Page 15: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 15, 1971)

Nuclear Sub Christened At

Gen'l Dynamics/Electric Boat —Has 12-Year-Old Sponsor

Twelve-year-old Mary Conover Warner of Washington,

D.C., youngest sponsor of a nuclear submarine, christens the USS Archerfish at the Electric Boat Division of Gen- eral Dynamics, Groton, Conn. The sponsor's father, John

W. Warner, Under Secretary of the Navy, said "there can be no generation gap in America when it comes to national defense." Watching, left to right, are Under

Secretary Warner, Joseph D. Pierce, a vice president of

General Dynamics, and David S. Lewis, Jr., chairman of

General Dynamics.

A 12-year-old girl christened the 4,200-ton nuclear-powered attack submarine Archerfish and heard her father warn that "when it comes to national defense, there can be no generation gap in America."

Under Secretary of the Navy John W.

Warner told his daughter Mary, and those of her generation, that "this ship will protect you only if you protect it."

In ceremonies at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, Under Secretary Warn- er declared that "the Russians possess the larg- est submarine force in the world," and "I hope,

Mary, that some day your generation may never have to question how our nation pre- pared for that threat."

Addressing a large audience which included more than a dozen admirals, many of them distinguished submarine officers, Under Sec- retary Warner pointed out that two-thirds of the officers and men on active duty in the

Navy have not yet reached their 25th birth- day. In another 5 to 6 years, he said, referring to his daughter, "members of her age group will be among the crew of Archerfish. More startling . . . should be the fact that as Archer- fish approaches the twilight of her active serv- ice, she will be manned by a crew not yet born." "One of America's most priceless assets is the idealism which motivates its young peo- ple," he continued, but advised that "now you should gain an awareness of the respon- sibilities you must soon shoulder."

Under Secretary Warner is a graduate of

Washington and Lee University and the Uni- versity of Virginia Law School. He served with the Navy during World War II and with the Marine Corps during the Korean Conflict.

The keel for the 4,200-ton Archerfish was laid June 19, 1969, by Mrs. James F. Calvert, wife of Vice Admiral Calvert, Superintendent of the Naval Academy. Named for a World

War II submarine which sank or damaged 92,750 tons of enemy shipping during World

War II, Archerfish will have a complement of 12 officers and 95 men. The prospective com- manding officer is Comdr. Ralph G. Bird, a native of Dearborn, Mich.

GE And French Firm Sign

Agreement To Produce

Geared Marine Steam Turbines

The General Electric Company and Con- struction Navales et Industrielles de la Medi- terranee (CNIM), Paris, France, have entered into a manufacturing associate agreement for the production in France of geared marine steam turbines.

David S. Bennett, general manager of GE's marine turbine and gear department in Lynn,

Mass., and A. Herlicq, president of CNIM, announced the signing of an agreement under which CNIM will build marine steam turbines to General Electric designs in France.

Mr. Bennett said the agreement was made to meet the increasing demand for marine steam propulsion equipment throughout the world. He pointed out that most of the super- tankers and large containerships now being built or on order will be propelled by steam turbines.

Mr. Bennett indicated that the agreement should prove equally beneficial to both CNIM and General Electric, since well over one-third of the total steam propulsion systems installed worldwide in 1969 were General Electric ma- rine steam turbines.

This is the seventh manufacturing agree- ment General Electric has established with overseas firms. Under these agreements, GE manufactures the rotating parts of the marine steam turbine, including the high-pressure rotor assembly and low-pressure rotating as- sembly, and gear rotating parts, while the manufacturing associate produces the station- ary parts, and assembles and tests the com- pleted unit.

CNIM is a leading shipbuilder with ship- yards in La Seyne, France, and a major French manufacturer of mechanical machinery as well.

Beliard Murdoch S.A.

Kattendijkdok Westkaai 21 • Antwerp, Belgium

U.S.A. Representative —

Robert M. Catharine Jr. 11 Broadway, New York 10004 (212) 944-6050

For the finest in complete shipbuilding and ship repair facilities

Beliand Murdoch antwerp

Two privately owned graving docks up to 90,000 DWT capacity

Ten city owned drydocks also available 24 hour pierside service 5 complete new machine shops

Heaviest and precise engineering work

Diesel servicing—

Gotaverken—M.A.N.—Doxford

February 17, 1971 13