Got any good ship nicknames?

I had no idea that Scranton had a sub named after it....must have run out of worthwile towns, eh?

USS  CONSTITUTION    " OLD IRONSIDES"

USS MONITOR     "CHEESE BOX ON A RAFT'

Some from WWII Battleships

Big Mamie

Old Falling Apart

Mountaineer Battlewagon

Showboat

Mighty Mo

Mighty W

Big Jay

Sodak

The Big Stick

Mighty T

Cheer-up Ship

Okie

Big T, The Rebel

The Prune Barge

Big Bama

Indy

Old Mary

There's a whole list of nicknames for USCG Cutters on the USCG Historians page.  They only published the "PG-13" rated list.

There's all sorts of funny names, but one of the best stories related to me was by a sailor on the USS Brinkley Bass, DD-887. It seems that whenever she was in port, sailors from another ship in the DESRON would take a launch or rowboat over and paint out the "B"s on her stern.

Now that's funny.

Jeff

subfixer,  the kennedy didn't cut the the belknap in half but collided & caused a fire that destroyed the superstructure of the ship. quote from global security, "While involved in exercises in the Mediterranean Sea, Belknap collided with the John F. Kennedy (CV-67) on 22 November 1975. Seven men on Belknap were killed and 24 injured as well as one man killed on the aircraft carrier. The ensuing fire destroyed the entire superstructure of the guided missile cruiser and she was out of service for a lengthy period while repairs were conducted. She recommissioned 10 May 1980 with flag accommodations built in. She would become flagship of the Sixth Fleet."

HMS Sheffield: "Shiny Sheff" the  WW2 Southhampton Class criuser. Nickamed in honour of the stainless steel fittings it carried. Provided by Sheffield companies these were a change from the usual brass carried by other British naval vessels. After decommissioning many of the fittings were added to the Type 42 destroyer and it kept the name.

BTW - Nice photos on your website, Dave. 

Going back to pre-Dreadnought days in the Royal Navy, HMS Royal Sovereign was know as the "Tiddly Quid" - the derivation of which will probably mystify anyone across the pond!

I believe Bonhomme Richard was known as Bonnie Dick, pretty funny. And I was just on a battleship site the other day and an old BB ( Texas?) was referrred to as Old Hoodoo, as in bad luck.

USS Tripoli (LPH 10) - USS Crippoli (as in a cripple).  I was with this ship on its last float in the Gulf in 1994.  That thing broke down all the time.  I'm meaning dead stop in the water.   It's surprising the thing didn't sink on our deployment.  Anyway, what can expect from the ship that survived a sea mine explosion in Desert Storm.

Jesse

WW1 BB    HMS Bellerophon   >>>>>  Belly ruffin

HMS / HMNZS Leander    >>  Lucky Leander

There was "Decrepid"  for the USS Intrepid. The USS Kearsarge was also known as the "Qu**rbarge" and the Bluefish was called the Blowfish.  (terrible I know)   Jeff, the Brinkley Bass one is great! Someone explain Tiddly Quid to me, please, I believe a quid is a pound sterling, but "tiddly"?

While on the USCGC RUSH as part of the Avdet,
(Yes some called it the "RUSH to Nowhere Tour),
The Avdet had to rejoin the ship via US Navy Tug.
As usual the weather was a factor and the safest way for us to get aboard was deemed over the stern.
We all got aboard and later noticed the tug had removed the arm of the 'R'. . .so it was now USCGC PUSH.
The Avdet thought it was hilarious.

Don

Great conversation-starter!  Patrick O'Brien (or O'Brian) mentioned quite a few in the Jack Aubrey novels.  The eighteenth century HMS Bellerophon was called Bully Ruffian.  Perhaps that's where the aforementioned Belly Ruffin came from.  I was on the Antietam out of Pensacola NAS.  As she was the first carrier with an angled flight deck (for simultaneous launch and recovery) she was often referred to as the Angle A.  More nobly, we called her The Grey Lady of the Gulf.  And I remember the  Forrestal acquiring the Forest Fire moniker but she was also dubbed USS Zippo!

Best,

Ron

Two of the four ships I served on had nicknames.  They were the "Bachi" for the USS Suribachi (AE-21), the "Guad" or semi-offically the "Golden Guad" (we never thought it "Golden") for the USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7).

 

We called the USNS Waccamaw (AOT-109) the "Wack em all" after she collided with several ships while refueling in the Med during 81-82.  One of the ships she collided with was the Guad while I was on her in 81.

During the early 80's we called the USS Vulcan (AR-5) "Building 5, Pier 5", as she NEVER seemed to move from her mooring spot at the head of Pier 5. 

 

Hi  Subfixer,

 Tiddly (or Tiddley) is RN slang for neat or smart. A sailor's Number One uniform would be his "Tiddly suit".

A quid is one pound sterling, or in the days before paper money, a gold sovereign.

BTW, HMS Daedalus, the Royal Navy Air Station at Lee on the Solent, near Portsmouth, was always known to us Air Force types as HMS Dead-loss. Don't know if the RN called it the same!

Regards

Rick

Being an ex Lex  Brat, I heard a few about the Lexington during  conversations between old crewmembers.

