FTA Armstrong-class AGOR ships will be 238 feet in length, have a beam length of 50 feet, and operate at more than 12 knots. AGOR 27 is currently under construction by Dakota Creek Industries, Inc. in Anacortes, Wash.

Obviously named after Lance Armstrong, Submittard

Better than being named after congressman/senators that never served a single day in the military, that's for sure.

So one day Neil Armstrong will be full of seaman?

Mabus named the future R/V Neil Armstrong (AGOR 27) to honor the memory of Neil Armstrong,

I'm pretty sure the R/V Neil Armstrong was named Neil Armstrong to honor the memory of Buzz Aldrin, not Neil Armstrong. Nice fact-checking, article writer.

Will this class of ships be made in a studio as well?

Crudbucket: I'm pretty sure the R/V Neil Armstrong was named Neil Armstrong to honor the memory of Buzz Aldrin, not Neil Armstrong. Nice fact-checking, article writer.

Yeah, as if that's a real name. Might want to get your own facts straight before commenting.

Captain Steroid: He may have been stripped of his Tour de France titles, but at least he has this.:-)

Kredal: Oh, what a wonderful world!

MythDragon: Armstrong class AGOR ships will be 238 feet in length, have a beam length of 50 feet, and operate at more than 12 knots. AGOR 27 is currently under construction by Dakota Creek Industries, Inc. in Anacortes, Wash

[collider.com image 210x241]



Full of Win

Abrams is everywhere:

"Armstrong my ass, his hand shake resembled a dead fish!"
source: some quote i read in the 80's

Military Leaders say we're too fat to fight???


the Penisgon Budget is too fat. its bloated and grossly obese. but you'll never hear anything about that as they drain our economy dry to protect "Freedom".

Sorry, but I gotta threadjack. WTF is this new precedent of Fark posting articles and banning any comments? This is a discussion community. Don't greenlight something and make us read it and not allow us a forum to respond. I hope this is a glitch and the article under this one is going to be repaired. If this was done intentionally, I'm curious as to what the explanation is.

Thank goodness his family name wasn't "buttlicker"

Linux_Yes: Military Leaders say we're too fat to fight???


the Penisgon Budget is too fat. its bloated and grossly obese. but you'll never hear anything about that as they drain our economy dry to protect "Freedom".

Indeed. If Drew doesn't want us to have an opportunity to discuss the fat army article, we'll do it here.

My pork putz of a cousin joined the army and got a less than honorable discharge when he couldn't pass his PT requirements. Then he came home with an air of entitlement, arrogantly demanding that everyone treat him like a hero because he had his picture taken in a uniform. War does create ample opportunity for heroism, but the military is a cross section of society. You'll find heroes, but not everyone who joins the military is automatically a hero.

was this guy the UFO goofball?

So now we're naming war ships after a 1 nut biker (as in bicycle) who ate some crow?

What's next? Naming a submarine class after Doogie Houser because he goes down full of semen?

johnryan51: Should change the rules and name a carrier after him

No, I like this. He may have been military, but his fame is for peaceful use of technology, and courage during exploration.

This is appropriate, and deserved.

They named a class of ships neil?

Armstrong got a class of small scientific research ships named after him? Shouldn't he have a class of frigates with a lot of guns, or an aircraft carrier that can hold at least 300 fighters?

More than 12 knots? I thought this was supposes to be a research vessel, not a drag-boat!

Supposed...

14mph huh....


Oceanography must be teh suk

Glockenspiel Hero: johnryan51: Should change the rules and name a carrier after him

Actually, I like this better than a carrier. Yes, they aren't massive death dealing machines- they're ~45 person research ships, designed to work quietly to learn more about the oceans. Given Neil's personality, I think he'd approve.

Bingo.

Ok, not to be picky or annoyed here but we should have been naming a moon base after him by now.

theresnothinglft: Ok, not to be picky or annoyed here but we should have been naming a moon base after him by now.

This also

/Or Heinlein...

dready zim: They named a class of ships neil?

More like kneel, this is the navy after all amirite people?

dervish16108: Armstrong got a class of small scientific research ships named after him? Shouldn't he have a class of frigates with a lot of guns, or an aircraft carrier that can hold at least 300 fighters?

