Re: Monterey (CG-61), the first two ships were named for the city in
California while third (CVL-26) was named for the battle of Monterey in
Mexico on 24 May 1846. That third name was personally chosen by FDR at
a time when many aircraft carriers were named for famous American
battles (Yorktown, Saratoga, etc.). That a CVL got a battle name is not
as farfetched as might seem (i.e. Bataan and, more importantly, San
Jacinto). BTW, the DANFS entry is in error on this issue.

In the post-war period, when the “battles” name source for aircraft
carriers merged into President’s etc., and the “cities” name source for
cruisers eventually moved to LA-class attack submarines, the “battles”
name source moved over to Ticonderoga-class cruisers.

Hence the utility of naming CG-61 for a battle, not a city. It also
helps that almost all the recent ships cited by Mike are technically
named for both the battle and for the previous ships with the same name.
This is done to keep the lineage traditions alive.

Just as interesting are USS Trenton (LPD 14), which is also named for a
city; USS Alamo (LSD 33), named for a historic site; and USS Concord
(AFS 5), named for “cities and communities.”

Timothy L. Francis
Historian
Naval Historical Center
email address: Francis.Timothy@nhc.navy.mil
voice: (202) 433-6802

The above remarks are my opinions, not those of the U.S. Navy or the
Department of Defense

> ———-
> From: Michael C Potter[SMTP:potter4@worldnet.att.net]
> Reply To: mahan@microworks.net
> Sent: Friday, February 06, 1998 10:51 PM
> To: mahan@microworks.net
> Subject: Re: USS Monterrey?
>
>Land actions without significant USN/USMC involvement, or
>sites of such, were the original sources for the names of the following
ships
>in/entering service during 1980-85. But in most of the actions the US
>combatants were militiamen, not organized US Army units:
>
>USS Lexington (CVT/AVT 16)
>USS Ticonderoga (CG 47)
>USS Yorktown (CG 48) – French Navy involved more than USN
>USS Vincennes (CG 49)
>USS Valley Forge (CG 50)
>USS Trenton (LPD 14)
>USS Alamo (LSD 33)
>USS Concord (AFS 5)