinion, the only way I'd agree to a carrier or any other ship named after a stinkin' politician from either side of the aisle is if he'd won the Medal.

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  18. The Usual Suspect08:25

    Byron,
    If that were the case, what do you want to bet that they would start awarding each other the Medal?  They have no Honor, and besides, a lack of Honor, Moral Courage, and anything resembling a spine hasn't stopped them yet.

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  19. Andy08:52

    One of the absolutely worst cruises I ever made was Kennedy in '78. CO and CAG both despised us, starting with initially assigned our troops a chain locker and a sponson for our Det working spaces and storage. Were it not for VA-34 "adopting" us from the purgatory of a VAQ squadron who's skipper expressly forbade ESM, it would have much, much worse. In deference to Kennedy's skipper, once he was "read in" to the mission when he became flag, he couldn't do enough to support the squadron's detachments.

    As for the new naming, meh. Did anyone really think SECNAV would do anything at all that wasn't pure political pandering and setting himself up for his post-SECNAV "K Street" future?

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  20. Guest09:23

    At least it was not called the Rodham-Clinton. . . 

    ReplyDelete
  21. steeljawscribe09:46

    SImilarly for our 86-87 deployment -- except there the VF's were asked to host and flat turned down any association with VQ-2's det.  We (VAW-126) offered up our support and spaces and I think after the nitial wariness wore off that we had a great time - especially after our joint chewing out by CAG over the Turkey incident :)
    w/r, SJS

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  22. Byron09:52

    TUR, I don't think they have the cojones to try something that blatant.

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  23. Wharf Rat09:54

    3 elevators are there by design.  When they moved the island back, they designed it w/two forward elevators.

    As for doubling the price, everything I read it's because its a complete redesign under the flight deck due to the difference between steam and EMALS for catapualts.  Supposedly more money up front, less cost to operate.

    That said - as was written here - big concern about the EMALS system and probably should have been another Nimitz untill they got it right.

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  24. The Usual Suspect10:05

    It is not cajones, but a lack of values that allows them to do such things. Teddy Kennedy, John Murtha, Alcee Hastings, Chuck Schumer, Maxine Waters, Cynthia McKinney, Patrick Leahy, Charlie Rangel, Anthony Weiner...

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  25. Anonymous10:16

    Another ship named after a dead (and wealthy) white guy? Didn't the Diversity community get a chop on this as it was being vetted?

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  26. leesea11:05

    Byron, I assume that current naval officers have not learned from naval history wherever taught.
    One can read naval history all they want but if one does NOT learn from it, we are doomed to repeat its mistakes~

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  27. leesea11:08

    SJS, so right and the pity is once the current political appointee SECNAV goes away, his naming "mistakes" seem to hang around to inflict us

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  28. If anything Teddy Kennedy needs to be a sub...

    Because the putz performed his most memorable act submerged.

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  29. AW1 Tim11:12

     Diversity, eh? What happened to Bill Clinton then? Wasn't he our first black president?

     I would like to dream that the first conservative to take back the White House could act in his power as CiC to order the Navy to rename these vessels, and with appropriate names.

      Midway. Constellation. Saratoga. Ranger. Lexington. Hornet. Independence. Intrepid. Yorktown.  Names that remember sacrifice, courage and American Perserverance.

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  30. leesea11:22

    we should also  read what the CBO said about carrier cost inflation here:
    http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=11527

    and what Tim Colton commented bacck in 2007 here:

    <span>GAO PREDICTS CVN 78 COST OVER-RUN.  </span><span>In the most surprising news of the millennium, the GAO says that the Navy's new aircraft carrier will cost more than is currently budgeted.  No kidding!  It appears that the $11 billion that was budgeted for CVN 78 - only three times the cost of another carrier of the "Nimitz" class - will not be enough.</span>

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  31. Salty Gator11:22

    No Shame.  and certainly No Honor.

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  32. DeltaBravo11:34

    Touche.

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  33. DeltaBravo11:37

    You know, Ewok, if you Poles were any kind of ally, you would have kept Pres. Obama when he was over there speechifying.  Would it have been too much to ask?

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  34. James11:53

    How about this. Next 2 carriers Sarratoga and lexington. Then Enterprise and Constellation.

