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119k | Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Kenneth J. Braithwaite announced 13 October 2020 that a future Guided-missile destroyer and Virginia-class attack submarine will be named USS John F. Lehman (DDG 137) and USS Barb (SSN 804).
The future USS John F. Lehman will honor the 65th Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman who served under President Ronald Reagan from 1981 to 1987, and the future USS Barb will carry the name of two storied submarines, (SS-220) and (SSN-596).
“Our future success depends on leveraging the stories of those who sailed into harm’s way, to teach and inspire the service of those who now wear the uniform,” said Braithwaite. “Those two namesakes carry a great legacy that will be continued when these warships take to the fleet.”
Lehman, a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native, spent three years in the Air Force Reserves before accepting a commission of Ensign in the Naval Reserve in January 1968, where he advanced to the rank of Captain. During his tenure as SECNAV, Lehman advocated for a 600-ship Navy that would provide the United States with “unquestioned naval superiority.” His bold Maritime Strategy to surge U.S. naval power into the Soviet maritime domain sent a strong signal to the Soviet Union that President Reagan’s “peace through strength” motto was no empty phrase, thus hastening the end of the Cold War. He also paved a path to engagement with China, leading to the first U.S. ships entering Chinese waters in more than 30 years.
Official photo of Lehman as Secretary of the Navy, 01 October 1982, via Wikipedia.
| Dave Wright |
