Posted on Apr 14, 2016
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As the Obama administration this week named another warship after a politician, a report circulating in Congress shows that nearly 200 Navy and Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients have never been awarded such an honor, contrary to naval guidelines and tradition. Is this the new trend? The latest ship, a missile destroyer the USS Carl M. Levin.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/12/politics/uss-carl-levin-navy-destroyer/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/12/politics/uss-carl-levin-navy-destroyer/index.html
Politics
Tradition
Shipbuilding
Naval Historical Foundation
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 49
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I'm sure the Navy will be happy to name a ship after a MoH recipient as soon as he produces funding for its building
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Oh, I think some politicians can have ships named after them: Lincoln, Washington, Kennedy, Reagan...
You see where I'm going with this I trust.
You see where I'm going with this I trust.
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SFC (Join to see)
Right or Left, they should be dead to get their names on any structure/infrastructure.
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Ships should be named after presidents who served not senators who never did and who hate the US Military.
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The question has been asked by Duncan Hunter; ought to know in a while.
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense-news/2016/04/13/navy-ship-names-hunter-mabus-levin/82984096/
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense-news/2016/04/13/navy-ship-names-hunter-mabus-levin/82984096/
Hunter Objects To US Navy Ship Named For Carl Levin
Hunter again charges Navy Secretary Mabus with "politicizing" the ship-naming process.
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It's a form of corruption. Members of Congress who question military spending too much will never have a ship named after them. There will be no USS William Proxmire, of the "Golden Fleece Award" noting government waste.
Go back to naming carriers traditional names like Intrepid, Constellation, Bonhomme Richard. Destroyers after naval heroes. Cruisers if any after cities. SSBNs after states and SSNs after fish.
Go back to naming carriers traditional names like Intrepid, Constellation, Bonhomme Richard. Destroyers after naval heroes. Cruisers if any after cities. SSBNs after states and SSNs after fish.
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PO1 (Join to see)
First, each service should be allowed to name their own. Could possibly be a proud honor for the troops to be involved. Second, politicians don't have the time to argue over who gets named after the latest bridge, highway, post office or school. If we don't keep them aware of who they serve, just imagine 535 additional loose cannons in DC.
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Ships should be named after great commanders not politicians that write dumb ass laws.
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Based on how he looked on TV the other night, a USS William Jefferson Clinton may not be all that far in the future.
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Kind of a self answering question... politics.
Although, it also has to do with favors, self importance and so forth... I think it is ridiculous and a very big insult to the heritage and traditions of the U.S. Navy.
Although, it also has to do with favors, self importance and so forth... I think it is ridiculous and a very big insult to the heritage and traditions of the U.S. Navy.
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This is a bad thing. We have WAY too many senators/congressmen/others whose ego is bigger than they are, or what they have done. First of all, such things should NOT be done for LIVING PEOPLE! That is a well-meant(in most cases) mistake. It is NOT appropriate to memorialize LIVING PEOPLE!! Once upon a time, politicians and public figures had a better sense of their own importance. Theodore Roosevelt would NOT ALLOW things to be named for him while he was still alive! We started on the slippery slope with Carl Vinson-most of the sailors on it probably couldn't tell you who he was or when he was alive. Then "Scoop" Jackson, then Jimmy Carter, etc. (I'll even give ya Rickover (who bitched that they should have named a carrier after him!!(And he was a Submariner!)) Carl Levin? Really?? Doesn't pass the smell test.
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SPC David S.
Yes sir if only more were as humble as President Truman - In his refusal of accepting the Medal of Honor he stated - "I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise." as well one of my favorite quotes came from him as well - "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference. I, for one, believe the piano player job to be much more honorable than current politicians." Something odd as well - the USS United States was renamed Harry S. Truman as part of the compromise to name a carrier for Reagan. Truman was a curious choice to be honored with a carrier since he had canceled the first supercarrier in 1949 just a few days after the keel was laid down. The name of the first supercarrier was ironically the The United States. Truman thus managed to cancel the name “United States” twice. Not sure of what he would have thought about a shipped named after him despite it revoking the ship being named the USS United States.
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CDR William Kempner
Very good. I know the Truman quote- very funny. (Had a T-shirt in my USN days "Please don't tell my mother I'm a Deep Sea Diver. She thinks I'm a piano player in a whorehouse") (same idea!)= I didn't know about the naming of the Harry Truman as a compromise. I DID know about the USS United States-and the "Revolt of the Admirals." The best thing he ever said-and Hillary and Bill should take note: "I'm not taking money from those people. They're not interested in ME. They want to use the office of the Presidency! And it's NOT FOR SALE!" Oh, for a return to those days.(sigh)
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