OT: USS Jimmy Carter

[August]

Originally Posted by Capn Tucker

J.C. was completely naive about foreign policy, and the worst possible choice to deal with the likes of Leonid Breszhnev and the Ayatollah Khomeini, but probably was one of the most honest presidents we had. His main saving grace was being a sub sailor, and he was instrumental in pulling the strings to have the east coast Trident sub base put at Kings Bay, Georgia.
It was great to spend over half my naval career at a base less than 40 miles from my hometown. For that I'll always be greatful to Mr. C, despite his presidential failings...

He was also responsible for the building of a bunch of fast transports (over Navy objections) which 12 years later allowed our heavy forces to deploy to Desert Shield in weeks rather than months.

People like to badmouth Carter for his failings but when the truth be told, post Vietnam US was so messed up that a lesser man could have done much, much worse. Carter, if nothing else, showed the country that an honorable man could still get elected to the office of the Presidency. That may not mean much nowadays but in post Watergate era it meant a lot.