No more USS Enterprise

[cooncatbob]

When CVN 65 is retired in 2013 there will no longer be a Enterprise in the US fleet.
CV 6 (The Big E) Enterprise was the most decorated ship in WW2 earning 20 Battle Stars and being involved in some of the most decisive battles of the 20th century, CVN 65 has been a worthy successor.
I didn't mind when they named a capitol ship after Nimitz and Ike or even Washington and Lincoln but I find the naming of Capitol ship after recent politicians appalling.
Rumor has it that the plan is to name the CVN 79 after Barry Goldwater.
I believe that we should return to naming these Great Ships after Great Battles and after Great Ships from the past, the 7th Enterprise shouldn't be the last.
Sign the petition to have CVN 79 named Enterprise and keep this great tradition alive.
http://ussntrprs.epetitions.net/

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Right you are. George Washington would have been beside himself if they had named a ship after him in his lifetime. It just seems really crass.
If they feel they must name carriers after presidents, start with the first and work up to the present. This would allow plenty of time to not name them after living politicians.
Better yet, just stick to the old system.

 

[Cigarband]

There will always be an Enterprise!

http://spacefellowship.com/news/art19214/vss-enterprise-s-first-captive-carry-flight-.html

 

[dhermann1]

I believe it started with Forrestal. Former SecNavs or SecDefs I can understand naming ships after, or individuals who were major influences on defense, Like Vinson or Stennis. But I totally agree that our top of the line ships should include Enterprise, Bonhomme Richard, Yorktown, Saratoga, etc.
As powerful and formidable as the LHDs are (Wasp, Essex, etc.), they're still a notch down the ladder.

 

[Nick D]

There's been an Enterprise since 1775. I find it unlikely that the current Big E will be the last. There may be a gap (there was about 10 years between CV 6 and CVN 65), but "I doubt this will be the last ship to carry the name 'Enterprise'".

 

[dhermann1]

There will always be an Enterprise!

http://spacefellowship.com/news/art19214/vss-enterprise-s-first-captive-carry-flight-.html

Actually, if you want to talk about craft that go up, the first hot air balloon owned by the US Army during the Civil War was named Enterprise. So Roddenberry had good precedents.

 

[cooncatbob]

There's been an Enterprise since 1775. I find it unlikely that the current Big E will be the last. There may be a gap (there was about 10 years between CV 6 and CVN 65), but "I doubt this will be the last ship to carry the name 'Enterprise'".

Even if CVN 79 is named Enterprise there will be a Gap.
Enterprise CVN 65 is due to be retired in 2013 and the CVN 79 is due to be commissioned in 2019 and the CVN 80 in 2023.
What did GW Bush do to deserve having a carrier named for him, he was a 1 term mediocre President, same with Carter having a sub named in his honor.
Used to be Battle Ships and later Ballistic Missile Subs were named for States.
Most Aircraft Carriers were named for Revolutionary War Battles.
I don't mine Capitol Ships being named after the founding fathers, great presidents long dead and great war leaders (I do find it odd to name a Naval vessel after a Army Supreme Commander though) but to name the mightiest ships to ever sail the seas for politicians who are alive or not even cold in the ground is absurd.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_carriers_of_the_United_States_Navy

 

[dhermann1]

Well in all fairness, George Bush was an Avenger pilot in WW II in the Pacific. There's a famous clip of him being fished out of the sea by a submarine after he was shot down. And Carter was an Anapolis graduate and was a nuclear engineer who served on nuclear subs during his stint in the Navy in the 50's.
And don't forget, Ike was more than just Supreme Allied Commander, he was also POTUS.
But I agree about living persons. Ixnay on the iving-lay.

 

[Big Man]

What's next, selling advertising space on the flight deck?

 

[StraightEight]

Why are we even building another carrier? They've proved almost completely useless in the two current conflicts. Seems like we could find another use for the billions, like taking care of returning soldiers with better medical and an expanded GI Bill.

 

[cptjeff]

Why are we even building another carrier? They've proved almost completely useless in the two current conflicts. Seems like we could find another use for the billions, like taking care of returning soldiers with better medical and an expanded GI Bill.

Remember what Ike said in his farewell speech?

That's why. Our poor corporations need the money more then soldiers.

 

[Diamondback]

Well in all fairness, George Bush was an Avenger pilot in WW II in the Pacific. There's a famous clip of him being fished out of the sea by a submarine after he was shot down. And Carter was an Anapolis graduate and was a nuclear engineer who served on nuclear subs during his stint in the Navy in the 50's.

