"Don White" wrote in message
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"Eisboch" wrote in message
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Watching the live commissioning ceremonies for the USS George Herbert
Walker Bush CVN 77.

Love the tradition.

Eisboch

What network??

I forgot. I think it was on a couple. The live coverage was cool. They
go through the ceremonial commissioning as an active warship, then announce
"Set the watch, section one". Then a civilian guest (in this case the
elder Bush's daughter), says a few words then issues the order for the
sailers assigned to the new ship (who are all standing at attention on the
dock) to man their stations and "bring the ship alive". All the ships
complement then run in single or double lines down the dock, up the gangway
and take their positions on the ship. From that time on, until it is
de-commissioned, there will always be naval people on watch aboard the ship.
The commissioning crew are known as "plank owners" of the newly commissioned
ship.

They had a typical flyover by some modern Navy fighters, then they surprised
the elder Bush by having a solo, WWII vintage Avenger (the type of airplane
Bush flew in the war) fly over the ship.
You could tell he was both surprised and moved.

Even the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) in Boston harbor still has active
duty sailers standing watch aboard her. She's still an active duty ship in
the US Navy.

Eisboch