I sent a personal letter to Secretary of the Navy, Hon. Ray Mabus (as a LTjg in the photo) today asking him to reconsider his decision to name LPD-26 USS JOHN MURTHA. I am finding it hard to imagine a Sailor being able to take pride in this ship.
I look forward to his response.
Update 09/08/10 - No response from the SECNAV. Unusual. I will have to do an ADTAKE.
Congressional Research Service's Navy Ship Names: Background Paper for the Congress is HERE. Dated 13 April 2010
12 comments:
He is a politician no more no less...do you expect him to change his mind? These guys don't change their minds...it's like asking the CNO to change his mind on DADT...it's not going to happen. Everyone in the Navy could submit a letter and it's wouldn't change a thing. I don't think a letter from a CAPT (Ret) is going to do a thing.
In my letter, I make an appeal to his better self. I think that will make all the difference. Never underestimate the power of the pen. It is mighty.
Doing something to effect change is never a bad thing. Far to many people give up their principles because they believe that "Nothing will change" If that was true we might be still drinking tea and speaking Queens English. I applaud your efforts. Whether I agree or disagree with your viewpoints is irrelevant as you are exercising a right earned through 30 years of service to our country!
Good Luck, I have not found this administration to be a friendly ear unless you are a union member or a socialist
Thank you for doing this.
Of course, I would love to hear all the "unofficial names" if this goes through
Captain Lambert,
Thank you for your response to SECNAV in not wanting a Navy ship to be named for John Murtha who in his last few years brought a great deal of discredit to the military forces of our great country. And he ended up being nothing more than a pork barrel politician.
Is that really the bone fide picture of a Navy LTJG? If so he was not in line with ADM Zumwalt’s allowing facial hair that gives a neat and trimmed appearance.
Very Respectfully,
Navyman834
That Mabus photo is disturbing; may facio-hirsutism be forever banned from acceptable navy grooming practice.
Ray Mabus Says:
April 28th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Thank you all for your comments here. I hope we can learn a lot from each other on this blog and I’m looking forward to talking about the Navy and hearing what you have to say.
I see comments with respect to the decision to name a Navy ship after Congressman Murtha. I understand that some disagree with my decision. However Chairman Murtha served his country his entire adult life – first in the Marine Corps and later in Congress serving the people of Pennsylvania. Few have served with such commitment and I am honored to recognize his service.
THIS IS A REPOST FROM THE SECNAV'S BLOG at http://navylive.dodlive.mil/2010/04/22/secretary-of-the-navy-reflects-on-naval-mission/#comments
The beard...reminds me of most of those grown by the under-25 year-old crowd in the late 1970s.
Murtha served in the Marine Corps in from 1952 to 1955, and again from 1966 to 1967. During the second of these
two periods, he served in the Vietnam War, receiving multiple decorations, including the Bronze Star with a Combat
“V” for valor and two Purple Hearts. He served in the Marine Corps Reserves from 1955 to 1966, and again from 1967
to 1990, retiring as a Colonel. He was the first Vietnam War combat veteran to be elected to the House ofRepresentatives. He served as a Member of the House from February 5, 1974, until his death on February 8, 2010. For
many of his years as a Representative, he was the chairman or ranking member of the Defense subcommittee of the
House Appropriations Committee.
I dislike the convention of naming ships after political figures, including presidents. Its really a nautical vanity plate, doled out as a political perk, and it cheapens the ship from the time of her commissioning. Kind of like giving your newborn daughter a stripper name. Moreover, it feeds the cult of personality in elected officials. Let's name ships after genuine heroes, posthumous CMH winners, men of heroic substance.
My local state representative introduced legislation authorizing state police funeral escort for current and former state legislators, the same honor given to fallen soldiers. Yaaak.
I finally heard from SECNAV. He said
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