    STOP NAMING SHIPS AFTER POLITICANS.

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  35. Anonymous12:02

    Greetings:

    Geez, Louise, I thought you sea monkeys were in tune with the "it coulda been worse" philosophy.  In the spirit of DADT reform, it coulda been the Rock Hudson or, even better, the Harvey Milk(toast?).  And then "Anchors Aweigh" coulda been replaced by The Village People's "In the Navy".

    The rule of law is becoming the ruler's law and too few are paying attention to the signposts on the road to serfdom. As Bob Dylan sang, "It ain't dark, but it's getting there".

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  36. Aubrey12:17

    Give Barry a second term and you'll see the USS Olbermann, just you wait and see...

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  37. SJBill12:21

    MT1, check the term "Waitress Sandwich."
    Character.

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  38. Retired Now12:52

    Would you rather buy 2 brand new CVN's ?   or just 1 ??

    http://www.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/110518-N-OY799-187.jpg


    Here is a recent photo of a new CVN.   For the price of USS FORD or USS JFK CVN-79,  our country could buy 2 (two) of these fine nuclear powered carriers shown in the photo.

    Question:   would USN like to buy-own-operate  a total of 6 new Ford/JFK class carriers ?

    or would USN like to buy-own-operater a total of 12 CVN's like CVN-76 or CVN-77 ??

    Answer:  Current CNO/NAVSEA leadership would rather procure 6 new CVN-79's vice 12 new CVN-77's !!

    Isn't having 12 carriers better than 6 carriers that are so expensive we should be afraid to let them steam anywhere in the World lest they get hurt by some terrorist.


    C'mon Navy Leaders:   do we want a USN of 150 gold plated ships ? 

    or a Navy of 300 warships that are heads and shoulders above any adversary ?

    Your call, Mr. CNO.    300 ships ?   or   only 150 ships ?   

    Hint:   the answer is easy.  This really isn't rocket science.   Quantity has a capability that at some point overcomes so-called-new Capabilities (which seem to woefully lack quality in many new ships).


    BTW,   America's present and future enemies would prefer that USN decrement to a size of 150 ships, vice 300.

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  39. UltimaRatioRegis13:14

    If we got to USS Olbermann, I would be fairly pleased, actually.  That means we have done some serious shipbuilding, and have commissioned USS William Ayers, USS Saul Alinsky, USS Jeremiah Wright, USS Eugene Debs, USS George Soros, USS Dan Rostenkowski, USS Bella Abzug, USS Patsy Schroeder (all-lesbian crew experiment), USS Al Gore, USS Tom Daschle, and USS Tony Rezko.

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  40. UltimaRatioRegis13:30

    I forgot the entire USS Huey Newton class of humanitarian relief vessels....  that includes USS Al Sharpton, USS Oprah Winfrey, USS Tupac Shakur, USS Carole Moseley-Braun, and USS Cynthia McKinney.

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  41. James13:32

    I think the problem is that the Navy would love the extra carriers but not buy the airunits or most important train and pay the men who serve aboard the. The new carriers are supposed to cut sailors.

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  42. ewok40k13:43

    nah, we are not as stupid as some jokes make us...
    besides, Obama failed to even sign some rotational F-16 from Aviano deployments to Poland, why should we keep him here?

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  43. Anonymous13:54

    i am <span>FURIOUS!</span>

    The author of the Bay of Pigs debacle does not deserve to have a carrier named after him.  And while I respect them both, neither do Jerry Ford nor George Bush (the elder).  Destroyers, maybe, but not carriers.

    Ship naming has devolved into a game of political eye-poking, with the Navy and the nation paying the price.

    I've got an idea.  CVN-78 has not been launched yet.  Not christened yet.  And thus not properly named yet.  Launch and christen it as USS Enterprise.  CVN-79 as Yorktown, Lexington, or Saratoga.  Give the Navy back its names...and the nation back its pride.

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  44. Mike M.13:56

    The A1B is a BIG improvement.  It's reported to have a 25-year core life, vice 10-12 for a Nimitz-class.  Considering that refueling a CVN takes about 18 months and over a billion dollars, it's worth the extra money.

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  45. Mike M.13:59

    This is my work, BTW.

