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Current Events => Breaking News => Topic started by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:13:12 PM

Title: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:13:12 PM
(http://www.foxnews.com/images/491924/1_22_bush_aircraftcarrier.jpg)
NORFOLK, Va. —  It's the perfect gift for an old Navy flier: 1,092 feet of flattop.

"What do you give a guy who has been blessed and has just about everything he has ever needed?" asked President George W. Bush from aboard the Navy's newest ship. "Well, an aircraft carrier."

The USS George H.W. Bush, a steel-gray vessel longer than three football fields and built at a cost of $6.2 billion, was commissioned Saturday with its namesake, the 41st president, and other members of the Bush family on hand for the ceremonies at Naval Station Norfolk.

Adorned for the day with red, white and blue bunting, the USS George H.W. Bush is one of the Nimitz class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, the largest warships in the world.

"The ship that bears our dad's name is more than 95,000 tons of aluminum and steel," Bush said from a podium tucked under the flight deck. "She will carry nearly 6,000 of the finest sailors and Marines in the world. She represents the craftsmanship of many skilled builders, and thousands of hours of preparation."

More (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479087,00.html)[/quote]

I have been to a few ship commissionings when I was a kid;  they are steeped in history and tradition.  I watched this live on foxnews today, and it made me tear up a bit.

now this is worth taxing me for. :)
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:16:12 PM
these are pics of the USS Ronald Reagan, the immediate predecessor of the USS Bush.

(http://www.nn.northropgrumman.com/photogallery/Carriers/DCS06-627-25.jpg)

(http://home.att.net/~south.tower/911AirBase1_files/gw-hispeed.jpg)


edited because they shut my hot link to the USS reagan down.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:19:17 PM
(http://navysite.de/cvn/images/cvn77_1.jpg)
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Chris_ on January 10, 2009, 08:36:47 PM
(http://navysite.de/cvn/images/cvn77_1.jpg)

What a cool patch!
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:38:27 PM
The Bush is the last of the Nimitz class.  the next CVN, the USS Gerald Ford, will look very different:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/CVN-78_Artist_Image.jpg/775px-CVN-78_Artist_Image.jpg)
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Chris_ on January 10, 2009, 08:42:58 PM
The Bush is the last of the Nimitz class.  the next CVN, the USS Gerald Ford, will look very different:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/CVN-78_Artist_Image.jpg/775px-CVN-78_Artist_Image.jpg)

What will be the class name?
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:46:00 PM
What a cool patch!

that is the ship's crest, but that's close enough.:wink:

the planes in the crest are a TBM avenger inside of an FA/18 inside of an F-35.  bush flew an avenger in WWII.  I noticed that their fighter wing's tail plumage was interesting, but I can't seem to google up an example.

Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:46:19 PM
What will be the class name?

the Ford class, I assume.

on edit:  which sort of makes it sound like a car, but whatever. :-)
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Chris_ on January 10, 2009, 08:50:36 PM
the Ford class, I assume.

on edit:  which sort of makes it sound like a car, but whatever. :-)

As long as they don't name it after a democrat.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:54:02 PM
As long as they don't name it after a democrat.


carter got a submarine, which was probably because he was a sub guy.  I think the last carrier named after a dem was the truman.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Chris_ on January 10, 2009, 08:55:44 PM
carter got a submarine, which was probably because he was a sub guy.  I think the last carrier named after a dem was the truman.

We assume for clinton it will be a dinghy. 
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 08:57:31 PM
We assume for clinton it will be a dinghy. 

 . . . or an offshore casino.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Chris on January 10, 2009, 09:07:32 PM
If anything gets designed for Clinton, it will probably look like another (http://www.clintonlibrary.gov/images/Clinton%20Presidential%20Library%20exterior%20photos%205-09-2007%20010%20small.jpg) doublewide. (http://image56.webshots.com/156/0/79/84/2968079840027581078Wftubt_ph.jpg)
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 09:09:19 PM
The President's remarks at the commissioning.  They are typically Bushian, which, in my book, is a good thing.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIKIZJx0IpY[/youtube]
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 09:12:09 PM
"Man our ship, and bring her to life" happens at the 3:00 mark.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQG00bI0Rt0[/youtube]
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Wretched Excess on January 10, 2009, 10:38:53 PM
George HW Bush's remarks are at 1:50

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg8U5oTwX5o[/youtube]
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: JohnnyReb on January 11, 2009, 02:03:39 AM
The son and his Boy Scout troop are spending the weekend on the aircraft carrier "Yorktown"......I'll have to show him this when he gets home today.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: NHSparky on January 11, 2009, 07:12:01 AM
What will be the class name?

