US Navy Ships from Conception to Commission
In this time, with sailors deploying more and fighting wars on multiple fronts, it is more important than ever to instill a strong sense of heritage. The honor of imparting this valuable knowledge lies primarily with our senior enlisted leaders. Arming Sailors with an arsenal rich in naval heritage will set them on a path of success where they feel considerable pride in serving and a strong sense of loyalty. Every Sailor needs to know the history, evolution, and effects of the ship or submarine they serve aboard to truly understand there part in Navy’s rich heritage. The focus of this essay cover naming of Navy ships, why a ship is referred to as she, and to gain a general understanding of how
…show more content…
This process was somewhat formalized in March 1819 by an act of congress, in which the responsibility for naming ships was assigned to the Secretary of the Navy (history.navy.mil, 2014). The reason I say somewhat formalized, is that the Navy, on the process for naming ships, conducted a recent report, “…first time in 236 year…” after an outcry from veterans over what they considered a deviation from the traditional naming process (Scarborough, 2012). It is argued that the traditional naming practice began when “president George Washington agreed in 1794 that the first six frigates of the US Navy be named for principles or symbols found in the US Constitution” but an exception was made to this in the naming of the sixth ship (Cavas, 2012). “The fact that exceptions are the norm is a recurrent theme throughout a new Navy report on the policies and practices of naming ships” (Cavas, 2012). The report concluded that current ship naming practices are in keeping with tradition and recommended against the establishment of fixed naming policies (DON, 2012). Even though there has been a conscious effort throughout history to stick to a fixed naming process for Navy ships there have been many exceptions due the ever changing times we live in but what has not changed is why a ship is referred to as …show more content…
This practice did not occur by chance but many today do not fully understand why those who sail upon the seas refer to the ships in this matter. Even ships named for men, such as Presidents or beloved war heroes, are referred to in this fashion. Once named, the next step is to choose a living woman as the sponsor for the ship.
“The sponsor is technically considered a permanent member of the ship’s crew and is expected to give a part of her personality to the ship…. It is said her spirit and presence will guide a ship throughout its service life, and bestow good luck and protection over both the ship itself and all those who sail aboard her” (DON, 2012).
Now that you have a better understanding of why US Navy ships are referred to as she or her, regardless of their name, I will complete the picture of ship progress to Commissioning.
By the second torpedo, all the men on The USS Indianapolis were wide awake. Things were starting to go wrong on the USS “Indy.” Flames were venting and all the power h...
The U.S. Navy nurtured into a challenging power in the years previous to World War II, with battleship construction being revived in 1937, commencing with the USS North Carolina . It was able to add to its fleets throughout the early years of the war when the US was still not involved, growing production of vessels both large and small. In a conflict that had a number of amphibious landings, naval superiority was important in both Europe and the Pacific. The mutual resource...
On December 7th, 1941 tragedy struck when Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese. Many ships were sunk during the attack, but one of the most recognizable was the battleship the U.S.S. Arizona. This was one of the ships that was in line in the infamous battleship row. Because of where the U.S.S. Arizona was located it was a sitting duck to dive bombers and torpedo bombers of the Japanese. Once the ship was hit it went down in nine minutes. The sinking of the U.S.S. Arizona caused 1,177 service men to die while on board. The U.S.S. Arizona should also be known for all of its accomplishments during its tenure as a battleship. The Arizona had a very long and prestigious career before it was sunk. During the U.S.S. Arizona's life is served many important functions, from patrolling waters to escorting important people. The loss of the U.S.S. Arizona will forever be remembered as a tragic loss for the United States and its armed forces.
This paper investigates why Donald McKay is the father of American clipper ships. He was born in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, September 4, 1810.2 When Donald was sixteen years old he had the desire to learn the trade of ship building, so he went to New York. In 1826 New York was the worlds best shipbuilder and shipbuilding was America’s leading industry. McKay decided that in order to learn the trade he must obtain an apprenticeship. So he became an apprentice to Isaac Web who has appropriately been called the “Father of Shipbuilders”. This is because more successful master shipbuilders came out of Web’s shipyard than from any other place in America.3 At the conclusion of his apprenticeship he went on to work for Brown & Bell. In 1832 packet building was the best and most readily available work in New York. The majority of these ships were built at Isaac Web’s, Brown & Bell’s, and Smith & Dimon’s. At this time McKay was what would be called a free lance ship wright. McKay then married Albenia Martha Boole the eldest daughter of John Boole.4 At this time McKay then went to Newburyport and formed a partnership with William Currier.
In the thirty-eight years of the United States Naval Submarine Service no United States submarine had ever sunk an enemy vessel. With the ignition of the Second World War the poorly equipped and poorly trained Silent Service, nicknamed for the limited access of the media to the actions and achievements of the submarines, would be thrust into the position American submariners had longed for. The attack on Pearl Harbor left the United States Navy with few options for retribution. The three remaining aircraft carriers were to be “the last line of defense.” Commander Stuart S. Murray made the precarious situation clear to his skippers, captains, upon sending them on their first war patrol. He stressed the importance of smart sailing by warning them not “to go out there and win the Congressional Medal of Honor in one day. The submarines are all we have left.” We entered the war with 55 submarines, 27 at Pearl Harbor and 28 at Cavite in the Philippines. At first our submarine strategies lacked ingenuity and failed to use our subs to their full potential. United States subs were assigned to reconnaissance, transporting supplies, and lifeguard duty, picking up downed airmen and sailors. They were even, on occasion, sent to rescue high profile Americans on the run from the enemy or from islands under enemy siege. Although their ability was, unfortunately, wasted in our entrance to the Pacific Theater the Silent Service would soon gain the recognition its men yearned for.