Bingo--the carrier is named after not GW, but GHW, "Old George".

As for Carter, you don't wanna hear what a former colleague of his that I know (the guy who got me on a tour of a drydocked boomer, where [voice=gloating]I got to sit in on a missile drill!*[/voice]) says about him as a skipper beyond him being living embodiment of the British saying about American boats that "everything forward of the control room is just a fairing for the reactor..."
*Sigh, too bad they couldn't let me light one off... even just a training-round...

 

[Geesie]

Why are we even building another carrier? They've proved almost completely useless in the two current conflicts.

No.

 

[Diamondback]

On the other hand, they make great self-contained forward-operating bases for humanitarian missions--like the big tsunami.

Let's see, for such work, an ideal ship would...
-Have a large deck to fly choppers and light cargo planes from
-Survivors need potable water, so onboard desalination facilities are a must
-Big enough to possibly shelter evacuees, or once moored provide electrical power
-Fast enough to get on-station quickly, fuel-efficient enough to stay there for a while

What do we call a ship with all this? I don't know, maybe a "NUCLEAR-POWERED AIRCRAFT CARRIER?"
----------------
Now playing: Danny Elfman - M.I.B. Closing Theme
via FoxyTunes

 

[cooncatbob]

Why are we even building another carrier? They've proved almost completely useless in the two current conflicts. Seems like we could find another use for the billions, like taking care of returning soldiers with better medical and an expanded GI Bill.

1st off they're not useless in the 2 current conflicts.
2nd the US is the premier naval power on the face of the earth.
The only way to protect your naval forces is with air superiority and a nuclear aircraft carrier is 2+ acres of sovereign US territory that can cover 70% of the world surface and provide that air superiority.
The lousy way we treat our Vets is a different and separate issue.

 

[Story]

I doubt this will be the last ship to carry the name 'Enterprise'".

Concur.

http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/blueprints/uss-enterprise-ncc-1701-b-sheet-12.jpg

 

[Tango Yankee]

Seems like we could find another use for the billions, like taking care of returning soldiers with better medical and an expanded GI Bill.

fftopic: While I agree that there does need to be better/more available/shouldn't have to fight-for-basic care medical for them, I will say there has been some expansion of the GI Bill. I retired from the USAF in 2005 with ZERO educational benefits. I was one of those who didn't put money into VEAP (Veteran's Education Assistance Program) because I was in school part time using tuition assistance and even the Education Office people were advising against it. Later on when Congress decided that those under VEAP could move to the "new" GI Bill there was a catch: you had to have put money into VEAP to be eligible. Knowing I wouldn't have benefits was a great motivator to finishing my bachelor's degree using TA prior to retiring.

Now, though, I just finished my first week of a masters degree program courtesy of the "Post 9/11 GI Bill" and the VA's Yellow Ribbon program. I'm not going to say the bill is all that and a pack of chips, but it is fairly generous. If I was attending a school rather than online I'd also receive a housing stipend at the E-5 level. There's more to it as well.

Anyway, I just wanted to point out that there has been a bit of expansion in that area, and I at least am grateful and am taking full advantage of it!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Stearmen]

First Enterprise

The first Enterprise started life as a British ship named George III. It was captured in 1775 at St. Johns. The new Captain so hatted the name of the King, that he immediately had her renamed Enterprise! She then sailed under her new Captain to capture Canada, which almost succeeded, until the spring of 1776 when British reinforcements finally arrived, forcing the Yanks back across the Great Lakes. On October 11th Enterprise and the rest of the small fleet took on the British fleet, the battle lasted for several days, with most of the American fleet lost! Enterprise and four other ships survived, though a tactical loss, the Battle of Valcour Island was a strategic victory for the Revolutionaries! Briton was forced to call of the invasion of New York for a year, at which time General Hrratio Gates was soundly defeated by the former Enterprise Captain at the battle of Saratoga! Who was this man? Many of you already know, he was Benedict Arnold! ironic that the name sake of the USS Enterprise was first commanded by Americas greatest Traitor!

 

[Atinkerer]

There's one more, and not the one from TV science fiction

There is a space shuttle in the US "fleet" called Enterprise, you know. It was the first US space shuttle built and named publicly. As far as I know, it has never flown publicly, and was supposed to have been used only in an emergency.

Tony

 

[JimWagner]

Actually it has flown <unpowered> a number of times and has never had engines installed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Enterprise