SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Famous battles and famous ships. I can appreciate CV 42 being named for FDR but with that said, Famous battles and famous ships. I prefer famous ships.
Ship and aircraft build time
- Thread starter Thorlifter
- Start date
The name Coral Sea was applied to three carriers laid down in WW2.
1. CVE-57 of the Casablanca class was laid down Dec 1942 and named Alikula Bay in Jan 1943. Most of the early ACV/CVE were named after pieces of water around the USA. On 3rd April 1943, one month before her launch, she was renamed Coral Sea in recognition of the famous 1942 battle. She was one of 9 Casablanca class ACV/CVE renamed for battles that day. Then on 15th Sept 1944 Coral Sea was renamed Anzio while under refit on the West Coast, to free up the name Coral Sea for CVB-42.
2. CVB-42 was christened Coral Sea on 29th April 1945 and floated out of her building dock. She was renamed Franklin D Roosevelt on 8th May 1945, nearly a month after FDR's death, and commissioned under that name on 27th Oct 1945. She became the first US carrier to be named after a political figure.
3. CVB-43 was laid down on 10th July 1944 and does not seem to have been allocated any name at that point. Following the renaming of CVB-42 in May 1945 and prior to her christening in April 1946, the name Coral Sea was transferred to her.
The three Midway class were built in dry docks, christened and floated out, rather than being launched down slipways in a traditional manner.
The name Midway was first applied to an freighter acquired by the USN and commissioned as AG-41 Midway on 10th April 1942. She was named for the atoll, not the battle for obvious reasons. She was renamed Panay on 3rd April 1943, freeing the name for CVE-63.
CVE-63 was originally to have been named Chapin Bay. Her name was changed on 3rd April 1943, becoming Midway. Then on 10th Oct 1944 she was renamed St Lo thus freeing the Midway name for CVB-41 which had been laid down 27th Oct 1943.
It has always struck me as odd that the Midway class didn't gain names until their build was well advanced. And then it meant renaming other ships to free up their names.
1. CVE-57 of the Casablanca class was laid down Dec 1942 and named Alikula Bay in Jan 1943. Most of the early ACV/CVE were named after pieces of water around the USA. On 3rd April 1943, one month before her launch, she was renamed Coral Sea in recognition of the famous 1942 battle. She was one of 9 Casablanca class ACV/CVE renamed for battles that day. Then on 15th Sept 1944 Coral Sea was renamed Anzio while under refit on the West Coast, to free up the name Coral Sea for CVB-42.
2. CVB-42 was christened Coral Sea on 29th April 1945 and floated out of her building dock. She was renamed Franklin D Roosevelt on 8th May 1945, nearly a month after FDR's death, and commissioned under that name on 27th Oct 1945. She became the first US carrier to be named after a political figure.
3. CVB-43 was laid down on 10th July 1944 and does not seem to have been allocated any name at that point. Following the renaming of CVB-42 in May 1945 and prior to her christening in April 1946, the name Coral Sea was transferred to her.
The three Midway class were built in dry docks, christened and floated out, rather than being launched down slipways in a traditional manner.
The name Midway was first applied to an freighter acquired by the USN and commissioned as AG-41 Midway on 10th April 1942. She was named for the atoll, not the battle for obvious reasons. She was renamed Panay on 3rd April 1943, freeing the name for CVE-63.
CVE-63 was originally to have been named Chapin Bay. Her name was changed on 3rd April 1943, becoming Midway. Then on 10th Oct 1944 she was renamed St Lo thus freeing the Midway name for CVB-41 which had been laid down 27th Oct 1943.
It has always struck me as odd that the Midway class didn't gain names until their build was well advanced. And then it meant renaming other ships to free up their names.
Admiral Beez
Major
The Brits always did that well, with battleships and ships of the line thus named (usually after a French defeat) Agincourt, Blenheim, Ramillies, Barfleur, Trafalgar, Nile, Camperdown, Waterloo, Quebec, Culloden and St Vincent. Interestingly, of the approximately eighty fleet, light and escort carriers operated by the Royal Navy, none was named after a battle.
Conversely, while royalty have ships named after them (HMS King George V, King Edward VII, Queen Elizabeth, Prince of Wales, Duke of York, etc), it very rare for the Royal Navy to name a vessel after a politician who had no meaningful military or naval career. HMS Pitt is one rare example. So, I don't think we'll ever see a HMS Blair or Thatcher.
I wonder if the Admiralty would have made an exception for HMS Churchill had the later Prime Minister not previously served with the Queen's Own Hussars from 1895, where he fought in India, Sudan and South Africa, including the cavalry charge at Omdurman, and latterly on the Western Front during WWI where (after the Gallipoli disaster) he commanded a Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, leading 40 dangerous patrols into no-man's-land.
I expect not.
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GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
The USN's carrier naming convention had an interesting start. The USS Langley (CV-1) was named after an American aviation pioneer (Samuel Langley) but the conversion of the Lexington class battlecruisers into carriers spawned the initial battle victory naming convention.
Admiral Beez
Major
It's interesting that the USN named two fleet carriers after insects, USS Wasp (CV-7 and CV-18, plus LHD-1) and Hornet (CV-8 and CV-12). Their Royal Navy namesakes were of much slighter stature, with HMS Wasp and Hornet being mostly gunboats and destroyers.
Both Wasp and Hornet were names associated with USN warships going back to the 1775. CV-7 & 8 were named to commemorate those earlier vessels. CV-4 Ranger, CV-6 Enterprise, CV-9 Essex, CV-10 originally named Bon Homme Richard renamed Yorktown, CV-11 Intrepid, CV-13 Franklin, CV-15 Randolph and others were named for earlier USN vessels without a direct connection to battles. See Navsource & DANFS.
Wasp CV-7 &18 were the 8th and 9th USN vessels to bear the name. All the preceding vessels were much smaller, like sloops, gunboats & armed yachts.
Hornet CV-8 & 12 were the 7th & 8th USN ships to bear the name. Again the holders were much lesser vessels.
CV-12 was originally to have been named Kearsarge but was renamed after being laid down and following the loss of CV-8 in Oct 1942.
CV-18 was laid down as the Oriskany but was renamed in Sept 1942 following the loss of CV-7 the previous month.
It gets confusing to look at USN ship orders being notified to FDR in 1941 to see ship's names being used that were subsequently changed and the name then re-used later. For example Bon Homme Richard, Cabot, Kearsarge, Oriskany.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
Sadly, no Boaty McBoatface.
Admiral Beez
Major
No, but there is MV Gay Viking, Cockchafer, Spanker, Tickler, Flirt, Frolic, ending of course with HMS Zenith.
Dear oh dear oh dear!
In the 1950s the RN built a new class of 12 fast patrol boats (aka MTB/MGB) with names prefixed by "Gay". Back in those days the word didn't carry quite the same connotations it does now.
Cockchafer, Spanker, Tickler, Frolic & Flirt have all been traditional RN names used multiple times going back to the 18th & 19th centuries.
Not sure why you chose to end with Zenith when alphabetically there are at least 9 after that with the last I can find being HMS Zylpha (which was a new one on me).
Admiral Beez
Major
You always want to end on a Zenith. Unless USS Climax is available. I'll see myself out....
One vote for keeping it USS Doris Miller!
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Admiral Beez
Major
Even if with a GOP win in 2028 it takes a year or more to clear out the maga sycophants, commissioning of CV-81 isn't expected until at least 2034. By then POTUS49 (or 48 if reelected) will be in power for nearly five years since the orange was squeezed out. My hope for my American cousins is that they're done with the Boomer presidents. Get some young blood in there.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
Getting way too political...