Alfred Thayer Mahan was an author and strategist for the United States Navy. He graduated the Naval Academy in 1859 and would go on to head the Newport Naval Academy. As an author, he wrote many influential books, including The Influence of Sea Power Upon History 1660-1783. In this book, Mahan explained that if a nation held “Sea Power”, or naval dominance, it would also have global dominance. In his analysis, Mahan theorized that growing industrial development would create excess goods for which new markets needed to be found. These markets would undoubtedly be in distant ports across large bodies of water and to ensure the safety of merchant ships a strong naval guardian and escort would be paramount (Divine 610).
The Early Modern Era saw great change in the field of naval technology. Exploration and the desire to expand trade fueled the development of new, more effective naval vessels. These vessels, in turn, contributed to the growth of worldwide trade and interconnection that marked the period.
...hought it was interesting learning the various ways people had fought out in the sea, including the ways the young officers would eventually end up becoming the only Five-Star Fleet Admirals. In the book The Admirals the officers (Nimetz, King, Halsey, Leahy) prove that men should not be ranked on their skills or technology alone, but on both areas in a synchronized manner to overcome obstacles and rise above all other elements that stand in the way. The ships that the men grew fond of had become an inspiration to keep moving forward and succeed when it came to the battlefield. This thought would later become the thought that America has adopted to move forward when it comes to technology and build upon what has been learned. Anything from the structure of sea vessels to the artillery it carried did not only aid in war, but it aided in a country that could progress.
Central Park Five is a documentary that revealed the stories of the five boys, now grown men, whose lives have been destroyed for really being in the wrong place at the right time. The documentary traces the lives of the five men—Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Kharey Wise, Raymond Santana, and Kevin Richardson, that were convicted and years later found not guilty of assault and rape of jogger Trisha Meili that occurred in 1989. Even though justice was eventually given to the five men, it did not return the adolescent years that ripped from them and mental torture they had endured from the city of New York, media, and police. The story of the case unfolds chronologically through the stories of the five teenage boys from before the investigation until their interviews in the film. Only four of the five exonerated teens are interviewed on camera, Antron McCray chose to participate with only a voiceover in the film. The police and New York City prosecutors and police chose not to take part or appear in the film in anyway. As viewer only the absence of any participation of New York City authorities only demonstrated lack of responsibility for the destruction of the lives of the five teenage boys.
William Fredrick Halsey, Jr. was born on October 30, 1882. He was born and practically bred to become a sailor. His father, Captain William Halsey, raised William Halsey, Jr. on stories of his naval career which led to his interest in joining the navy and later attending the United States Naval Academy. In the two years waiting to gain admission to the Naval Academy, Halsey had decided to study medicine at the University of Virginia and try to enter the Navy as a doctor. He finally received admittance in 1900. Halsey was not the strongest in academics as he finished forty-second in a class of sixty-two, but he was athletic and participated in many clubs.(1) During that time in history, the Navy was in need of officers as it was expanding, so the class of 1904 graduated on February 2 instead of in June.(2) Upon graduation he went to serve his mandatory two years of service aboard his first ship the battleship USS Missouri. He was commissioned as an officer on February 2, 1906. (3) In 1907, Halsey was aboard the battleship USS Kansas as the “Great White Fleet” of Theodore Roosevelt set out of Hampton Roads on its expedition across the world. During World War I, Halsey commanded the destroyer USS Benham and earned a Navy Cross for his anti-submarine patrol actions. In 1922 he became ...
In spring if 1942, Robert Love was taken out of reserve duty, and was made into deputy chief of staff of the American Ferry Command. He mentioned to Colonel William ...
An American naval commander, Commodore Esek Hopkins, led a successful raid with a fleet of ships at Nassau in the Bahamas. There, he took supplies from a British supply base at Nassau and set on a return voyage back to the colonies. On his return voyage, he captured two British ships named the HMS Hawk and the HMS Bolton which were then manned by some of his crew. The fleet under his command sailed south of Block Island, Rhode Island as Hopkins wanted more prizes he can get a hold of before being docked at a harbor to unload his loot. Soon enough, one of the ships in the fleet spotted the HMS Glasgow, a British ship, several miles away. The HMS Glasgow under Captain Tryingham Howe, ran into Hopkins because it cruised off to Block Island before going to Virginia (which was its destination) to sail with other two ships, Hawk and Bolton, knowing they were there. Unknowing to Howe, the two ships were already captured by Hopkins. As a result, it ended up finding Hopkins’ fleet instead. Captain Howe wanted to know what ships were in company with the brig and to which Hopkins replied with “the Columbus and the Alfred, a tw...
The 'Standard' of the 'Standard'. The Quiet Warrior: A Biography of Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 518.
"U.S. Navy slang. " Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 14 November 2006. http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Navy_slang.
Fellman, Sam. 3 Female Submariners Make History. New York: The Penguin Group, 2013. Navy Times: A Gannet Company. Web. Jan. & Feb. 2014. .