I object: Bring Back "The Ranger"!

[Occhidiangela]

See Rhydd's post above, in re the Constitution. "Old Ironsides." Been around since war of 1812, in one shape or another.

If you find that funny, then you don't "get" matters nautical, and you really don't "get" American naval heritage. You have just been very offensive, doubtless without intention.

Old Ironsides

For what it's worth:

July 21, 1977 - The CONSTITUTION sails under her own power, not under tow, for the first time in 116 years. This event is conducted just outside Boston Harbor captained by Commander Michael C. Beck. Six of the ship's sails are used.

July 11, 2000 - "Old Ironsides" leads a "Parade of Sail" with over 120 tall ships into Boston Harbor-as part of "Sail Boston 2000" festivities.

As I recall, the Blue Angels flight demonstration team flew over her as she sailed.

EDIT: looks like I recalled correctly.

Link To Picture

Here are a pair of operational tidbits on a 50 year old ship:

The CONSTITUTION circumnavigates the world from 1844-1846, under Captain John "Mad Jack" Percival, sailing 52,370 miles in 495 days at sea.  In 1849, while the ship is operating in the Mediterranean, she is visited by Pope Pius IX at Gaeta, Italy; he is the first Pontiff to "step" onto U.S. territory. 

1853-1855:   The CONSTITUTION sails as flagship of the African Squadron. She patrols the West African coast, looking for slave traders, as well as "showing the flag" via many port calls. On this assignment she sails 42,166 miles in 430 days at sea.

Comments from the naval engineers involved, as printed in the US Naval Institute's Proceedings, suggested that she is still a bit tender, all work on her aside. They did not recommend making sailing a monthly habit.

Insofar as USS America, you don't name or not name ships of the line with timidity as a guiding principle. See HMS Invincible. The political "climate" in the early 1960's, when CV-66 was named, were every bit as hot and irritable as now, what with a Cold War and all that going on.

The naming process is tied to internal politics in our Congress, the US Navy League, and some lobbying efforts by "groups" with a variety of axes to grind. Admiral Rickover's comment, once again thanks to Rhydd, is instructive.

See also USS Enterprise, the first nuclear powered carrier. It is no mistake that Star Trek's creators resurrected that name in their future as Star Fleet's most advanced ship . . . the theme of giving famous ships new hulls is a consistent one in American Naval Heritage.