I understand the sentiment, but I feel that a fleet of research vessels are more in the spirit of what he accomplished.

I vote for the USS Mr. Gorsky to be the first ship of the Armstrong line.

Fake

I'm assuming that the new Aldrin class will be a warship that packs more of a punch! 



/I agree that this is a good choice for Neil

Franko: Thank goodness his family name wasn't "buttlicker"

They may be having second thoughts about the insanely inflammatory trolling of the headline. Or, maybe the mod didn't want to deal with the bullshiat that was going to follow in the thread this morning.

czetie: This is cool and all, but I have to ask: why is oceanography under the department of the Navy? Is it because it is (used to be) a cover for intelligence gathering? Or simply that the military has buttloads of money and science doesn't?

All of the above, plus, you can learn all sorts of useful stuff for submarines and ASW and being a more effective navy if you know all about the oceans.

It's the equivalent of the army researching how different wheels, treads, and tracks perform on different terrain.

I am a glorious class of boats!!

Neil Armstrong had retired from the Navy when he set foot on the moon. It's completely appropriate that his namesake is a class of scientific exploration vessels. "We came in peace for all mankind."

Armstrong class Navy ship in fake ocean set.

'bout damn time.

One small step for fark-heads....

F*ck yes.

Captain Steroid: He may have been stripped of his Tour de France titles, but at least he has this.:-)

Ha! Nice one! I hadn't seen that meme transferred over to men yet. I LOL'd.

theresnothinglft: Ok, not to be picky or annoyed here but we should have been naming a moon base after him by now.

If we had a manned spcae program we could even name a class of space ships after him. Maybe we coud ask China to name their next one after him as we lare too busy subsidizing the building of the Chevy Volt , bailing out the UAW and making loans to Solyndra.

Glockenspiel Hero: johnryan51: Should change the rules and name a carrier after him

Actually, I like this better than a carrier. Yes, they aren't massive death dealing machines- they're ~45 person research ships, designed to work quietly to learn more about the oceans. Given Neil's personality, I think he'd approve.

He would proabably approve of either. You know little of the fighter pilot mentality:

Armstrong first saw action in the Korean War on August 29, 1951, as an escort for a photo reconnaissance plane over Songjin. Five days later on September 3rd, he flew armed reconnaissance over the primary transportation and storage facilities south of the village of Majon-ni, west of Wonsan. While making a low bombing run at about 350 mph (560 km/h), Armstrong's F9F Panther was hit by anti-aircraft fire. While trying to regain control, he collided with a pole at a height of about 20 feet (6 m), which sliced off about three feet (1 m) of the Panther's right wing. Armstrong flew the plane back to friendly territory, but due to the loss of the aileron, ejection was his only safe option. He planned to eject over water and await rescue by Navy helicopters, and therefore flew to an airfield near Pohang, but his ejection seat was blown back over land. A jeep driven by a roommate from flight school picked Armstrong up; it is unknown what happened to the wreckage of No. 125122 F9F-2.

Armstrong flew 78 missions over Korea for a total of 121 hours in the air, most of which were in January 1952. He received the Air Medal for 20 combat missions, a Gold Star for the next 20, and the Korean Service Medal and Engagement Star.

expobill: "Armstrong my ass, his hand shake resembled a dead fish!"
source: some quote i read in the 80's

I met ex-President Reagan in a receiving line and can say the same for him. Of course he was past 80 by then. Still, it's kinda CSB to be dressed in black tie and say, "Nice to meet you Mr. President" to an actual ex-President.

the Neilna, the Pinta, and Santa Marina??

Captain Steroid: He may have been stripped of his Tour de France titles, but at least he has this.:-)

You... I... Sit down kid, and I shall tell you a tale of a trio of men and a moon.

Linux_Yes: Military Leaders say we're too fat to fight???


the Penisgon Budget is too fat. its bloated and grossly obese. but you'll never hear anything about that as they drain our economy dry to protect "Freedom".

this is a research vessel you dummy

hasty ambush: theresnothinglft: Ok, not to be picky or annoyed here but we should have been naming a moon base after him by now.

