I Christen Thee, Nebraska

Book excerpt: The fascinating account of U.S. Navy ships named Nebraska comes to life with I Christen Thee, Nebraska. Author Monty McCord deftly illustrates the historical significance of these ships in the Navy. Even as early as the Civil War, three ships carried the name Nebraska. Over forty years later in 1907, the USS Nebraska (BB-14) was one of sixteen battleships that steamed around the world with President Theodore Roosevelt's Great White Fleet (1907-1909). McCord re-creates daily life on these ships with accounts of operations, the sailors' hardships, recreation, and humor in the early steel Navy. During the 1970s, construction began on a new class of ballistic missile submarines that would include the USS Nebraska (SSBN-739). The Nebraska (BB-14) was the fourteenth battleship built, and, coincidentally, the submarine Nebraska was the fourteenth of its class. This massive submarine was commissioned in 1993 and continues to serve a deterrent mission. McCord also delves into the colorful histories of other Navy ships named after Nebraska people and places, offering a distinct look at a relatively unknown piece of American history.