Naming a Ship

Naming a Ship

Senior Enlisted Academy

Naming a Ship

Six U.S. Presidents have served in the United States Navy and only one of them does not have a ship named after him. The name of a ship is more important than the ship itself. A ship’s name will set the standard to a crew’s morale, puts fear in our enemies, and can influence how other nations view the United States. This essay will discuss the history of naming a ship, the constant evolution of how a ship gets a name, and how there should be a ship named after the former President Richard Nixon.

History

The United States has a wealthy history for naming ships. Congress named the original six ships in 1794. Congress officially transferred the duty for naming all U.S. Naval ships to the Secretary of the Navy on March 3, 1819, a privilege that is still in effect today (Ship Naming, n.d.). This action declared that all ships of the Navy, while building, or in future builds, would be named by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President of the United States (O'Rourke, R, 2016).

Naming a vessel is the first step in the formal practice that moves a U.S. Naval warship forward into service. The second step is to select a ship's sponsor. The tradition is that this was to be a living woman, usually a civilian-related to the future name of the ship. In today's Navy, the sponsor is technically considered a permanent member of the ship's crew. Nancy Reagan is a terrific example of this tradition for all duties for the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN76). The temperament of her strength and presence will direct a ship throughout its service life, and will bestow fortune and security over both the ship and all those who sail aboard her. The history of naming a ship starts from the formation of our country, and it is constantly evolving to the standards of how ships named today.

Evolution

The evolution of naming a ship began with the classification of a type of ship. The U.S. Navy started with...