If we had a manned spcae program we could even name a class of space ships after him. Maybe we coud ask China to name their next one after him as we lare too busy subsidizing the building of the Chevy Volt , bailing out the UAW and making loans to Solyndra.

Or, maybe, better yet: we could ask them to tell you to fark off and stop shilling for whatever it is you think you are fighting for? And then, we could pay them less. And then, The United States Navy could name a ship class after a bonified American hero who first set foot on the Moon, after traveling 238,900 miles and humped a space donkey? My god, you trolls never stop. Seriously, Armstrong is the one person you cannot fark with.

theresnothinglft: Ok, not to be picky or annoyed here but we should have been naming a moon base after him by now.

we need to namest class of space craft after astronauts

at least in my opinion

Am I the only one who thinks Michael Collins might deserve the Biggest Titanium Balls award for that crew, if not Of All Time?

Not to diminish any of their bravery, but, I mean, the dude had to sit in the capsule by himself, at times out of radio contact with any other human being, the farthest human being from the surface of the earth, ever. Unsure of whether his fellow crewmen would be able to return to orbit -- would he have to orbit their landing site and listen as they died? Unsure if his capsule would make it back to earth -- would the three of them make it? Would he have to try to make it by himself?

With plenty of time just to sit up there and think about it.

I mean, yeah, stepping out of the lander on to the SURFACE OF THE MOON is *AWESOME*... but those two guys were guaranteed immortality and fame (if they wanted it). I bet if you asked a random sample of people, there'd be at least a few who didn't know there was a third crewman (and maybe some who didn't even know there was a second)... but I bet the vast majority couldn't even come up with his name.

I don't think I can even imagine the mental fortitude his role took.

/ or, you know, nice to name a science vessel after one of the world's greatest horn blowers

johnryan51: Should change the rules and name a carrier after him

What rules?

Seriously, there are no rules. There are traditions. Rather, there were traditions, but the past few SECNAVs have taken those traditions and thrown them into a fire. With Mabus being the worst. It started going downhill when they stopped naming carriers after awesome ships like Constellation, Ranger, Saratoga, Intrepid, and Hornet (don't give me that F/A-18 bullshiat), and started naming them for whomever managed to score the Navy funding. In the '90s it just got worse and then we went full retard. Seriously, Ford (not elected), Johnson (yes, don't name a DDG after a MoH holder, name it after the guy who farked up Vietnam and had a bullshiat medal), and Chafez (hated the Navy).

Local_User: hasty ambush: theresnothinglft: Ok, not to be picky or annoyed here but we should have been naming a moon base after him by now.

If we had a manned spcae program we could even name a class of space ships after him. Maybe we coud ask China to name their next one after him as we lare too busy subsidizing the building of the Chevy Volt , bailing out the UAW and making loans to Solyndra.

Or, maybe, better yet: we could ask them to tell you to fark off and stop shilling for whatever it is you think you are fighting for? And then, we could pay them less. And then, The United States Navy could name a ship class after a bonified American hero who first set foot on the Moon, after traveling 238,900 miles and humped a space donkey? My god, you trolls never stop. Seriously, Armstrong is the one person you cannot fark with.

Nobody is farking with Armstrong but I am sure he would be more honored by a viable manned space program.

NPR-Neil Armstrong Criticizes Obama Space Plan

When the tax payers gave the United Auto Workers $26.5 billion-more than the U.S. spent on all foreign aid programs in 2011 ($20.6 billion). The union collected 50 percent more than NASA's $17.6 billion budget for 2011, more than Missouri's state budget ($23.2 billion), and almost as much as Indiana's state budget ($26.7 billion). The UAW subsidies cost twice as much as Congress spent last year on the Executive Office of the President, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch combined ($12.3 billion); more than the Department of Labor spent on job training programs ($11.0 billion); and almost as much as the cost of keeping federally funded extended unemployment insurance benefits in place in 2012 ($30.1 billion).

GranoblasticMan: FTA Armstrong-class AGOR ships

can has one named after movie scientist actor guy?

Mad-n-FL: I vote for the USS Mr. Gorsky to be the first ship of the Armstrong line.

