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Got any good ship nicknames?

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  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, UK.
Posted by davros on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 3:26 PM

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.

  • Member since
    April 2005
Posted by ddp59 on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 3:15 PM
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."
  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by Jeff Herne on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 3:11 PM
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
  • Member since
    October 2005
Posted by CG Bob on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 2:19 PM
There's a whole list of nicknames for USCG Cutters on the USCG Historians page.  They only published the "PG-13" rated list.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 2:00 PM

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

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by RALPH G WILLIAMS on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 12:56 PM

USS  CONSTITUTION    " OLD IRONSIDES"

USS MONITOR     "CHEESE BOX ON A RAFT'

  • Member since
    June 2005
  • From: New Jersey
Posted by Matt90 on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 12:43 PM
I had no idea that Scranton had a sub named after it....must have run out of worthwile towns, eh?
''Do your damndest in an ostentatious manner all the time.'' -General George S. Patton
  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Spartanburg, SC
Got any good ship nicknames?
Posted by subfixer on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 12:21 PM

It is a rare thing for a naval vessel not to have an alias, whether a pet name that it is known  by the crew or a comical, heroic or even a derogatory name that is also known by. Have you got any good ones that you can share? Let's keep it clean, I can name quite a few that can't be repeated in this forum but that are very choice but as much as I would like to share them I won't because I value my membership in this fine forum.   Here are a few:   USS Oriskany- The Toasty O (for her history of onboard fires) USS Forrestal- USS Forest Fire (same reason)   USS Saratoga -The Sorry Sara    USS Enterprise- Big E, the Prize (as in booby prize), Mobile Chernobyl    USS Ranger- the Stranger (it was never in port)  USS Kennedy- the Can Opener (it literally cut a destroyer, may it was the Belknap, in half)

There are plenty more but I have to get back to work on the USS Scranton  (Scr*tum) before I am missed.

I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

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