CVN-78 is named after Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. (1913–2006), 38th President of the United States of America (1974–1977).
(Read about LCDR Gerald R. Ford, Jr, USNR, biography and WW2 service at the Naval Historical Center website.)
Gerald R. Ford, Jr. became the fourth consecutive President to have served in the US Navy. He was the first vice president in American history to succeed to the nation's highest office because of the resignation of a president, and he was the first person to occupy the White House without being elected either president or vice president. He viewed himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, a conservative in fiscal affairs, and a dyed-in-the-wool internationalist in foreign affairs." Ford acted vigorously to maintain US power and prestige after the collapse of Cambodia and South Vietnam. Preventing a new war in the Middle East remained a major objective. Detente with the Soviet Union continued. On Inauguration Day his successor, President Carter, began his speech: "For myself and for our Nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land."
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The new ship will be something to see, according to the drawings I've seen. Much more impressive a ship than Ford was a President...in my little-qualified opinion, anyway. He was a nice man, a good man...but not exactly a barnburner, personality-wise.
Beautiful ship, anyway.
2 comments:
Wow! A technological marvel! And to think I started my career on a Forrestal Class Ship. Oil fired, evaps for fresh water and no sewage treatment plant.
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