USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma will sail once again…as subs!

[CarlS]

The names are an homage to the “heroes of the greatest generation” who died on the famed Pearl Harbor battleships.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly recently announced that two new Virginia-class attack submarines will be named after the USS Arizona and the USS Oklahoma, which were hit during the infamous Pearl Harbor attack.

"The move brings back into service the hallowed ship names 78 years after both were badly damaged in the surprise Japanese attack of Dec. 7, 1941. Most of the Navy casualties that day came from losses on the two ships.

The two new subs will begin to usher in an era of greater firepower for the Virginia class, which has a key role in checking China’s power in the Western Pacific.
“I am honored and humbled to name the next two Virginia-class nuclear fast-attack submarines to be built as the USS Oklahoma (SSN-802) and the USS Arizona (SSN-803),” Modly said in a release. “It is my fondest wish that the citizens of the great states of Arizona and Oklahoma will understand and celebrate our Navy’s desire to memorialize the 1,177 heroes who perished in USS Arizona (BB-39) and the 429 more in USS Oklahoma (BB-37) in Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941.”

The USS Arizona was one of four battleships that sank as a result of the Japanese attack. The USS Oklahoma capsized and was eventually salvaged for parts and weapons.

 

[DaveM]

Was there not something about it being bad luck to name a vessel the same as one that has already been sunk

 

[CarlS]

Was there not something about it being bad luck to name a vessel the same as one that has already been sunk

Not being Navy oriented, I don't know. But I am not the least bit superstitious.

 

[Rocky]

Not being Navy oriented, I don't know. But I am not the least bit superstitious.

I agree about superstitions, ghosts, connecting with the dead, all pure nonsense.

 

[CarlS]

Here is some more history of the Oklahoma.

While the USS Arizona is an iconic memorial, the salvage of the USS Oklahoma is interesting for its scale and difficulty.

"Since returning this elderly and very badly damaged warship to active service was not seriously contemplated, the major part of the project only began in mid-1942, after more immediately important salvage jobs were completed. Its purpose was mainly to clear an important mooring berth for further use, and only secondarily to recover some of Oklahoma’s weapons and equipment.
The first task was turning Oklahoma upright. During the latter part of 1942 and early 1943, an extensive system of righting frames (or “bents”) and cable anchors was installed on the ship’s hull, twenty-one large winches were firmly mounted on nearby Ford Island, and cables were rigged between ship and shore. Fuel oil, ammunition and some machinery were removed to lighten the ship. Divers worked in and around her to make the hull as airtight as possible. Coral fill was placed alongside her bow to ensure that the ship would roll, and not slide, when pulling began. The actual righting operation began on 8 March and continued until mid-June, with rerigging of cables taking place as necessary as the ship turned over.
To ensure that the ship remained upright, the cables were left in place during the refloating phase of the operation. Oklahoma’s port side had been largely torn open by Japanese torpedos, and a series of patches had to be installed. This involved much work by divers and other working personnel, as did efforts to cut away wreckage, close internal and external fittings, remove stores and the bodies of those killed on 7 December 1941. The ship came afloat in early November 1943, and was drydocked in late December, after nearly two more months of work.

The Oklahoma was eventually sold to a scrapping firm in 1946, but it sank in a storm while under tow from Hawaii to the west coast in May 1947.

 

[Greyfell]

Superstitions about the names of vessels
• A vessel named after one that has sunk (Titanic, Andrea Doria, Edmund Fitzgerald, etc.), or after a storm (Hurricane, Gale, Cyclone, etc.), or a fearsome creature of the deep ((Kraken, Octopus, Serpent,, etc.), or a cataclysm (Quake, Eruption, Big Bang,, etc.), or an evil character ((Judas, Brutus, Pilate,, etc.) Reference #1

This act (of 1891) stated that “all of the ships, of the Navy of the United States, now building, or hereafter to be built, shall be named by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President of the United States, according to the following rule, to wit: those of the first class shall be called after the States of this Union; those of the second class after the rivers; and those of the third class after the principal cities and towns; taking care that no two vessels of the navy shall bear the same name.” Reference #2 This one has more good information.

Submarines seem to be considered a different class of vessel, and are often called boats rather than ships. Also, there have been NO battleships built since WW2. So, some might consider subs the new first class vessel. There has also been some overlap with surface ships and below-the-surface vessels. On top of all of this, the Secretary of the Navy is not always a career Navy man, so, along with the Navy showing less reliance on superstitions, the Secretary would be less connected to superstitions. Reference #3 This has more history than #2.

 

[CarlS]

Excellent research, Stephen. Thank you. In response to DaveM's post, I found the following quote in the notes you listed that answers his concern.

"Ships lost in wartime were normally honored by having their names reassigned to new construction. Names like Lexington, Yorktown, Atlanta, Houston, Triton, and Shark were perpetuated in memory of lost ships and gallant crews."

Thus naming the new subs after the Arizona and Oklahoma is in keeping with Navy precedent.

 

[Qship]

There is a new USS Enterprise aircraft carrier(CVN 80) being built but will not be in service 'til 2027. Although the old namesake was not sunk during WWII. So I guess they do reuse names for whatever reason. I assume to honor those that served before would be the logical reason.

 

[Rocky]

I sometimes watch those TV documentaries on how they build cruise ships, aircraft carriers, etc., and it boggles the mind how the shipyards do it.
First comes the design, then blueprints, and then the actual fabrication. It's way beyond my feeble brain

 

[Greyfell]

There is a new USS Enterprise aircraft carrier(CVN 80) being built but will not be in service 'til 2027. Although the old namesake was not sunk during WWII. So I guess they do reuse names for whatever reason. I assume to honor those that served before would be the logical reason.

There has been an Enterprise since the sailing ship days, and none have ever been sunk. So, it seems, they carry on the name by building a new ship and passing on the name.

 

[Qship]

There has been an Enterprise since the sailing ship days, and none have ever been sunk. So, it seems, they carry on the name by building a new ship and passing on the name.

Works in Star Trek too.

 

[Rocky]

Works in Star Trek too.

 

[Greyfell]

Works in Star Trek too.

I wondered if anyone would pick up on that, and mention it.

 

[CarlS]

Works in Star Trek too.