Sailors Celebrate Ship's Birthday

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Sailors on board USS Theodore Roosevelt (TR) (CVN 71) celebrated its namesake's birthday, as well as the anniversary of the ship's commissioning.

TR Sailors gathered to celebrate the ship and her namesake with a special meal that included ice cream and a birthday cake on the mess decks of the Floating Accommodation Facility.

"Naval heritage is important for many reasons," said TR Command Master Chief (SW/AW) David Stitt. "Understanding how our Navy came to be and the leaders who have gone before us helps us understand where we are going."

The observance of both the ship's commissioning and the birthday of her namesake gives Sailors a chance to think about the man this ship is named after.

"This marks a celebration of the person our ship is named after and I think it's important to reflect on Theodore Roosevelt's life as we serve on the ship that bears his name," said Ship's Serviceman 3rd Class Laura Meador.

TR, commissioned on Oct. 25, 1986, has been on 11 deployments. Most recently she deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

TR was the first aircraft carrier to be assembled using modular construction, in which large modules are independently constructed in "lay-down" areas, prior to being hoisted into place and welded together.

President Theodore Roosevelt was born Oct. 27, 1858 and was in office from 1901 until 1909.

In 1898, Roosevelt, with the help of Army Col. Leonard Wood, found volunteers including cowboys from the western territories and Ivy League friends in New York, and formed the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment known as the "Rough Riders".

As assistant secretary of the Navy, he was an advocate for naval aviation.

TR's nickname, The Big Stick, also honors Roosevelt as it was taken from his famous quote, "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Twenty-three years later, TR is back in the shipyards for a scheduled overhaul and refueling period that will help make the next 20-plus years of service as great as the last.