Traditionally, the first ship of the class is the class name; i.e., Nimitz class, Ohio class, Los Angeles class, Arleigh Burke class, etc.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: LC EFA on January 11, 2009, 07:31:33 AM
Traditionally, the first ship of the class is the class name; i.e., Nimitz class, Ohio class, Los Angeles class, Arleigh Burke class, etc.

Meaning the next class of CVN will be the "Gerald Ford class" ?

Shouldn't that be an unlucky name ?

Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: NHSparky on January 11, 2009, 07:49:00 AM
Meaning the next class of CVN will be the "Gerald Ford class" ?

Shouldn't that be an unlucky name ?



Not as unlucky as the Thresher, which is what it would have been had she not sunk.  Instead they went to the next boat and called it the Permit class.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: BlueStateSaint on January 11, 2009, 08:29:42 AM
We assume for clinton it will be a dinghy. 

I'm kinda partial to a garbage scow, myself.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: TheSarge on January 11, 2009, 11:21:03 AM
CVN-21 is the only thing they have as far as a name for the ships that are CVN-79 and beyond.  The H.W. does however incorporate some of the design changes that will be seen in the next carrier to leave the shipyards at Norfolk.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Thor on January 11, 2009, 12:08:52 PM
I watched this yesterday. It's the last of the Nimitz class carriers. The USS Gerald R Ford will be the Gerald R Ford class of carrier. http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/cvn-21/
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: RightCoast on January 11, 2009, 07:57:18 PM
So some nickname options are

The Fighting Bush

The Big B

The HW

Or the Bearded Clam
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Thor on January 12, 2009, 11:03:28 PM
Yes, and the CO will allow some Marine to be his "cabin boy".........





 :uhsure:
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: RightCoast on January 12, 2009, 11:31:51 PM
Yes, and the CO will allow some Marine to be his "cabin boy".........





 :uhsure:


And that Cabin Boy will one day single handedly slaughter 30 Somali pirates with his sidearm while the CO wets his pants and a good quarter of the crew prepare to abandon ship in the wake of the vastly superior Somali pirates naval abilities.  What was your point again??
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Chris_ on January 13, 2009, 12:35:43 AM
I watched this yesterday. It's the last of the Nimitz class carriers. The USS Gerald R Ford will be the Gerald R Ford class of carrier. http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/cvn-21/
That is GREAT news.

People made fun of GRF -- and I suspect he brought it on a bit to be a lightning rod.  A decent man who was, despite the fun poked at him, an athlete and a great American.  He had to serve perhaps the most difficult role of any President ever, and did so with class, dignity and wisdom.

As usual, people underestimate what is "greatness."  In a few years he restored dignity to the White House and spent all his years with that class and dignity.

And he also showed America that he could take a joke -- and even throw it.

Most people in the USA don't to this day know how important he was and how he rose to the occasion and the call of his country.

Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Eupher on January 13, 2009, 08:05:37 AM
That is GREAT news.

People made fun of GRF -- and I suspect he brought it on a bit to be a lightning rod.  A decent man who was, despite the fun poked at him, an athlete and a great American.  He had to serve perhaps the most difficult role of any President ever, and did so with class, dignity and wisdom.

As usual, people underestimate what is "greatness."  In a few years he restored dignity to the White House and spent all his years with that class and dignity.

And he also showed America that he could take a joke -- and even throw it.

Most people in the USA don't to this day know how important he was and how he rose to the occasion and the call of his country.



Granted, GRF had the courage of his convictions when he determined that pardoning Richard Nixon was the appropriate thing to do. The nation was reeling from Watergate and still, despite GRF's efforts, suffers its aftereffects in the form of skeptical and cynical voters mistrusting the government.

What irked me, though, beyond redemption, was Ford's insistence that a clemency program be initiated for draft dodgers and other punks.

Of course, Jimmah C. was the ultimate scumbag in this area when he signed a presidential pardon the day after he took office for said draft dodgers.

I wouldn't characterize GRF's presidency as "great" by any means. At best, he might be seen as having been "necessary."

Gerald Ford's Justification (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1759026/posts)
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: Sam Adams on January 15, 2009, 03:26:42 AM
Name several small boats the "USS Reid," the "USS Clinton," the "USS Pelosi," etc, then have the USS Bush blow them out of the water.

It would be fun.
Title: Re: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) is Commissioned
Post by: LC EFA on January 15, 2009, 03:35:11 AM
Name several small boats the "USS Reid," the "USS Clinton," the "USS Pelosi," etc, then have the USS Bush blow them out of the water.

It would be fun.

The USS Carter, has a tender boat called the USS Mondale. Damned thing keeps sinking whenever the Reagan pulls into port.