Sexy Lexy
Lead Barge
Razorblade Maid
Lady Lex
The Lex
Lex
Sweet 16
Sexy 16
The  Rustington

An interesting nickname that the shakedown cruise after the SCB125 conversion was called the "Puberty Cruise".  Since the old Essex Class carrier was now more mature, got a new figure, and was a little top heavy.

Scott

Don't forget the "Mightly Moo"
I have a friend who was on the Shangri-La on one of her last cruises and she was apparently known as "sh!**y sh!**y Shang Shang"

Jeff Herne wrote:

There's all sorts of funny names, but one of the best stories related to me was by a sailor on the USS Brinkley Bass, DD-887. It seems that whenever she was in port, sailors from another ship in the DESRON would take a launch or rowboat over and paint out the "B"s on her stern. Now that's funny. Jeff

Hehe, Nice one

My wife's uncle was on the USS Indianapolis, called the Sway-back Maru, but never by anyone on the Indy.
Speaking of painting out certian letters on the stern. . .we in the USCG,would put CG bumper stickers on them.
The Navy hated that,especially the sub boys!

Don

Don;

During a stint in Hamilton they (Navy) brought in two of the new MCDV's (Coastal Defence Vessel's) and somebody had the bright idea to tie them up stern to stern for the re-commissioning and opening ceremony of the newly built Naval Reserve Station or Stone Ship HMCS Star.... well being a ground pounding squaddie (Army) my section and I were giggling like little school girls when they backed into one another with a heavy thud and large splashes of water.

We were invited aboard to the various mess decks (Pub/Bar/Watering Hole) and while onboard we took it upon ourselves to hang bright yellow STUDENT DRIVER placards off the sterns of each and we even provided a ground guide kitted out in full reflective gear giving hand signals for their departure.

Oh what fun!!!

Cheers;

Gregory

USS Constellation (CV64): Constipation
USS FDR (CV42): Rusty Rosie
USS GUADACANAL (LPH7) Guadalcaditch or *The Ditch*
USS HANCOCK (CVA19): Hand Job

I can't swear to it but I believe that HMS Invincible and HMS Illustrious are known as "Vince" and "Lusty".

Of course HMS Penelope was "Pennyloap" and Antelope, "Antellopee".

Michael

Okay another story.
While flying around the Straits of Juan de Fuca in the trusty HH52 we chanced upon some Canadian vessels practicing underweigh refueling and such. So we loitered a bit to watch. . .man the fun began as a ship the "Battle Axe" began to clear decks and move away from the others. (Being aviators we were impressed that 'boaties' could move so fast as we had never seen that before on our vessels), Soon we heard in a thick Canadian accent of British decent; "Aircraft in need of assistance you have a clear deck!"
We were all looking for an aircraft in trouble and soon realized they were talking to us. When we told them we were not in need of assitanceThe huffy reply was "In the Canadian Armed Forces when an aircraft wishes to land they lower the landing gear"
To which our pilot answered, "Our gear is up as far as it will go, She's old but reliable."
"Then you yanks need to buy better aircraft." he came back.
Luckily our pilot was an admirals son and said:  "We will, when you stop naming your ships after your mother in law."
Another international event stopped by the USCG.

Don

I almost forgot the Kitty Hawk,aka Shi**y Kitty.

Hey Don, do you know I actually have hours in an HH-52A?????

We had one at the museum, she arrived completely pickled. We wangled a few deals to get the paperwork signed over to us on a permanent basis (not just a loan), and we promptly unpickeled her. We flew her until maintenance costs exceeded our operating budget, then we put the old girl on static display. I fired her up a few times at  our annual airshow.

I'll post some pics tonight when I get home.

Jeff

dkmacin wrote:

Okay another story. While flying around the Straits of Juan de Fuca in the trusty HH52 we chanced upon some Canadian vessels practicing underweigh refueling and such. So we loitered a bit to watch. . .man the fun began as a ship the "Battle Axe" began to clear decks and move away from the others. (Being aviators we were impressed that 'boaties' could move so fast as we had never seen that before on our vessels), Soon we heard in a thick Canadian accent of British decent; "Aircraft in need of assistance you have a clear deck!" We were all looking for an aircraft in trouble and soon realized they were talking to us. When we told them we were not in need of assitanceThe huffy reply was "In the Canadian Armed Forces when an aircraft wishes to land they lower the landing gear" To which our pilot answered, "Our gear is up as far as it will go, She's old but reliable." "Then you yanks need to buy better aircraft." he came back. Luckily our pilot was an admirals son and said:  "We will, when you stop naming your ships after your mother in law." Another international event stopped by the USCG. Don

LOL that's ironic, a Canadian lecturing Americans on using old equipment!

The 3 Boats I served on all had nicknames. Lafayette was the "Laugh a lot", The RE Lee was the "Bobby Lee" and the Bang had a few nicknames that are not fit for this forum!!!!!! I'll never forget my Dad's surprise upon discovering my 1st Submarine was to be the USS Bang.. He thought it was a strange name for a Submersiable... I always liked her nicknames better...LOL

The Naultilus was called "Rickovers Barge" or the USS Neversail..

The Spadefish was called "Aces" And my buddy who was aboard the 2nd  Seawolf called her "Lobo"

Some boats like the San Francisco are nicknamed their hull numbers like 7-11 etc. I'm willing to wager that the Submarine Service had many more nicknames for their boats than the skimmers did.