USN Ship Names, old is new again

Where it gets more interesting is the "A" ships.

They usually are suggested by name by the private contracting ship yards who submit them to Congress which is paying for them.

Then there was the WWII-era cruiser USS Canberra, named in honor of the HMAS Canberra lost early in the war in the SW Pacific

It has long been custom in the Royal Australian Navy, (RAN), to name ships after places and cities in Oz. Those named after capital citys are usually passed on, so we have HMAS Melbourne I II and III, etc. Off hand I can only think of one ship named after a Naval hero, we don't have marines. The story behind the naming of HMAS Sheean is an interesting one. If anyone is interested, I would be glad to share it.

When in the RAN I served on DDG's and in my collection of militaria I have a cigarette lighter from the USS Harold E. Holt, an American DDG. This ship was named after an Australian prime minister that dissapeared whilst swimming at a Victorian beach. His body was never found and all sorts of theories have arisen as a result.

Aw,Cmon Stick! What would I be doing on Her Majesty's anything? As a visitor maybe!

No,  Bill, actually it was the Rattlesnake!

TB, we don't have as many destroyers as we used to, but some of them are named for postwar heroes - eother Korean War, Viet Nam or the Cold War, like SW2 Robert Stethem, who was murdered by terrorists when TWA flight 847 was hijacked in 1985.

My last ship was named for Corporal Tony Stein, USMC, who was killed at Iwo Jima.  We treated him as a member of our crew - any outside dinner included a setting for Tony Stein, and reservations were made in his name.  Nowadays, almost 30 years after decomm, former crewmen have an annual reunion at Cpl Stein's hometown of Dayton, Ohio.
Rick

That's actually San Diego harbor, with the USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110) returning, and the HMS Rose / HMS Surprise outgoing. I would recognize that part of the channel anytime. I know those waters well.

And as for ARIZONA, it is destined for a SSN, but not there yet.

GMorrison

Weren't you a plank owner on Constellation, the original one?

 

TB is that you on the right? 

I doubt he was a plank owner, but he probably scratched some things on her.

Joking TB.

Weren't you a plank owner on Constellation, the original one?

Hey ! Thank You so much for that Keavdog. At's My Girl! Ain't she Purty?

Arleigh Burkes all over the place.

Hmmmm;

     Do we even have Destroyers anymore? I ask this because I would like to see another U.S.S.OZBOURN? The young Marine Teenager gave his life so other Marines could live.

     My First Ship ( a Gearing Class) Was named after Him, and I believe both those who have gone before and those who have given it all at any time, should be reflected in our ship Naming!

     The Pride we felt as crew, was seen as she was the Fastest, Meanest and Best in the Des-Div, Oh, she was Flag too!  And the Best Looking, both before and after FRAM !

 When I first Met Her, I was fresh out of School and I came face to face with a Late war All Gun Destroyer! Omigosh! She was my Naval introduction to Sea Duty!

 Interesting thought. All the Gun Crew on  5"-38 Mount One were from Below the Mason-Dixon line( Look that up) We were also the best shots with those rifles on and off the director!

And the lead ship for the new frigate program will be Constellation.  If you can't focus any father back than CV-64, it doesn't seem cool.  But since the first USS Constellation was a frigate, I think it is right on.
Rick

I like it,didnt they also name a Virginia Class the Arizona which I liked

Nice.  Barb was the focus of one episode of Hell Below.