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Educate me...What happen to old school cool carrier names???

Citation3

Citation3

Well-Known Member
First...Let me say, I love all current carrier names and have total respect for their names and herritage. I'm not knocking them at all.

Question.....When did carriers go from cool old school battle names or historic American events to political figures and Presidents, and what if anything precipitated the change?
 
To paraphrase Rickover: Lexingtons and Rangers don't vote.

Carriers are enormous, expensive projects. Picking names to curry favor with the politicians who turn the money spigot is just one way to help get them built. Same way that highway overpasses tend to get names for politicians. Hard to say when exactly it started, though my vote is with Carl Vinson.

Harry Truman was one of Bill Clinton's favorite presidents. Guess during whose administration the name for USS Harry S Truman was picked? Likewise Reagan, G.H.W. Bush and Ford - all names picked during a Republican administration.

Dunno who they'll pick if they get around to building a second Ford-class during Obama's administration. Lincoln was his favorite president and we've already got one of those.
 
^ How about a USS Cloward and Piven, or USS Saul Alinsky?:eek:

I agree with the OP though. Right now, the only class of ships that have the great names of historic Naval battles are the CGs and the LHAs/LHDs...
 
Uncle Fester said:
To paraphrase Rickover: Lexingtons and Rangers don't vote.

Carriers are enormous, expensive projects. Picking names to curry favor with the politicians who turn the money spigot is just one way to help get them built. Same way that highway overpasses tend to get names for politicians. Hard to say when exactly it started, though my vote is with Carl Vinson.
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I think it was the JFK that started the most recent trend.

Uncle Fester said:
Harry Truman was one of Bill Clinton's favorite presidents. Guess during whose administration the name for USS Harry S Truman was picked? Likewise Reagan, G.H.W. Bush and Ford - all names picked during a Republican administration.

Dunno who they'll pick if they get around to building a second Ford-class during Obama's administration. Lincoln was his favorite president and we've already got one of those.
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I have wondered several times what they could name the next one and I am a bit of a loss. Almost all the Presidents that have been recently notable and are presently 'non-controversial' have been used, not leaving a whole lot of choices. I guess they could use Benjamin Franklin but what after that? My guess is one will be named the Enterprise, at least if the guys at the top have any sense of history. I have noticed that most of the famous carrier names from WWII have not been used lately, not sure if it is by coincidence or on purpose, the only two that I can think of being used recently Yorktown (CG) and Wasp (LHD). The new America-class LHA's might start using them though if the trend holds. Don't think we will ever get back to giving our warships the cool names the Royal Navy still does, the HMS Victorious is a SSBN while the USNS Victorious is an ocean surveillance ship. And nothing beats the HMS Battleaxe.
 
Citation3 said:
First...Let me say, I love all current carrier names and have total respect for their names and herritage. I'm not knocking them at all.

Question.....When did carriers go from cool old school battle names or historic American events to political figures and Presidents, and what if anything precipitated the change?
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Here are a few photos from an old shipmate. "Lady Lex" from my era! Contact Corkyboy, or Derf, here on the forum for more pictures.

Steve
 

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brownshoe, did you sail on the LEX? I had the pleasure of touring her last year and she is a beautiful ship. I only had 4 hours but could have spent 2 days easily.

Rich
 
Alpha_Echo_606 said:
brownshoe, did you sail on the LEX? I had the pleasure of touring her last year and she is a beautiful ship. I only had 4 hours but could have spent 2 days easily.

Rich
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Yes, I did. Poor old thing was on her last leg. We'd go aboard for quals (VA-44, A4 RAG, mid 60's) along with all the students. What fun! :)

Steve
 
According to my old friend Wikipedia, the first carrier to be named after a person is the USS Franklin (commissioned in '44).
I am a fan of the other/cooler names for the Carriers, and am interested to see what the next few carriers in the Ford class will be named. I think there is a movement to name one the USS Arizona. And USS America has already been taken, by a new LHA.
 
I think both FDR and JFK don't really count. They were under construction and acquired new names to honor the newly-deceased presidents. I don't think Forrestall and Nimitz were political choices, really. But Carl Vinson and John Stennis...

Democrat presidents of note - again, assuming the second Ford is authorized with the current administration - would be a problem. Jimmy Carter and FDR have current ships (DDG Roosevelt is named for him and Elanor). LBJ and Wilson don't have much of a fan club. Jefferson would be rather culturally insensitive.

Benjamin Franklin would work, since obviously being a President isn't an iron-clad requirement. How about John Adams? He's in fashion these days, with the HBO series and all.
 
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