16 Jun 2006
Next NN carrier likely to bear Ford’s name
Hampton Roads Daily Press:
The next aircraft carrier to be built in Newport News may soon have a new name: the USS Gerald Ford.
Virginia Sen. John W. Warner, who is completing his final year as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sponsored an amendment to name the future carrier after the nation’s 38th president. The amendment to the annual defense authorization bill won Senate approval on a voice vote.
I’m living in Ford’s Grand Rapids Congressional district and think a Navy ship named after the guy would be pretty cool. But I’m not sure that a carrier is the right ship, especially the lead ship of the CVN-21 class.
Murdoc still favors USS America for the ship, which is really the CVN 78..
June 16th, 2006 at 8:28 am
I think we need a USS Millard Fillmore. He’s been sadly overlooked. We could piss off the squishies by naming it USS Andy Jackson, and then when they’re upset because Jackson was cruel to Indians, remind them that he was a Democrat. Naming it after Eisenhower would be amusing. Really, though, I’m for Coolidge. USS Silent Cal.
June 16th, 2006 at 3:57 pm
How about the Warren G. Harding? Or the James Buchanan? Or the Jimmy Carter?
June 16th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
We need a USS UNITED STATES! P.S. To buckhead — we already have a USS Dwight David Eisenhower (CVN 69)
June 16th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
And a USS Jimmy Carter…
June 17th, 2006 at 11:13 am
Phillip, that’s why it would be amusing.
June 17th, 2006 at 11:20 am
I find it quite interesting that in all the ’suggestions’, which range from serious to humorous, no one has suggested USS William Jefferson Clinton. I’m wondering if maybe the second DD(X) shouldn’t be named after the guy. It looks sorta like a cigar boat…
June 17th, 2006 at 11:45 am
The USS Slick Willy has a much better ring to it, if you ask me.
June 17th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
Nicholas, you know that any ship named after Clinton would have that as its nickname. Not official, but probably permanent.
June 17th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
Why not name it the Langley?
June 18th, 2006 at 5:27 am
Gerald Ford? This is not funny. I resent the practice of naming them after recent (living) presidents instead of great ones. Talk about a culture in decline. Carriers are built one every 5 years, so if we get a Ford and a George H.W. Bush, a Clinton or LBJ are inevitable. Eventually we will have two Carriers named Bush. Meanwhile, the chance of naming a carrier after Andrew Jackson is about as high as naming one after Stonewall Jackson. There are many great carrier names currently available, but I suppose we will have tiny Littoral Combat Ships named Lexington, Saratoga, Bunker Hill, Intrepid…or America.