    I'll add that both parties are making a point of picking second-rate politicians, too.  If you're a Republican looking to name a carrier, USS John Adams is a good start.  Founding father, founder of the Navy, etc.  And if you're a Democrat, try USS James Madison, USS Andrew Jackson, or USS Thomas Jefferson.  

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  46. John14:14

    You present a false choice between 6 $$$$ carriers and 12 $$ carriers, assuming that the same amount of money would be available and it is just a question of how to best spend it.

    Unfortunately, the doofuses running things would see "carrier" and just pick the cheap ones, and figure if six were good enough if we got the $$$$ ones, then six of the $$ ones will do just as well.  And, they get to spend the difference on other pet programs- ACORN, Planned Parenthood, Muslim outreach, union bribes, etc.

    Be happy if we get any more carriers, for once the economy and inflation fall off the cliff, we will be lucky to be able to pay interest on our debts to the Chinese, let alone borrow more to prepare to fight them.

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  47. Salty Gator15:38

    URR's on FIRE!

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  48. Byron15:47

    Yeah, and he's making me sick to my stomack ;)

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  49. DeltaBravo16:22

    we need to name carriers after the prevailing political virtues.  Out with the Intrepids and Independences.  In with the USS Niavete, USS Ignorance, USS Cautious, the USS Psychophant, the USS Spendthrift (my favorite),  the USS Contempt, the USS Redistribution, the USS Peacemonger, the USS Appeasement...

    We have no scarcity of possibilities to name our new ships. 

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  50. Southern Air Pirate17:05

    I don't know why we are all protesting this naming issues. The Navy has been violating naming convestions since the first time we started pandering towards politicos or even appeasing our retired major military leadership by naming ships after them. Just take a look at when we deviated from the crusier naming convetion to name the Belknap and Leahy classes after dead naval heroes or admirals? We also lost a ton of names to the CG47 and CG52 hulls, in case anyone noticed we gave up a number of historical Carrier names in those cruisers. Oh and don't forget the large deck gator freighters naming them after Essex class carriers instead of famous USMC battle zones. Then we have the fast attacks after cities instead of fishes, Carriers after famous politicos, the destroyers have wavered between Navy Cross and MOH winners and dead admirals. Lets not even start with the irregularities in the auxillaries. The USS Detriot a AOE? The USS Aritic? Whatever happened to naming some of these after stars and constellations that were used to navigate by? 
    I would love to see six war fighting ships named after the first six frigates. That is the USS Congress, USS United States, USS Constellation, USS Chesapeake, USS President.
    We can protest all we want but as long as the SecNav, NHHC, CNO, and NavSysCom keep violating tradition, the traditions they keep talking about in public relations, we will see issues like this come up. I would also note that unlike our designation systems instructions and aircraft naming instructions, there isn't a defined set of instructions to name our ships. Maybe if there was some enterprising AdminO who wanted to make brownie points with his bosses in the five sided wind tunnel by drafing and writing said instruction to prevent another Ceaser Chavez or Murtha.

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  51. DeltaBravo17:36

    The USS Congress?  Really?

    Is the crew made up of several hundred morons that leave the ship every Friday morning and go home and don't return till Tuesday and then spends their time arguing among themselves instead of doing the mission?  And the only thing they can agree on is to vote themselves more liberty and higher pay?  And the main mission of each crewmember is to keep themselves from getting transferred from the ship?

    Let's not name anything after that group....

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  52. Anonymous17:49

    CVN-68, 69 each got refuelled for the First and only time at the 25 yr point.

    CVN-70 got refuelled at the 28 yr. point.

    So, you're incorrect (above) when you state Nimitz class has a 10-12 yr core life.

    That is completely wrong information.

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  53. Retired Now17:54

    Good points, James.

    Interesting that the huge EMALS surges required to shoot heavy fighters off each CAT shot, will generate tremendous EMI.

    What to do with all that monstrous EMI ?   Perhaps all those 45 jets prowling around up on the FLT deck can just power down and take steps to protect themselves whenever EMALS launches ??

    Sounds like a plan.      Let's build 3 CVN's before the USN really understands this sexy thing called EMALS.    Vice building one CVN-78 and testing it at sea for a few years while continuing to build the tried and proven CVN's like USS RONALD REAGAN,  CVN-76,  which cost (minus R&D) almost $ 8.5 billion less than CVN-78.    