Seconded.

i upped my meds-up yours: expobill: "Armstrong my ass, his hand shake resembled a dead fish!"
source: some quote i read in the 80's

I met ex-President Reagan in a receiving line and can say the same for him. Of course he was past 80 by then. Still, it's kinda CSB to be dressed in black tie and say, "Nice to meet you Mr. President" to an actual ex-President.

Why wasn't he "Mister Ex-President"?

Brought to you by the logic of "why does no one ever call Obama half-white?"

Anyway, kudos to the new science-y boat.

This is just a guess....but the AGOR 28 will probably not go to Gus Grissom

So that whole HGH/Steroids thing means nothing to the Navy?

Spade: johnryan51: Should change the rules and name a carrier after him

What rules?

Seriously, there are no rules. There are traditions. Rather, there were traditions, but the past few SECNAVs have taken those traditions and thrown them into a fire. With Mabus being the worst. It started going downhill when they stopped naming carriers after awesome ships like Constellation, Ranger, Saratoga, Intrepid, and Hornet (don't give me that F/A-18 bullshiat), and started naming them for whomever managed to score the Navy funding. In the '90s it just got worse and then we went full retard. Seriously, Ford (not elected), Johnson (yes, don't name a DDG after a MoH holder, name it after the guy who farked up Vietnam and had a bullshiat medal), and Chafez (hated the Navy).

You forgot this one:

This makes sense. The moon landing was filmed in a sound stage at the bottom of the sea. That's how they got the low gravity to look so realistic.

Dude played a mean horn and I'm happy for him I guess, but I don't see how he should have war ships named after him.

hasty ambush: You forgot this one:

they named a naval vessel after a former marine, what the hell were they thinking?

jayphat
Better than being named after congressman/senators that never served a single day in the military, that's for sure.

This can't be repeated enough. Any Armstrong in this thread would be a better choice.

czetie: This is cool and all, but I have to ask: why is oceanography under the department of the Navy? Is it because it is (used to be) a cover for intelligence gathering? Or simply that the military has buttloads of money and science doesn't?

I'm gonna' go out on a limb and say that oceanography has something to do with oceans, and that navies tend to know a thing or two about them.

/the money doesn't hurt either.

wingnut396: I am a glorious class of boats!!

[onereadleaf.files.wordpress.com image 701x335]

Yes, the boat will have sparkles all over it as it flexes its powerful muscles doing hardcore research.

dervish16108: Armstrong got a class of small scientific research ships named after him? Shouldn't he have a class of frigates with a lot of guns, or an aircraft carrier that can hold at least 300 fighters?

Nah. This is better. It should only be the first thing named after him. First Moonbase. First ship to Mars. And yes, the USS Gus Grissom should be next.

netcentric: 14mph huh....


Oceanography must be teh suk

Well, yeah...unless you like being outdoors and near/on the water. Oh, and chicks...oceanography, marine biology, all that stuff draws in the girls. My marine biology class was loaded with girls.

loonatic112358: hasty ambush: You forgot this one:

they named a naval vessel after a former marine, what the hell were they thinking?

They named it after a crooked politician who called Marines murders.

Archie Goodwin: czetie: This is cool and all, but I have to ask: why is oceanography under the department of the Navy? Is it because it is (used to be) a cover for intelligence gathering? Or simply that the military has buttloads of money and science doesn't?

I'm gonna' go out on a limb and say that oceanography has something to do with oceans, and that navies tend to know a thing or two about them.

/the money doesn't hurt either.

Why would a Navy need to know thing about tides, currents, temperature, ocean foor topography etc, etc, etc ,None of that would affect a military operation would it?

dready zim: They named a class of ships neil?

Take one of the guns off and strip out the engine and you could call this a Neil.
 

/If that whole thing about warp drive turns out true, the first ship equipped with it should be called the Armstrong.

Glockenspiel Hero: johnryan51: Should change the rules and name a carrier after him

Actually, I like this better than a carrier. Yes, they aren't massive death dealing machines- they're ~45 person research ships, designed to work quietly to learn more about the oceans. Given Neil's personality, I think he'd approve.

