I didn't have ANY colored glasses on when I went in. And FWIW, I sailed on all those brand new Spruance Class Destroyers that were being built DURING his presidency. But the checks where written for them long before he got into office.
They also named a carrier after Reagan and Bush...so the point is? (that they name ships after Presidents)
I already checked.
You can attribute any new ship launched in Reagan's first four years or so to Carter then. I tried to get that across when I listed the TR. Sure the Navy named ships after Bush Sr & Reagan- they liked them too, you're restating my argument.
Not a fan, just a... person who has a particular interest in naval history & the cold war who thinks political philosophies only serve to cheapen a point.
I merely outlined the course of events that I saw while there. I don't think I specifically stated that Carter was the reason for the hate (you made that inference) or lack of fuel, just that was the situation when I went in under his Presidency, as a contrast to what happened AFTER Reagan took over.
Well, that's unfortunate if that did happen to you. Though I'd suggest you look to the DoD & Pentagon for screw ups in getting fuel to the right place at the right time.
Face it, Carter was TALK, Reagan backed up his talk with action.
If you look at the record he didn't really back anything up more or less then Carter did. If Reagan had backed up even half of his rhetoric (to make the people at home happy) we'd probably all be dead. Reagan figured things out towards the end and started to talk, helping to hasten the end of the cold war.
And just so you know, the 600 ship Navy existed during the Vietnam War. It was cut during the Carter administration (despite all the new launchings) and it was Reagan's goal to rebuild BACK to the 600 ship Navy, which was again DRASTICALLY cut by Clinton only to be rebuilt by Bush Sr. I don't hate Clinton FWIW and I am not a Bush fan (either Sr or Jr). So no glasses on there either...sorry
Then you've got things a little cross wired in your head. The Navy may have had 600 ships during Vietnam (not 100% sure on that, sources are needed), but guess what, it was a full blown shooting war, not peacetime. It was the Johnson & Nixon administrations that, even during the height of the conflict, began to retire ships at a far greater pace then they were being built. Right or wrong everyone from the time could take credit.
Reagan built up the Navy by recommissioning ships, building new ones & keeping ships in service longer. All of which was fantastically expensive. So with the Cold War ended and a massive Defense Department budget guess who started trimming down the size of the Navy? GH Bush. All those fantastic and expensive ships were no longer needed. It wasn't popular but Bush knew what he had to do. Clinton had to continue the cuts to balance the budget, but Clinton's Navy was newer, with better ships with greater reach and lethality. 12 carrier battlegroups instead of 15.
Oh...and here is a fun fact... ALL those Spruance class destroyers built in the 70's and 80's are sitting on the bottom of the ocean already. Part of the Clinton reduction plan (let's make happy places for fish)
Sorry your favorite class of ship is gone. You'll be pleased to note that the last 22
Spruance DDs were decommissioned during or after 2001.
But never fear, 27 of the newer and far more powerful
Arleigh Burke Class were commissioned with Clinton in office. You'll also perhaps be pleased to note that the same number of
Nimitz Class CVNs were ordered during the Bush Jr & Clinton administrations, so maybe they'll name something after both of them.
Oh..and here is a pic of the USS William Jefferson Clinton (Carter got off easy)
USS
Hayler sunk during a live fire exercise November 13, 2004.
)
Must have been that she would never accept food stamps or goobermint help raising me that somehow crept into my psyche.
