Naming of US Navy ships (and Enterprise)

[J.T.B.]

In response to some questions raised in Congress about whether the naming of US Navy ships was becoming too politicized, the Department of Defense last month published a report on the history and evolution of USN naming conventions. With plenty of good historical background, the upshot if the report is: The strongest tradition in naming US Navy ships is that "tradition" has always been overruled by politics and public relations. It's pretty candid about the partisanship involved, too; for instance Bill Clinton opposing a carrier being named for Republican Ronald Reagan until a building carrier's name was changed to honor Democrat Harry S. Truman.

In the past we have had some discussions on this board about the retirement of CVN-65 Enterprise, and how that name would live on in the future. I said that I thought the name would go to another type of ship, not a nuclear carrier. However, the report has these two tidbits:

With the scheduled decommissioning of USS Enterprise (CVN 65), perhaps the most famous ship name in US Navy history besides USS Constitution will be removed from the Naval Vessel Register. Secretary Mabus believes this circumstance could be remedied by bestowing the Enterprise’s storied name on a future carrier.​

And

[...] the future carrier force will likely consist of no more than 11 ships, and one of them may be named USS Enterprise.​

I'm still cynical enough that I would bet against the name going to a new nuclear carrier, but it is an encouraging sign.

Justin

 

[doubleohfive]

There are plenty of letters left in the alphabet.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Personally, I have no doubt that a future US carrier will bear the name USS Enterprise--it's just a question of when, IMO. It's a name that was well known to the public long before Star Trek.

But I kind of consider the news that carriers will continued to be named after presidents to be a fait accompli, and that it'll be awhile before a move to name one Enterprise slips through.

 

[SchwEnt]

Some of the legendary USN names live on... Essex, Wasp, Bonhomme Richard... but not as aircraft carriers (more amphibious assault ships and such).

As we move on through the 21st century, I'd like to see the next Enterprise as a manned solar system spacecraft, which we should have by now. Come on already!

 

[Gaith]

Rename the Reagan the Enterprise. Problem solved.

 

[B.J.]

As we move on through the 21st century, I'd like to see the next Enterprise as a manned solar system spacecraft, which we should have by now. Come on already!

Virgin Galactic's first SpaceShipTwo is named VSS Enterprise. But like your suggestion, that has nothing to do with the US Navy.

As for the actual topic, I have a bad feeling that if they do announce a new carrier named Enterprise, it will get renamed before it gets commissioned, like what happened to the carrier United States, which is now USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).

 

[Scout101]

Like they said, only thing consistent about Naval naming schemes is the inconsistency.

Best example is the Seawolf submarine class: only has 3 boats in the class, but the naming scheme they used? Seawolf, Connecticut, Jimmy Carter. Animal, State, Person. Clear as mud!

At least subs had been pretty consistent, in blocks. Used to be animals/fish, and then changed over to be cities for attack subs, states for missle subs. Except now the Virginia class is also states, and we're not making ones named for cities. Also, one random VA class boat is named for a person.

So other than that...

 

[C.E. Evans]

As for the actual topic, I have a bad feeling that if they do announce a new carrier named Enterprise, it will get renamed before it gets commissioned, like what happened to the carrier United States, which is now USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).

CONGRESSMAN: While we understand the historical and cultural significance of the name "USS Enterprise," myself and the constituency of the great state of Vermont I represent believe strongly and passionately that this new carrier should be with all due haste be renamed the "USS Chester Arthur" in honor of our fellow native son and an often overlooked, but truly great American President.

Besides, most folks will associate the "USS Enterprise" with that silly Star Track spaceship, so all the better reason not to use it.

 

[Theodore Jay Miller]

How about the USS Free Enterprise; that will get all the pro-business types to support it.

 

[MacLeod]

As for the actual topic, I have a bad feeling that if they do announce a new carrier named Enterprise, it will get renamed before it gets commissioned, like what happened to the carrier United States, which is now USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).

CONGRESSMAN: While we understand the historical and cultural significance of the name "USS Enterprise," myself and the constituency of the great state of Vermont I represent believe strongly and passionately that this new carrier should be with all due haste be renamed the "USS Chester Arthur" in honor of our fellow native son and an often overlooked, but truly great American President.

Besides, most folks will associate the "USS Enterprise" with that silly Star Track spaceship, so all the better reason not to use it.

Well doesn't that depend on how much they now about history? And if we are talking about the likes of CV-6 know doubt one of the more famous ships to bear the name. She of course served in some of the main Battles of the Pacific theater in WWII.

But I do understand your point, in pop culture the name Enterprise might be more associated with Star Trek, than any of the ships from sail to nuclear that have bourne the name.

 

[Ó Méith]

It is sad for such a famous linage of ships to fade into history, at least the Royal Navy is still keeping the tradition alive with the fifteenth HMS Enterprise.
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/sitecor...rs/ice-patrol-and-survey-ships/hms-enterprise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Enterprise

 

[Starkers]

It is sad for such a famous linage of ships to fade into history, at least the Royal Navy is still keeping the tradition alive with the fifteenth HMS Enterprise.
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/sitecor...rs/ice-patrol-and-survey-ships/hms-enterprise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Enterprise

Thats cool.

I'd still love the RN to have an HMS Thunderchild at some point though...

 

[MacLeod]

Perhaps they'll be a Thunderchild when the War of the Worlds comes.

 

[Ó Méith]

There is a e-petition on Direct Gov, for the navy to commission a ship HMS Thunder Child.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/18827

 

[Starkers]

Spooky, I often thought of setting one of those up!

 

[Satyrquaze]

As for the actual topic, I have a bad feeling that if they do announce a new carrier named Enterprise, it will get renamed before it gets commissioned, like what happened to the carrier United States, which is now USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75).

In fairness, I'd rather have a ship named USS Harry S. Truman than USS United States simply on the basis that the later's name works out to be "United States Ship United States". I guess we can thank the Department of Redundancy Department for that one.

 

[Roshi]

The USS DAS KAPITAL sound about right.

 

[Galileo7]

The new Ford Class aircraft carrier design replaces the current Nimitz class. I doubt if one will be named Enterprise, maybe they will name destroyer or cruiser.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford_class_aircraft_carrier

 

[C.E. Evans]

The new Ford Class aircraft carrier design replaces the current Nimitz class. I doubt if one will be named Enterprise, maybe they will name destroyer or cruiser.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford_class_aircraft_carrier

According to that article, the Navy's Public Affairs Office has been requesting input from the public for possible names for future Ford-class carriers after CVN-79. Reportedly, Enterprise is in the lead, followed by Saratoga, Lexington, and Hornet. Doesn't mean that future carriers still won't be named after Presidents, though...

 

[Scout101]

That would be nice, to use that class to start bringing back the old-school names. I can see the last Saratoga out my window every day at work...