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  54. Southern Air Pirate17:55

    Well the original Six Frigates of the US Navy the named the ship after the USS Congress because then Congress was still attempting to do great things and there were only 39 politicos that controlled the purse strings

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  55. UltimaRatioRegis18:10

    The second USS Congress was sunk by CSS Virginia in Hampton Roads, who set her afire with heated shot.

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  56. Byron18:11

    And even then, naming the ships was a political thing, as was where the ships were built. Odd, that after so many years, that one ship should still be commissioned in the US Navy : USS Constitution; Long may she fly our flag, long may we treasure her name.

    There's still hope for this nation, as long as there is a "USS Constitution".

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  57. Steel City18:52

    I'd take half of those over USS JOHN MURTHA and especially USNS CESAR CHAVEZ.  On that note how about USS ROD BLAGOJEVICH and USNS MALCOLM X?  In both instances they are essentially equals.

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  58. Steel City18:57

    I would have wagered a paycheck that CVN-79 was going to be USS EDWARD KENNEDY.  Right family, wrong one.  I remember the day when the CV-67 was the top east coast CV is virtually everything.  I distinctly remember many of the aviation bubbas on CV-60 talking about CV-67 in glowing almost legendary terms.  To restart that legacy is OK by me.

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  59. UltimaRatioRegis18:59

    DB, the man has a point.

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  60. MAJHAM@GTMO20:03

    In the same vein as the new USS Cesar Chavez why not a USS Jimmy Hoffa?  The enemy would never find it.

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  61. MR T's Haircut21:44

    Some Reason, I am good with this.. But I would have preferred a USS ENTERPRISE.. no worries.. now that ADM Winnefeld is Deputy CJCS, we will see a new Enterprise..

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  62. Grandpa Bluewater.00:48

    Enough already.  Just go to letters and numbers: USS C-1, USS C-2, USS C-3 then the hull number after the C number.

    If you can't name warships after anything or anyone a boot seaman can admire, don't name them at all.
    A for Auxiliaries, B for SSBN's, S for submarines, L for amphibious, D for Destroyer/Cruiser, M for mine countermeasures and Z for LCS (last and least). G for all other categories.

    This just absorbs bandwidth needed to discuss  SecDef's reported recommendation for military pay reductions.

    The Navy used to at least try to take care of its own. Perhaps some four star could explain the current policy, for those of us old men who find the things we read in the newspapers so dismaying.

    Just the facts.  

    So we at least have enough to know how to plan for the future, which increasingly we contemplate with deepening dread.

    For ourselves and our posterity.

    Just the facts.

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  63. Grumpy Old Ham07:53

    <span>one Carrier should be enough for that family's ego</span>

    Hardly.  Naming all 100 ships left in the USN (after the current Administration gets done with budget cuts) wouldn't be enough to satisfy the egos of that family of blowhards.

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  64. P.S. Wallace08:35

    I'm just grateful we are still allowed to call them United States Ships (U.S.S.), instead of R.P.S./D.P.S. (Republican Political Statement/Democrat Political Statement).

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  65. Anon08:51

    You all are pissed about this and just let the G.R. Ford pass on by?  Hipocrites all.

    And if you don't think politics have been involved in ship building (which includes naming) from the begining then you need to go back and read your history.

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  66. Old Grunt09:32

    <p><span><span><span>Since the naming of the first USS Kennedy, a lot has come out about President John F. Kennedy.<span>  </span>The Kennedy was named, appropriately soon after his death, for an assassinated president. However, history has revealed the real man, a man who had near total disdain for the people he “ruled.” Yes, that is the right term.<span>  </span>He was blue-blood American royalty who was entitled and he acted as such both towards his family and his country. He had his moments, but much of his presidency was a disaster and set in motion many other disasters of the 60’s.</span></span></span>
    </p><p><span><span><span>His Pulitzer-prize winning book was ghost written by someone else.<span>  </span>He was a drug addict and amphetamine user who hid major medical problems from the American public.<span>  </span>He brought prostitutes to the White House and it was only because the American press had been bought off that the American people didn’t find out about these things. Once the tapes of White House Oval Office conversations become public (long after you and I are dead), we will see all the supporting evidence and more about how marginal a president John Kennedy really was.
    What SECNAV really demonstrated is that the Kennedy family still has money and power and that he, like many public officials can still be bought one way or another.<span>  </span>I wouldn’t be surprised if, when SECNAV leaves his position, he isn’t put on the board of a Kennedy/Kennedy friend sponsored board for big bucks.</span></span></span><span><span><span>SECNAV should have just let the USS Kennedy fade into the past. </span></span></span><span><span><span>I guess it could be worse.<span>  </span>Can you imagine a USS Clinton or GW. Bush? </span></span></span></p>

