Page 10: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 15, 1980)

Newport News Launches Nuclear-Powered

Aircraft Carrier #Carl Vinson7

The Carl Vinson (CVN-70), third Nimitz-class, nuclear-pow- ered aircraft carrier, was launched recently during ceremonies at

Newport News Shipbuilding in

Virginia.

Not only was the launch a ma- jor step in the U.S. Navy's ship- building program, but also Carl

Vinson is the first living Ameri- can to have a Navy ship named in his honor. Former Georgia Con- ™ } • gressman and champion of Naval superiority, Mr. Vinson is now 96 years old.

Mrs. C. Tillman Snead, whose husband served as Mr. Vinson's administrative aide for 25 years, christened the ship by smashing the traditional bottle of cham- pagne against the vessel's bow.

Mrs. Bernard William Frese of

Chevy Chase, Md., was the ma- tron of honor.

Senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), who is Mr. Vinson's great-nephew, delivered the principal address.

Known as a staunch supporter of military preparedness, Mr. Vinson holds the record for having served in Congress longer than any other individual—50 years, one month and two days. In Congress he served on the Naval Affairs Com- mittee for 31 years, and chaired the committee for 15 years until it merged with the Military Af- fairs Committee to form the

House Armed Services Commit- tee. With the exception of one term when the Republicans were in office, Mr. Vinson also was chairman of the House Armed

Services Committee for 17 years before his retirement in 1964 at the age of 80.

The keel for the Vinson was laid on October 11, 1975, when her sister ship, the Dwight David

Eisenhower, was launched at New- port News. The Vinson is ex- pected to be delivered to the

Navy in 1982.

The Vinson will have substan- tially better military character- istics than conventionally pow- ered carriers, including:

Nuclear fuel for 13 years of normal carrier operations — the equivalent of 346.5 million gal- lons of propulsion fuel oil;

Essentially unlimited high- speed steaming endurance with the resulting increase in offensive and defensive capabilities;

Over 70 percent more aviation and escort fuel capacity;

Fifty percent more aviation am- munition capacity;

Top Officers Named At

Bird-Johnson Company

Howard H. Scott, president of

Bird-Johnson Company, has been elected chairman of the board of directors and continues as chief executive officer. He replaces

Frederick K. Becker, who is re- tiring.

The board also announced the promotion of Charles A. Orem from executive vice president to president and chief operating of- ficer.

Mr. Scott joined A. Johnson in 1953, and became vice president of Bird-Johnson when it was founded in 1958. He served in that capacity until 1964, when he was named president.

Mr. Scott earned a Bachelor of

Science degree in marine engi- neering from the Massachusetts

Institute of Technology, and at- tended the Sloan School for sen- ior management studies.

Mr. Orem was director of cor- porate planning and development for Babcock & Wilcox before join- ing Bird-Johnson in 1979. He pre- viously served in the U.S. Navy and retired at the rank of com- mander in 1970.

Mr. Orem holds a B.S. degree in engineering from the U.S. Na-

Four long catapults with great- er energy capability and with less strain on the aircraft; and

Berthing and ship facilities to support 50 percent more air wing personnel.

When completed, the Vinson will become a floating city for more than 6,000 Navy personnel.

One of the largest shipyards in the world, Newport News Ship- building is the only shipyard ca- pable of building and servicing the full range of nuclear-powered surface ships and attack subma- rines for the U.S. Navy. The Vir- ginia yard has produced 14 of the 22 nuclear ships that have joined the fleet since 1974.

Newport News built the first aircraft carrier (USS Ranger) in 1934, and since then — with only one exception — has been the lead yard in the design and construc- tion of every class of aircraft carrier.

The yard currently has 10 Navy ships under contract or construc- tion : the Vinson, the Arkansas (a nuclear-powered, guided mis- sile cruiser) and eight nuclear- powered, high-speed attack sub- marines.

More than 700 Naval and com- mercial ships have been built by

Newport News Shipbuilding since the company was founded in 1886.

A subsidiary of Tenneco Inc., the yard employs 23,000 men and women who work in 300 occupa- tions and 25 skilled trades. The 475-acre shipyard stretches along two miles on the James River near the Virginia port of Hamp- ton Roads. val Academy and a master's de- gree in engineering from the U.S.

Naval Postgraduate School.

Bird-Johnson Company, Wal- pole, Mass., a wholly owned sub- sidiary of A. Johnson & Co., Inc.,

New York, N.Y., serves both the marine and industrial markets.

Its marine division manufactures, sells and services KaMeWa con- trollable-pitch propellers and steering devices. The fluid power division manufactures and mar- kets hydraulic motors and pro- prietary rotary products marketed under the Bird-Johnson Hyd-Ro-

Ac name.

Houston Offshore Appoints

Stephen M. Preus Director

Of Safety And Personnel

Houston Offshore International,

Inc. has announced the appoint- ment of Stephen M. Preus to di- rector of safety and personnel.

Mr. Preus joins Houston Off- shore with seven years' experi- ence in the field of personnel, safe- ty and training, having worked with Penrod Drilling Company and Zapata Offshore Company.

Mr. Preus will be assigned to the field office in Beaumont, Texas.

Former Georgia Congressman and champion of Naval superiority Carl Vinson tips his hat to the 25,000 persons who attended the launch of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Carl Vinson (CVN 70) at Newport News Shipbuilding. Mrs. Molly

Snead, the sponsor, and Edward J. Campbell, president and chief executive officer of Newport News, joined Mr. Vinson at the launch stand. 12 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News