New USS Missouri

[craigepo]

IMHO, I think that when a ship has a history such as the Missouri, maybe we should retire the name, like retiring a number on a sports team.
By the way, if you have never been to Pearl Harbor to tour everything, including the battleship USS Misssouri, go now. It's an awesome experience.

New USS Missouri revives a legendary name from World War II
By MATT CAMPBELL
The Kansas City Star
http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1614583.html

It was on the deck of that mighty battleship that the Japanese, who attacked the U.S. Navy port in Hawaii 68 years ago today, formally surrendered in 1945.

Now the retired battleship is a floating museum at Pearl Harbor, in dry dock undergoing repairs. A new USS Missouri will carry on the name. The $2 billion nuclear attack submarine, the world’s most advanced to date, was christened Saturday in Groton, Conn.

The timing, in proximity to Pearl Harbor Day, was a nice coincidence.

“For me, as a Missourian, to have a vessel as powerful as that one was something that was very special,” said J. Stanton Thompson of Higginsville, Mo., a retired rear admiral. “The Navy has looked forward enough to name another major warship for our state. She will make her own history.”

The old USS Missouri was not at Pearl Harbor during the surprise attack of Dec. 7, 1941, but its keel had been laid early that year at the New York Navy Yard. It was christened by Margaret Truman, daughter of then-Sen. Harry Truman of Missouri. It entered service in 1944.

The “Mighty Mo” served the United States over five decades and in three wars: World War II, Korea and the first Gulf War. It was decommissioned, and in 1998 it was donated to a nonprofit organization that operates it as a floating museum on Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor.

Visitors can see the historic spot on its deck where Japanese emissaries signed the surrender papers on Sept. 2, 1945, before Supreme Allied Commander Douglas MacArthur, ending World War II.

But this autumn the 887-foot ship was pushed and towed to a repair yard at Pearl Harbor for a three-month, $18 million overhaul that includes sandblasting and other maintenance and preservation work on its hull.

The ship will also be repainted top to bottom. The Department of Defense is contributing $10 million to the project. The battleship was last dry-docked in 1992.

The ship is tentatively scheduled to return to the harbor on Jan. 7, and a re-opening ceremony is planned for Jan. 29, the 66th anniversary of its launch.

The battleship was not the first vessel named for Missouri. That was a 10-gun steam-powered side-wheeler commissioned in 1842. It was followed by a Confederate steamer during the Civil War, a battleship commissioned in 1903 and then the World War II vessel.

“This new Missouri, a fast-attack submarine, will continue the proud history of these ships before her,” Rep. Ike Skelton of Missouri said Saturday at the christening ceremony.

The new USS Missouri is of the Virginia class of submarines, designed to replace the Los Angeles class.

The sub is not as big as the last battleship, but it packs more of a wallop. While the World War II-era ship’s 16-inch guns could shoot some 30 miles, the submarine’s Tomahawk cruise missiles will be able to hit a precise target hundreds of miles away.

“The battleship Missouri ushered in a new era in world history,” Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri said at the christening, “so anything is possible for this submarine, too.”

[LarryW]

I see the emotion in retiring the name, but it's a political move by our Dear Leader to impress the poilitical landscape in Missouri. It would be interesting if they returned BB 63 to service how they would treat the name then. Would they re-name her, or would they change the name of the SSN? Don't know. Bringing back two of the BB's (one LANT and one PAC) has been talked (yelled) about for a long time. We'll have to wait and see.

[Utah Bob]

Navy tradition has always been to name new ships after ones with gallant records. I don't have a problem with that.

[Pete]

BB-55 (Still afloat) & SSN-777

[Richard]

Navy tradition has always been to name new ships after ones with gallant records. I don't have a problem with that.

I'm with Bob - it's an old tradition.

For example, 4 ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Texas in honor of the State of Texas.

The first Texas was the US Navy's first battleship, the sister ship to the USS Maine, and served from 1895 until 1911.
The second Texas (BB-35) is a dreadnought battleship that served in both World Wars and is now a museum, moored at the San Jacinto State Park about 20 miles SE of Houston and the first BB to be declared a national historic landmark.
The third Texas (CGN-39) was the second Virginia-class nuclear guided missile cruiser and decommissioned in 1993.
The fourth Texas (SSN-775) was commissioned on 9 September 2006, is the second Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine, and the homeport is Pearl Harbor. Her motto is "Don't mess with Texas!"


Richard

[abc_123]

Battleships were named after states. Ohio Class SSBN's were named after states. They aren't making any BB's anymore and ditto with SSBNs, so given that these subs are insanely expensive and not that many will be made, naming them after states makes sense...and give the Mighty Mo's history it's a great lineage to continue.

No way they are going to bring back the BB's. If they were mothballed...maybe, but once they start cutting holes in them so that mom, dad and the kids can tour the ship more easily, it's all over.

