Next Navy Aircraft Carrier To Be Named For 38th President

Team Infidel

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor
Houston Chronicle
January 4, 2007
By Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Navy will name its next aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in honor of the president who was laid to rest Wednesday in his home town of Grand Rapids, Mich., officials said.
The Navy had not planned to make the announcement yet, but Donald H. Rumsfeld, the former defense secretary who served in the Ford administration, divulged the news during his eulogy at the funeral.
"How fitting it would be that the name Gerald R. Ford will patrol the high seas for decades to come in defense of the nation he loved so much," he said.
Later at the Pentagon the Navy confirmed that it would make an official announcement "in a few weeks." It said it was still working on details of the ceremony with members of the Ford family.
Ford served in the Navy during World War II.
 
Rest in Peace, President Ford.

Considering his service history, naming the next carrier after him makes sense.
 
Damn shame if you ask me, all these new Carriers named after Republicans, one after the other.

And now starts my rant.....

Ronald Reagan said he was legally blind just to get out of Combat Duty during World War II, was never in the United States Navy, and he's got a Carrier named after him.
George Bush Sr. was a Navy Flier, good choice on the USS Bush, only trouble is the guy is still alive, the Navy should have waited until after he was in the ground awhile.
And now the USS Ford?
Sure, President Ford was in the Navy, but the man was never Elected President, or Vice President.
Meanwhile, The USS Kennedy is due to retire, that former President will no doubt need another Aircraft Carrier named after him, once the Democrats are in total control that is.
As a matter of fact, I can't wait to see all the Dem Presidents Ships come out once the Democrats regain total control of Washington D.C..
And watch the Republicans ***** about it, like they did with President Carter getting a measly Sub named after him, even though Carter was a Submariner, and elected to office, even though the Navy should have waited until after Carter was in the ground before naming a Sub after him.

Hell, come to think about it, not only Ships, but all new Government Buildings, and renaming all the Airports and such after todays Democrats, it is going to be one hell of a ride.

What ever happened to names like America and Independence?
 
I knew they would name the first CVN 21 Class after a president, (little sooner than I expected)

Just think, Super Hornets, Ospreys, and Lighting ll s will be seen on new flight decks everywhere.
 
masterblaster said:
I still say the naming of carriers after famous earlier navy vessels was a better system.
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I agree, as there are plenty of proud names of Carriers to choose from.

LANGLEY (CV 1)
ESSEX (CV 9)
YORKTOWN (CV 10)
INTREPID (CV 11)
HORNET (CV 12)
TICONDEROGA (CV 14)
LEXINGTON (CV 16)
BUNKER HILL (CV 17)
WASP (CV 18 )
INDEPENDENCE (CVL 22)
VALLEY FORGE (CV 45)
UNITED STATES (CVA 58 )
SARATOGA (CVA 60)
RANGER (CVA 61)
INDEPENDENCE (CVA 62)
CONSTELLATION (CVA 64)
America (CVA 66)

Just to name a few.
 
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Although I am not a US citizen, and therefore ineligible to comment on US related posts on this International Forum according to some civilian posters, I too would be saddened to see no Aircraft Carrier named after the great John F. Kennedy.:salute2:

Regarding Ronald Reagan, whatever his faults in youth he perhaps more than made up for them as Commander-in-Chief and the evidence for that is perhaps two landslide Presidential election victories of well over 50 per cent of the popular vote.

Lastly, I thought the Democrats were in control of Washington DC - Marion Barry's current successor the Honourable Adrian Fenty. :-?
 
I hope they dont name all of the Future CVN 21 sister ships after presidents, a few sure, but, not all.

They should hold generel selections or something for the Navy, like a large vote box on every naval vessle or something.

Or have service men and women write in names.

And then go from there.
 
Big question is what will be the ships nickname, we have the Big Stick, Honest Abe, I cant wait to hear what the USS Ford is going to be better known as.
:)
Somehow I think the "Accidental Carrier" is not a ship I would want to be on.
 
I have to agree with GATOR, the recent naming of Carriers only after Republican Presidents looks like polishing their own apples. I can accept the George Bush and the Gerald Ford but the USS RONALD REAGAN? Who was guy who was never in the Navy, never saw combat in any branch, and was a pretty lousy president to boot! Then again neither Bush nor Ford were not that great either. How come nobody suggestions either LBJ or Nixon? They both served as Navy combat vets.

As for the CVN 21. I would defiantly re-use USS ENTERPRISE. After that I use names from Historical ships, especially in memory of the crews that went down with their ships. USS Lexington, USS Yorktown, USS Wasp, USS Hornet, USS Bonhomme Richard, USS Franklin (not sunk but over 1/2 her crew KIA), USS Northhampton, USS Houston, USS Indianapolis, USS Cumberland, USS Congress, USS Monitor, USS Juneau, USS Princeton, etc...
 
bigcanada813 said:
when you're getting a ship named for you, that means you had an impact on the world.

RIP President Ford.
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Not to bag on my American president or anything, but I really don't know anything Ford did that was monumental...

Gator said:
What ever happened to names like America and Independence?
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America sounds too generic, and I think Independence is the name of a space shuttle in development.

Padre said:
Although I am not a US citizen, and therefore ineligible to comment on US related posts on this International Forum according to some civilian posters, I too would be saddened to see no Aircraft Carrier named after the great John F. Kennedy.:salute2:
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I agree. JFK deserves an aircraft carrier. I may not be too fond of his family members, but he was a great man.
 
Ford got the contry back on track and in a stroke of genious he pardoned President Nixon for any wrong doing so that the country could move forward. This move cost Ford any chance at re-election, it was unpopular and spurred resentment from Congress and the public but it was the right move to make. Ford and Carter will both always be remember for not doing anything great, not going anything spectacularly wrong, and just doing what needs to be done. Compared to the rest of the Presidents in the latter half of the 20th century that is the same as being great.
 
ASTRALdragon said:
America sounds too generic, and I think Independence is the name of a space shuttle in development.
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USS America (CV66)
200px-USS_America_CV-66_1983.jpg

was a in my opinion a very proud and distinguished Aircraft Carrier.
http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/carriers/cva66.htm Her Ship history includes 5 Battle Stars for service on Yankee Station during the Vietnam War.
USS America was sunk sadly off North Carolina, by the United States Navy, in 2005.

.... and, Enterprise (OV-101)
space-shuttle-enterprise-testa.jpg

was the first Shuttle built for NASA in 1976.

While the USS Enterprise (CVN 65)
cvan65-3.jpg

was commissioned in 1961 and is due to serve through 2013.
 
Never Liked the name USS America, it just didn't ring well. As for Enterprise you forget that by the time CVN-21 is launched the USS Enterprise will be retired, so the name will be free to use once again. Perhaps not the first ship of the class but by the 2nd or 3rd CVN65 should be decommissioned.

She would be over 50 years old, by then I would say her service to her nation would be completed.

BTW the Shuttle Enterprise wasn't the first shuttle, that was Columbia. The Enterprise was only a prototype and did not have any engines (look at the tailcone in the photo, thats where her engines would have been), she was only used for aerodynamic and landing tests. She never flew a space mission.
 
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