The Navy announced Monday it will name a pair of future vessels after two previous commanders in chief.
During a private White House ceremony Jan. 3, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro introduced two future Gerald R. Ford-class of aircraft carriers that will bear the names USS William J. Clinton and USS George W. Bush, after the 42nd and 43rd U.S. presidents.
“Their legacies will endure through these aircraft carriers, which serve as formidable platforms dedicated to safeguarding our national security and strengthening our resolve to protect this nation against any who would threaten our freedoms and way of life,“ Del Toro said in a press release.
The ships will be the fifth and sixth of the Navy’s new Ford-class carriers. The USS Gerald R. Ford is the only ship currently in operation, while three others are under construction: the USS John F. Kennedy, USS Enterprise and USS Doris Miller.
While announcing the names of the newest carriers, Del Toro commended the national security records of Clinton and Bush.
Clinton served in the Oval Office for two terms from 1993 to 2001 and led several military operations with zero combat casualties, including Operation Uphold Democracy in 1994, Operation Deliberate Force in 1995 and Operation Allied Force in 1999, according to the release.
Clinton also ordered a U.S. Navy cruise missile strike against Iraqi intelligence headquarters in 1993 after a reported Iraqi assassination attempt against his predecessor, former President George H.W. Bush.
Clinton expressed gratitude for the honor and praised the service, saying America’s precious freedoms were “anchored by a strong, modern and agile Navy.”
Former President George W. Bush is remembered for his response to the devastating al-Qaida terrorist attacks against the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001, which killed 2,977 people. He spearheaded Operation Enduring Freedom and banded 25 NATO partners and 17 nations together in an attempt to target and destroy terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. He created the Department of Homeland Security, signed the U.S. Patriot Act and executed Operation Iraqi Freedom, which ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and ended a rule that lasted from 1979 to 2003.
“I have a special admiration for the men and women of our Navy – including my dad – and ask God to watch over this ship and those who sail aboard her,” Bush said in the release.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III commended the recent carrier naming, stating the future carriers, like their namesakes, would safeguard national security and inspire others to serve America.
The Navy also announced Jan. 10 that a future amphibious transport dock in San Antonio will be named after fallen Marine and Silver Star recipient 1st Lt. Travis Manion, who died in 2007 while rescuing two wounded Marines.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
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