EDIT: Didn't know they named cruisers after states too... thought the tradition had that they were named after cities. Learn something all the time on this site!

[Sigaba]

I see the emotion in retiring the name, but it's a political move by our Dear Leader to impress the political landscape in Missouri.I respectfully disagree with you on this point for two reasons. First, it attributes to the president a level of political awareness on issues of naval affairs that, IMHO, he has not yet demonstrated--and simply does not possess.

Second, one can find references to the Missouri in documents predating the current president's occupancy in the White House. As an example, there's the summer 2008 edition of Undersea Warfare, available here (http://www.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/usw_summer_08/elements_4.html).

FWIW:
I agree with Utah Bob and Richard that the navy's tradition of re-issuing the names of ships and submarines is sound. (I think naming a Zumwalt-class destroyer after James A. Greer would send an especially poignant message to the enemies of this country.)
I believe the navy should have at least six battleships so that at least three can be on station at all times.

YMMV.

[testedone]

Having served on the "Mighty Mo' during Desert Storm I would rather have not seen another vessel (sub) named after it, but tradition trumps my desires ;) It was a great ship to serve on with a very proud heritage...I have yet to see it in HI but have heard it is a nice setup there..

Peace

[armymom1228]

I was living in Baltimore when the current USS Sterett was commisioned. the Constellation was brought around to where the Sterett was docked, nose to nose.
So that the ghost of Master Commander Andrew Sterett could go aboard his new command. Naval Traditions and all that.

Four ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Sterett in honor of Master Commandant Andrew Sterett (1778-1807), who served during the Quasi-War with France and the Barbary Wars.

The first USS Sterett (DD-27), a three-stack, modified Paulding-class destroyer (a type of ship often referred to as a "flivver") saw action during World War I.

The second USS Sterett (DD-407), a Benham-class destroyer, saw action during World War II.

The third USS Sterett (DLG/CG-31), a Belknap-class guided missile cruiser, saw action in the Vietnam War and the Cold War.

The fourth USS Sterett (DDG-104) an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer commissioned on August 9, 2008.

[Utah Bob]

I recall while doing some research several years ago for a Civil War Roundtable that there was a steam powered gunship that operated out of Key West with the East Gulf Blockade Squadron. She captured several blockade runners. I don't think there has ever been another USS Periwinkle commissioned. In fact they eventually re-named her the Polaris.
Can't say why, and won't speculate.:munchin

[armymom1228]

Maybe the name Periwinkle sounded to Gaey? :D:D



I recall while doing some research several years ago for a Civil War Roundtable that there was a steam powered gunship that operated out of Key West with the East Gulf Blockade Squadron. She captured several blockade runners. I don't think there has ever been another USS Periwinkle commissioned. In fact they eventually re-named her the Polaris.
Can't say why, and won't speculate.:munchin

[Pete]

Maybe the name Periwinkle sounded to Gaey? :D:D

A small, often edible snail like marine animal.

[armymom1228]

A small, often edible snail like marine animal.

Naw? Ya think? Want my recipe for coquina and periwinkle broth?
First you get an oyster knife, shovel and a bucket......:cool:

let me recolor my comment... :D:p

Gee, USS Periwinkle sounds soooo gay.

[akv]

The USS Missouri is a great tour. The details of the theatrics General MacArthur pulled at the Japanese surrender are a great story and just the sheer size of the ship is amazing. Apparently the forward batteries could not be fired straight ahead, as they would have hit something vital, and when they did fire them the sea would boil.

IMHO I agree with Sigaba, I don't think this POTUS is a Naval military historian. I doubt he could even name 4 major ships from either side of the Battle of Midway?

[Richard]

I don't think there has ever been another USS Periwinkle commissioned.

Nope - but the RN had one in WW2 - a Corvette which was immediately renamed the USS Restless when lend-leased to the USN in 1942 for convoy duty in the Atlantic.

http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5522.html

Richard

[LarryW]

I respectfully disagree with you on this point for two reasons. First, it attributes to the president a level of political awareness on issues of naval affairs that, IMHO, he has not yet demonstrated--and simply does not possess.

Second, one can find references to the Missouri in documents predating the current president's occupancy in the White House. As an example, there's the summer 2008 edition of Undersea Warfare, available here.

I agree that the POTUS hasn't a clue about naval history or protocol. I just think he's making this move to impress the politics in the State of Missouri (in lieu of brains).

I still wonder how they'd treat the naming if the decision was made to return BBs to service. NEW JERSEY made more than one return to fame. All of the BBs had conversions to allow them to interface with NCA and project Tomahawks, and do a few other state of the art tricks, so don't write the BBs out of the fight quite yet. A few mods to allow tours notwithstanding, they could still be modified to fight the good fight again. IRT BB55, I believe that ship stilll would take a lot more to ever get her ready for a fight. It is good, however, that when a huricane blows into Mobile Bay they allow the homeless to board in USS ALABAMA, similar to NORTH CAROLINA.