What Real Subs have you been on?

scrag · 12-06-07, 01:28 PM

SS, SSN (Pre-LA) where named after sea creatures - i.e. TREPANG is well a type of Sea Slug. SCORPION was shortened from SCOPRION FISH. Originally SSBN's and occasionally some SSN's (L.MENDAL RIVERS, LIPSCOMB) were named after famous people in US History. HG Rickover changed that when he forced (based on money and getting funding) the USN to adopt naming boats after cities and SSBN's after States. The phrase he coined was "Fish Don't Vote". Later we see some exceptions (USS RHODE ISLAND was renamed to USS HENRY M. JACKSON as he was pivotal in helping the TRIDENT program receive funding.) The SEAWOLF is also an exception as the name stuck as well as the "SSN-21" even though sequentially the numbering was dorked up - due to the 21'st Submarine concept. It was needed to inspire guess what funding on a large and capable SSN. We see the class gets mired in politics again with the 22 boat being named after Connecticut and the last boat being named after Jimmy Carter. We are now back to States for SSN's and the correct sequentially numbered boats with the VIRGINIA. IMHO I wish we would save our submarine heritage and go back to Sea Creatures. But with no SSBN on the board to be built it is unlikely that the USN Naming criteria will ever get restored to some semblance of historical perspective. BTW - Brit boats names really rock you got to love AVENGER, ASTUTE, etc.

12-06-07, 01:28 PM	#11
scrag Medic Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Posts: 161 Downloads: 6 Uploads: 0	US Naming Criteria SS, SSN (Pre-LA) where named after sea creatures - i.e. TREPANG is well a type of Sea Slug. SCORPION was shortened from SCOPRION FISH. Originally SSBN's and occasionally some SSN's (L.MENDAL RIVERS, LIPSCOMB) were named after famous people in US History. HG Rickover changed that when he forced (based on money and getting funding) the USN to adopt naming boats after cities and SSBN's after States. The phrase he coined was "Fish Don't Vote". Later we see some exceptions (USS RHODE ISLAND was renamed to USS HENRY M. JACKSON as he was pivotal in helping the TRIDENT program receive funding.) The SEAWOLF is also an exception as the name stuck as well as the "SSN-21" even though sequentially the numbering was dorked up - due to the 21'st Submarine concept. It was needed to inspire guess what funding on a large and capable SSN. We see the class gets mired in politics again with the 22 boat being named after Connecticut and the last boat being named after Jimmy Carter. We are now back to States for SSN's and the correct sequentially numbered boats with the VIRGINIA. IMHO I wish we would save our submarine heritage and go back to Sea Creatures. But with no SSBN on the board to be built it is unlikely that the USN Naming criteria will ever get restored to some semblance of historical perspective. BTW - Brit boats names really rock you got to love AVENGER, ASTUTE, etc. __________________