John Stennis (CVN 74) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 8 text:

rcratt Carriei An aircraft carrier takes about 40 million man-hours and nearly five years to build. The keel of USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74) was laid at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Com pany on March 13, 1991. Named after the longtime senator from Mississippi, JOHN C. STENNIS was christened and launched on November 11, 1993, by Mrs. Margret Stennis Womble, daughter of Senator Stennis. On December 9, 1995, JOHN C. STENNIS was commissioned and temporarily became part of the United States Atlantic Fleet as it was ConstnuHonandComndssiotdiy

Page 7 text:

The Father of America ' s Modern Navy Former U.S. Senator John C. Stennis served with eight presidents, beginning with Harry S. Truman in 1947 and ending with Ronald Reagan in 1988. The Senior Senator from Mississippi was elected President pro tempore of the Senate for the 100th Congress. As Chair man of the Senate Armed Services Committee from 1969 to 1980, Senator Stennis consistently supported a strong U.S. military and gained the honorary title of the father of America modern Navy ' Born August 3, 1901, eight miles south of DeKalb, Mississippi, Senator Stennis was an eighteen-year-old farm boy when he entered Mississippi A M (now Mississippi State University). He graduated in 1923. Senator Stennis took his seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1928, the same year he received a law degree from the University of Virginia. The following year he married Miss Coy Hines and moved to DeKalb, where they had two children, Margaret and John. In 1932, John C. Stennis was elected prosecuting attorney, and five years later he became a circuit judge. John C. Stennis, in his first run at the U.S. Senate, overcame formidable odds to win a seat in 1947. His reputation for integrity spread quickly among his colleagues who learned they could depend on what John Stennis said. As he earned the respect of the giants of the Senate, he gained key committee assignments. This gave him the opportunity to be a major participant in decisions of vital importance to the nation as well as his home state of Mississippi. Courage, integrity, dignity honesty and an unwavering commitment to public service characterized his 41 years in the U.S. Senate. Senator Stennis retired from the Senate in 1988 and returned home to Mississippi. He passed away on April 23, 1995, and was buried near his place of birth in DeKalb, Mississippi. Jofin C. Stenni -Tfie ]VIati

Page 9 text:

lome ported in Norfolk, VA. USS JOHN C. STENNIS iCVN 74) was built with a )rocess called modular onstruction, made possible hrough the use of huge gantry ranes. The process started with he ship in pieces, like a plastic riodel. The pieces were restaged in ' Tay dow n areas, ssembled into large modules weighing up to 900 tons, then loisted into place and welded ogether. Many of the larger systems ere installed in the module hile they were still in the lay- own areas, thereby reducing the eed for cutting and rewelding ccess passages. After the hull ; as formed, outfitting of smaller ystems continued throughout le ship. The innovative onstruction techniques mployed in JOHN C. STENNIS ut six months off the ship ' s onstruction time. The process is urrently being used on USS .ONALD REAGAN (CVN 76). Construction and ConmdssUmtng