This. Short of a long-range spacecraft, I can't think of a better ship to classify with his name.

/Hell, all the Apollo astronauts should be in the running for a spacecraft class

So, who's going to tell him?

Navy dropped the ball on this one. He should have a carrier named after him. How about renaming the George H.W. Bush.

Ironic... Naming a warship after an explorer while the space program dies.

TaxiDriver: Navy dropped the ball on this one. He should have a carrier named after him. How about renaming the George H.W. Bush.

Yes, the president who looked at his campaign promises and looked at what his country needed and took the latter option doesn't deserve any praise. He's of the best presidents since Eisenhower

zorlack7: Ironic... Naming a warship science vessel after an explorer while the space program dies.

Fixed for a "This".
I would have tried to name one of the new commercial spaceships after him at least. It would seem more relevant.

/We're still calling the X-37 the "ex-tharty-seven" for crying out loud.
/Then theres the CST-100, which doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.
/Dreamchaser is another one that probably should be changed. Not exactly a manly name.

Somebody should send the brown shirts to that news outfit. This is a feel good story about a true American hero and obama's name wasn't mentioned and given any credit at all. ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS and a majority of journalists nationwide are trying so desperately to gloss over, spin, hide and deny obama's failures so they can show their love and support and this would've gotten the child king some free press.

trappedspirit: Are they going to do anything for that monkey they shot out of the atmosphere?

They named the 40th POTUS after him

It's not like he put the moon there, or built the rocket-ship or even had anything to do with construction of the conning tower. In other words he didn't build that, so why should he be honored just for taking a ride and doing what he was told to do?

^/judges?

.
They should name all the ships in the Armstrong class after men who have walked on the moon.

In TFA, the picture on the right-hand side at the top is supposed to be "Related".

I was in the Navy for ten years and never saw a ship that looked like that.

Looks more like a blue table.

Does not look seaworthy.

//God Bless Neil Armstrong.

Farking Canuck: .
They should name all the ships in the Armstrong class after men who have walked on the moon.

That's not a whole lot of room for building more ships, if they want to. "This one's the Neil, that's the Buzz, that's the Neil. Next up is the Alan, then another Neil..."

Rich Cream 2012-09-26 11:07:17 AM

/judges?

The Russian judge has sneeringly given you a 0/10, the American judge has given you a 0/10 with F*CK YOU!! scrawled in greasy brown crayon, the Canadian judge has given you the finger and a 0/10, the Danish judge is wearing an ARE YOU SH*TTING ME? look on his face and has covered the placard in an enraged scribble, the French judge has given you a 0/10 written in elegant script in a shade of vomit green, the Ecuadorian judge has given you a 0/10 and is sliding out of his chair with hysterical laughter, the Estonian judge has doodled a very artistic dog butt on his placard and inked a 0/10 over it, and...and the Finnish judge's eye is twitching something really fierce and he's...unpacking a rifle.

I May Be Crazy But...: Farking Canuck: .
They should name all the ships in the Armstrong class after men who have walked on the moon.

That's not a whole lot of room for building more ships, if they want to. "This one's the Neil, that's the Buzz, that's the Neil. Next up is the Alan, then another Neil..."

I May Be Crazy But...: Farking Canuck: .
They should name all the ships in the Armstrong class after men who have walked on the moon.

That's not a whole lot of room for building more ships, if they want to. "This one's the Neil, that's the Buzz, that's the Neil. Next up is the Alan, then another Neil..."

How many ships of this class are they going to build?

There are twelve men who walked on the moon: Link

If they run out they can go on to men who have seen the far side of the moon and then on to men and women who have been in space.

Farking Canuck: I May Be Crazy But...: Farking Canuck: .
They should name all the ships in the Armstrong class after men who have walked on the moon.

That's not a whole lot of room for building more ships, if they want to. "This one's the Neil, that's the Buzz, that's the Neil. Next up is the Alan, then another Neil..."

How many ships of this class are they going to build?

There are twelve men who walked on the moon: Link

If they run out they can go on to men who have seen the far side of the moon and then on to men and women who have been in space.

