Sticking to tradition
May 9th, 2012 | Carriers Congress Enterprise Gerald R. Ford Navy Navy secretary Ships Traditions | Posted by Charles Hoskinson
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus — under fire for some of his past ship-naming choices — is winning praise from even his toughest critics for the latest one: The USS Thomas Hudner, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer for which the Navy awarded a construction contract in February.
Medal of Honor recipient retired Capt. Thomas Hudner salutes while taps is played during the Centennial of Naval Aviation wreath laying ceremony at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. Navy photo.
Hudner, 87, was a Navy aviator patrolling near the Chosin Reservoir in December 1950 when his wingman, Ensign Jesse Brown, was shot down in combat. Hudner crash-landed his plane near Brown’s and tried to save his fellow sailor, the first African-American naval aviator to fly in combat. Brown died, but Hudner earned the Medal of Honor for his efforts.
“Now THIS is how you name a warship,” wrote blogger CDR Salamander, one of those who have criticized Mabus’ past choices.
Naming the latest DDG after Hudner is one in a series of apparently safe choices by Mabus in recent months after a string of decisions that have been criticized as political in nature and at odds with the Navy’s conventions for naming ships. The most recent batch of DDG names previously released were all named after past heroes in keeping with tradition, including one in honor of Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta, whose case had been championed by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), one of Mabus’ key critics on this front. Even the name chosen for the last Zumwalt-class DDG, Lyndon B. Johnson, technically met the convention because the former president had both worn the uniform and received the Silver Star during World War II.
But the controversy already had gotten so bad that it’s put at risk the centuries-old prerogative of the Navy secretary to choose ship names. Congress — at the prodding of some conservatives — in December required the Defense Department to review the service’s ship-naming practices. A report is due by this summer.
Meanwhile, among the high-profile naming opportunities coming up is the next Ford-class aircraft carrier, which by convention would be named after a former president. But there are a lot of people lobbying to transfer the name from the soon-to-be decommissioned carrier Enterprise — which politically would be a safer choice than the USS Richard M. Nixon or the USS Bill Clinton.
Let’s see how Mabus navigates that minefield.
A public apology for barfing on the COD
January 30th, 2012 | Aviation Carrier On-Board Delivery plane Carriers Chow COMPTUEX Enterprise Life at Sea Naval aviation Navy | Posted by Joshua Stewart
Dear VRC-40 “The Rawhides,”
I’m just writing to apologize for getting airsick in your C-2A Greyhound. It was certainly unintentional. You handled the plane with steady hands as we flew from Naval Air Station Mayport, Fla., to the carrier Enterprise last week. We even had weather on our side, allowing for a particularly calm flight.
If only my stomach was able to manage my breakfast as well as you flew the COD.
Usually I handle flights pretty well, but the combination of the smell of aviation fuel, the lack of windows, the heat and the sheer grittiness of the Navy’s draft horse airplane was more than I could manage. I didn’t even make it halfway through our quick flight. By the time we were headed into our approach, I wasn’t as excited about going from 100 to zero mph in less than two seconds as much as I was excited about just getting out of that torture chamber.
This C-2A Greyhound lands on the carrier Enterprise with a reporter who is very sorry he got airsick. // Navy
Please don’t think anything less of me for this; better-known reporters have handled it just as poorly (one former SWO who took a COD with a certain cable news star told me “Wolf ralphed” during a flight to the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower). And please don’t forget that I cleaned up after myself. I just wish I had had an airsick bag
While I’m feeling contrite, I should also apologize to the cooks who made breakfast before our flight back at Mayport … that was your banana muffin with green apple syrup that ended up in the seat next to me. This was not a commentary on your culinary skills; it was certainly delicious on the way down.
And to everyone else on the carrier who heard about my illness, from the chief medical officer who gave me a motion sickness patch (if you’re curious, they certainly work and I’m available for paid endorsements) to the three people who provided me with stacks of airsick bags for my return flight (I thankfully didn’t need to use them for their intended purposes, but I’ll hold onto them to carry lunches through the year), I appreciate all of your help.
Once again, I apologize for my faux pas and I hope I can one day fly with you again.
Sincerely,
Josh Stewart
Home after the storm
August 31st, 2011 | 2nd Fleet Carriers Enterprise Hurricane Navy Norfolk Naval Shipyard Norfolk Naval Station Photos Ships | Posted by Bill McMichael
The 27 ships that sortied out of Hampton Roads in advance of Hurricane Irene’s arrival last weekend began returning to Naval Station Norfolk and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Tuesday and are continuing to come back throughout the week.
The destroyer Bainbridge returns to Naval Station Norfolk after getting underway ahead of Hurricane Irene Aug. 25. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric S. Garst
Also returning to their berths are some of the 28 ships in various stages of maintenance that were sent to safe havens to ride out the Category 1 hurricane, which whipped the region with high winds and generated what the National Weather Service estimates was a 4 1/2-foot storm surge at Naval Station Norfolk.
The aircraft carrier Enterprise returns to Naval Station Norfolk after taking shelter at Norfolk Naval Shipyard during Hurricane Irene. // U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Eric S. Garst
The sortie was ordered by 2nd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Daniel Holloway as a safety precaution for the Hampton Roads fleet concentration area.
‘XO Movie Night’ videos are out … all of them
March 4th, 2011 | Admirals Carriers Enterprise Fleet Forces Command Investigation JAGMAN leadership Navy Navy secretary Officers Personnel Video | Posted by Bill McMichael
As you probably know by now, Adm. John Harvey of Fleet Forces Command on Thursday unveiled the results of his investigation into the controversial “XO Movie Night” video skits aired on the carrier Enterprise from 2005 to 2007, recommending that secretarial letters of censure be issued to two admirals and two of the carrier’s former executive officers — including Capt. Owen Honors, who as XO played a primary role in most of the questionable productions.
If you haven’t read about the findings yet, here’s our short version. For those with a LOT of time on their hands, and perhaps curious about the 22 previously unleaked/unreleased videos containing what Harvey decided was objectionable material, go here. (Warning: Make sure you’re on a computer with a lot of juice and some volume control …)