U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and several veterans' groups are lobbying to convince the U.S. Navy to name its newest submarine after Montana.
The sub, currently designated SSN-791, is the last of eight Virginia-class fast attack nuclear submarines scheduled to be delivered in 2019.
In a letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Tester notes that Montana is the only state that has never had a Naval vessel named in its honor.
He says the state's "land-locked status" shouldn't prevent it from having a ship named after it, especially since there have been three ships named after Colorado and three named after South Dakota - fellow land-locked states.
In a press release, Tester says: "Entering the Union in 1889, Montana's citizens have served their country with pride, and thousands have proudly served in the Navy and Marine Corps. Naming this submarine the USS Montana would be an honor for the people of Montana and would pay tribute to the men and women who have served and given their lives."
Efforts to name ships after Montana in the past haven't had much success.
A ship was christened the USS Montana in 1906, only to be renamed later.
During World War II, the keel was laid for the USS Montana, which was to be the first of a massive new class of battleships larger than the Iowa- class ships such as the USS Missouri. But the project was scrapped in favor of more aircraft carriers after the decisive Battle of Midway.
The effort to name the ship is being supported by the Montana VFW, The American Legion of Montana and the Montana Department of the Disabled American Veterans
The sub, currently designated SSN-791, is the last of eight Virginia-class fast attack nuclear submarines scheduled to be delivered in 2019.In a letter to Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Tester notes that Montana is the only state that has never had a Naval vessel named in its honor.
He says the state's "land-locked status" shouldn't prevent it from having a ship named after it, especially since there have been three ships named after Colorado and three named after South Dakota - fellow land-locked states.
In a press release, Tester says: "Entering the Union in 1889, Montana's citizens have served their country with pride, and thousands have proudly served in the Navy and Marine Corps. Naming this submarine the USS Montana would be an honor for the people of Montana and would pay tribute to the men and women who have served and given their lives."
Efforts to name ships after Montana in the past haven't had much success.
A ship was christened the USS Montana in 1906, only to be renamed later.
During World War II, the keel was laid for the USS Montana, which was to be the first of a massive new class of battleships larger than the Iowa- class ships such as the USS Missouri. But the project was scrapped in favor of more aircraft carriers after the decisive Battle of Midway.
The effort to name the ship is being supported by the Montana VFW, The American Legion of Montana and the Montana Department of the Disabled American Veterans
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