I have no idea how many they want to build. 12 seems low if they're going to put in the investment of designing the thing, but what do I know? Anyway, I was just looking for a way to say that stupid joke.

I'm sure these ships have guns that will send targets *POW* to the Moon, Alice.

/one of these days, Alice...

Kittypie070: Rich Cream 2012-09-26 11:07:17 AM

/judges?

The Russian judge has sneeringly given you a 0/10, the American judge has given you a 0/10 with F*CK YOU!! scrawled in greasy brown crayon, the Canadian judge has given you the finger and a 0/10, the Danish judge is wearing an ARE YOU SH*TTING ME? look on his face and has covered the placard in an enraged scribble, the French judge has given you a 0/10 written in elegant script in a shade of vomit green, the Ecuadorian judge has given you a 0/10 and is sliding out of his chair with hysterical laughter, the Estonian judge has doodled a very artistic dog butt on his placard and inked a 0/10 over it, and...and the Finnish judge's eye is twitching something really fierce and he's...unpacking a rifle.

Sounds quite successful.

Foundling 2012-09-26 11:32:28 AM

In TFA, the picture on the right-hand side at the top is supposed to be "Related".

I was in the Navy for ten years and never saw a ship that looked like that.

Looks more like a blue table.

Does not look seaworthy.

//God Bless Neil Armstrong.

Dude, it's not a table. Did you LOLwhoops! miss the caption under the pic?

Official U.S. Navy file photo of Dr. Susan K. Avery, president and director of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, welding the keel at an authentication of the Research Vessel Neil Armstrong (AGOR 27) and dedication of the Neil Armstrong-class Research Vessel AGOR 28 on Aug. 17, 2012. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced Sept. 24 that this class of AGOR would bear the name of the first man to set foot on the moon, and Navy Veteran Neil Armstrong. AGOR ships are modern oceanographic research platforms capable of satisfying a wide range of research activities in oceanographic research. The ships will join the U.S. Academic research fleet, supporting critical naval research throughout the world's oceans. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joan E. Jennings/Released)

LMAO Rich Cream!

UnspokenVoice: How is the space program dieing? You know that isn't accurate,

I wouldn't say its dying so much as its been hobbling along in the shadow of Apollo.
The "Space Bus" was a programmatic boondoggle that met the needs of politicians more than any objective in space. Because what we haven't had for the last four decades is leadership. What we've gotten from the politicos are a meandering series of vague desires, but no goals.
The public thinks that government is working to solve alot more problems than it is.

/We choose not to go to the moon or do the other things because we've been there before.
/Instead lets go commercial on a government built rocket to an asteroid if it happens to be at L2.
/The only thing we're sure to do is spend lots of money in specific states.

theresnothinglft: Ok, not to be picky or annoyed here but we should have been naming a moon base after him by now.

Lake Armstrong

I think that if they want to honor him, name a new space vehicle after him, not a new ship.

PsyLord: dready zim: They named a class of ships neil?

That's O'Neill with two LL's.

[images4.wikia.nocookie.net image 779x239]

like minds.

I am okay with this. Tis a fitting tribute to the man.

I May Be Crazy But...: Farking Canuck: .
They should name all the ships in the Armstrong class after men who have walked on the moon.

That's not a whole lot of room for building more ships, if they want to. "This one's the Neil, that's the Buzz, that's the Neil. Next up is the Alan, then another Neil..."

There already is an Alan Shepard:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Alan_Shepard_(T-AKE-3)

Also, there is a Bob Hope. I never thought he was all that funny, but he definitely deserves cool points for all of those USO shows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Bob_Hope_(T-AKR-300)

It's a good sounding name!

slimfast: [i47.tinypic.com image 531x347]

UnspokenVoice: How is the space program dieing? You know that isn't accurate, yes? We put men on the moon, I watched it on television, and we are now working with a very exciting robot on Mars and much more is happening. We're no longer wasting tax dollars on launching a pretty useless space bus (with a very poor service record) and that's a good thing because we can concentrate our efforts on bigger and better things.

Neil Armstrong Criticizes Obama Space Plan NPR Staff and Wires

The first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong, went before a Senate hearing Wednesday afternoon to question President Obama's new vision for the future of human spaceflight.