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  67. Aubrey09:41

    Like most trolls, you ignored the several dozen posts that counter your (stupid) argument and just rush ahead...

    Don't know why I am feeding a mental tapeworm such as yourself, but here goes:

    No ship should be named after a politician.  Period.  Not JFK, not Reagan, note even Bush Sr - who at least flew off the damn things!  The old naming convenetions work, and should be honored:

    Name the carriers either after ships that have earned the highest honors or after the battles that transformed this country.

    Name the boomers after states.

    SSNs and SSGNs after fish (although large cities works, too).

    Destroyers after USN and USMC MOH winners.

    Build some fracking real frigates so you CAN name them after something!

    Gators after the battles that forged the modern USN and USMC (God knows, there's enough of them).

    That still leaves stars, rivers, bays, mountains, etc... for everything else. 

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  68. Mike M.09:43

    Unfortunately, yes.  All too easily.

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  69. Squidly10:49

    How about bringing back USS America?

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  70. Squidly10:50

    How about bringing back USS America?

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  71. As it has been said in many different ways, it could have been worse: USS Lyndon B. Johnson, USS William J. Clinton.
    "So let us begin anew..."
    USS Enterprise CVN-80. Period.

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  72. OldCOB12:50

    This is politics, plain and simple.  The left continues to perpetuate the myth of JFK as an ideal when he came up significantly short in ability.  If the Navy wants to name a ship after a Kennedy lets wait until we commission a rum runner.  That family has a strong historical foundation in that arena.

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  73. Old Farter17:25

    Those sound like good Minesweeper names.

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  74. Now...that would be an excellent mission for an LCS!

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  75. i can just imagine the feeling i would get walking up the gangway seeing the banner "USS ENTERPRISE CVAN XX   <span>9TH</span> SHIP OF THE NAME".

    imagine the traditions.

    C

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  76. Whoa Nellie20:51

    Since CVs are so effectively influencing events in Iraq, AFPAK, and Libya, and deterring the Iranians from nuclear proliferation, wonder what the future mission will be? I mean other than serving as a very big and expensive SEAL delivery vehicle and combination mortuary/funeral chapel? I'm just sayin'...

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  77. James22:29

    Sniff, Sniff.....

    I smells me a troll..........or a douchebag they smell the same....

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  78. Guest08:42

    Can't name it Enterprise until the current one is retired. Duh!

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  79. Guest08:43

    Already done - LHA 6.

    ReplyDelete
  80. CPOMUSTANG12:59

    The current ENTERPRISE will be gone LONG before this ship, if evere, is commissioned.  And I have my doubts about that.

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  81. CPOMUSTANG13:09

    That would just suck!  The 78 Class was the perfect chance to dump the politician naming convention and bring back names of ships you actually want to sail on.  SARATOGA, LEXINGTON, YORKTOWN, HORNET?  RANGER or INTREPID anyone?  Honestly, I think STAR TREK does a better job of chosing ship names!

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  82. CPOMUSTANG13:10

    78 should have been ENTERPRISE Class with classic names to follow.  Still, I have my doubts that 79 will ever really be built.  10 years is a long time.

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  83. off of you knees guest.

    C

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  84. i was looking at the picture and that spec off the bow is a bumboat. and they are getting ready to launch. where's the screen??

    or is this getting to be more common in the steamier areas of the world now?

    C  

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  85. <span>You all are pissed about this and just let the G.R. Ford pass on by?  Hipocrites all. </span>
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    <span>If you go back into the archives you will see we were dismayed with that choice as well.</span>

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