Armstrong told lawmakers that he worries about the possibility that NASA would lose its edge in spaceflight, if it spent years without its own way of flying astronauts.

"If the leadership we have acquired through our investment is simply allowed to fade away, other nations will surely step in where we have faltered," said the Apollo 11 commander. "I do not believe that this would be in our best interests."

kevinfra: I May Be Crazy But...: Farking Canuck: .
They should name all the ships in the Armstrong class after men who have walked on the moon.

That's not a whole lot of room for building more ships, if they want to. "This one's the Neil, that's the Buzz, that's the Neil. Next up is the Alan, then another Neil..."

There already is an Alan Shepard:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Alan_Shepard_(T-AKE-3)

Also, there is a Bob Hope. I never thought he was all that funny, but he definitely deserves cool points for all of those USO shows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Bob_Hope_(T-AKR-300)

They really need to name a ship after Don Ho.

bhcompy: TaxiDriver: Navy dropped the ball on this one. He should have a carrier named after him. How about renaming the George H.W. Bush.

Yes, the president who looked at his campaign promises and looked at what his country needed and took the latter option doesn't deserve any praise. He's of the best presidents since Eisenhower

I'd take the George H.W. Bush and rename it Intrepid. CVN's and other ships shouldn't be named after elected officials except, maybe, Kennedy. All that shiat has done is turn it into a partisan game via whatever SECNAV is in charge.

loonatic112358: hasty ambush: You forgot this one:

they named a naval vessel after a former marine, what the hell were they thinking?

Why is John Murtha a better choice than Robert Jenkins? Answer: One was a crooked Democratic politician and nobody had slapped a D politician's name on the ass end of a ship lately. The other is just some guy who smothered a grenade.

May not be a tall ship , but still should have a Moonraker...

hasty ambush: Archie Goodwin: czetie: This is cool and all, but I have to ask: why is oceanography under the department of the Navy? Is it because it is (used to be) a cover for intelligence gathering? Or simply that the military has buttloads of money and science doesn't?

I'm gonna' go out on a limb and say that oceanography has something to do with oceans, and that navies tend to know a thing or two about them.

/the money doesn't hurt either.

Why would a Navy need to know thing about tides, currents, temperature, ocean foor topography etc, etc, etc ,None of that would affect a military operation would it?

I know it's a late reply, but

as for temperatures, submarines can use them to hide from sonar and tides could be useful in planning an ampibious assault on a beach somewhere, just to name two.

/ex Royal Australian Navy

Archie Goodwin: /ex Royal Australian Navy

What do Royal Australian Navy people think about Mic Brumby from JAG?

Kittypie070: All of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea -- whether it is to sail or to watch it -- we are going back from whence we came.

-- John F. Kennedy

Reminds me of White Pearl, Black Oceans

I hereby, commit my body to the deep
To return to the corruption
Looking for the resurrection of the body
When the sea shall give up her dead
And the life of the road to come through our Lord
Amen

SFSailor: "Am I the only one who thinks Michael Collins might deserve the Biggest Titanium Balls award for that crew, if not Of All Time?

Not to diminish any of their bravery, but, I mean, the dude had to sit in the capsule by himself, at times out of radio contact with any other human being, the farthest human being from the surface of the earth, ever. Unsure of whether his fellow crewmen would be able to return to orbit -- would he have to orbit their landing site and listen as they died? Unsure if his capsule would make it back to earth -- would the three of them make it? Would he have to try to make it by himself?

With plenty of time just to sit up there and think about it.

I mean, yeah, stepping out of the lander on to the SURFACE OF THE MOON is *AWESOME*... but those two guys were guaranteed immortality and fame (if they wanted it). I bet if you asked a random sample of people, there'd be at least a few who didn't know there was a third crewman (and maybe some who didn't even know there was a second)... but I bet the vast majority couldn't even come up with his name."


"I'm with you L.E.M.
Though it's a shame that it had to be you.
The mother ship is just a blip from your trip made for two.
I'm with you boys, so please employ just a little extra care.
It's on my mind, I'm left behind when I should have been there.
Walking with you..."

Jethro Tull, "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me"