Theodore Roosevelt (Ship)

Report on the ceremonies and events surrounding the commissioning of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt from October 24 to October 28, 1986 in Newport News, Virginia. The report covers the work of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) in raising funds and supplies for the ship’s crew and lists many of the members of the TRA who facilitated the work. The report also discusses the annual dinner of the TRA held on board the ship, the commissioning of the carrier, the ecumenical religious services held on board the ship, and the two balls held for the ship’s crew. The report names the descendants of Theodore Roosevelt who attended the commissioning, highlights the organization of a ship’s museum dedicated to Roosevelt, and covers the history of other U.S. Navy ships named Theodore Roosevelt.

Five photographs depicting the construction and commissioning of the carrier appear in the report. A brief notice in an article box about the TRA and its journal appears on the fourth page of the report. 

Steve Caming, a newspaper journalist and member of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, describes attending the launching of USS Theodore Roosevelt in October 1984. He also discusses how he came to write the program for the ship’s commissioning in 1986, and he describes meeting a member of the ship’s crew and how that meeting motivated him to create a good program. A photograph of Caming and his wife in front of the ship appears on the first page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1986

William Davison Johnston addresses the annual dinner of the Theodore Roosevelt Association on October 24, 1986, on the eve of the commissioning of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. He notes the many Roosevelt family members in attendance and closes his remarks by reading a passage from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Building of the Ship.” A photograph of Johnston shaking hands with Captain Paul W. Parcells, Commanding Officer of Theodore Roosevelt, supplements the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1986-10-24

After briefly describing the origins of the term “plankowner”–a ship’s crewmember assigned to a Navy ship on the day of the ship’s commissioning–this article lists the individuals, couples, and businesses who have earned the status of “honorary plankowners” of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt because they have made “significant contributions of funds, time, or talent.”

Two photographs of the Theodore Roosevelt at her commissioning, a photograph of Theodore Roosevelt on the deck of the U.S.S. Connecticut, and a political cartoon supplement the listing.

This edition of “News and Notes” opens with coverage of the commissioning of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. A letter from Captain Paul W. Parcells, Commanding Officer of the ship, praises the work of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) in making the commissioning a success. The section also discusses the thirteen flags donated by the TRA to the carrier. Each flag of the city, state, or entity is identified and is followed by a brief paragraph about its history and meaning to Theodore Roosevelt. The individual responsible for donating the flag is also noted. A notice about a new prize, the Roosevelts Gold Medal, awarded by the New York Council of the Navy League of the United States, also features in the section. 

“News and Notes” reviews the plans of Prism Entertainment to issue a video cassette of the film “The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt,” and it notes that the company will establish a fund to promote historical and environmental films, and will donate money to the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund at the American Museum of Natural History. The section also highlights two recent publications by John A. Gable, Editor of the TRA Journal, and it quotes from a letter from President Ronald Reagan on the occasion of the opening of the Roosevelt Study Center in the Netherlands. “News and Notes” closes by quoting from three letters by members of the TRA praising its work.

The front cover of this issue of the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal features the seal designed for the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. The seal features a profile illustration of Theodore Roosevelt, his initials, two roses, his birth date, the Roosevelt family motto, and a drawing of the carrier. A photograph of the ship underway appears on the back cover.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1986

Report on the presentation of the Bertha Benkard Rose Award to William Davison Johnston, past president of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA). The article notes the work of Rose with the TRA, lists previous winners, and provides the citation for Johnston’s award. The citation details Johnston’s six year term as president of the TRA and notes the various projects and initiatives he undertook. A photograph of Johnston speaking, and a photograph of Johnston with Theodore R. Kupferman and John A. Gable of the TRA, appear in the report.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1987

Awards, award ceremonies, and award winners dominate this edition of the “News and Notes” section. Twelve different awards, ten of them directly involving the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), are discussed across five pages of the section. The Theodore Roosevelt Police Award, the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Naval History Prize, the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest, and the John Paul Jones Award won by the commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt are all discussed in their own subsections. A Christopher Award given to the documentary “The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt” and the research grants awarded from the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund at the American Museum of Natural History also merit detailed coverage.

“News and Notes” also touches on the speaking engagements of the TRA’s Executive Director John A. Gable, the passing of Horace M. Albright, a TRA Trustee and former Director of the National Park Service, and a change in the leadership of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Foundation.

A photograph of the students, judges, and coaches at the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest, a photograph of a smiling Theodore Roosevelt, and a photograph of Captain Paul W. Parcells and his family appear in the section along with an illustration of both sides of the TRA medallion.

Report on the 65th Annual Dinner and Meeting of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) held in Williamsburg, Virginia, on October 27, 1984, following the launch of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The report quotes from the address given by the President of the TRA, William Davison Johnston, and from the letter sent to the TRA by President Ronald Reagan. The report lists many of the guests in attendance, including Theodore Roosevelt historians and biographers, employees of the National Park Service, and members of the Roosevelt family. It also reviews the financial state of the TRA, noting that it had run a deficit for the past two fiscal years, covers the election of officers, and notes the changes implemented to the Board of Trustees. The report concludes with a review of gifts given to the leadership of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

A photograph of Roosevelt with his granddaughter Grace Roosevelt and three photographs of various guests, dignitaries, and members of the Roosevelt family at the annual dinner accompany the report.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

This edition of “News and Notes” has five sections. Brief histories of the three ships and one submarine that have carried the name of Theodore Roosevelt are provided in “The Aircraft Carrier Theodore Roosevelt.” This section also highlights the five different Roosevelts who have served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. “TR Exhibit at the LBJ Library in Texas” revisits the Theodore exhibit at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. It lists fourteen of the archives, museums, and historic sites that lent items to the exhibit, and it promotes the sale of the exhibit catalogue and poster.

“Meadowcroft” covers a July 1903 visit by Roosevelt to the home of his cousin John Ellis Roosevelt on the south shore of Long Island. It also relates the events surrounding “Theodore Roosevelt Day at Meadowcroft” on July 28, 1984, which celebrated and recreated President Roosevelt’s visit. “Rough Riders Museum in New Mexico” examines why there is a museum dedicated to the Rough Riders in Las Vegas, New Mexico. It looks at the state’s contributions to the regiment and highlights some of the reunions held in Las Vegas.

The final and untitled section notes events involving the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) and its work: the conferring of a TRA award to a high school student, a radio interview of the TRA’s Executive Director John A. Gable, and a listing of programs at the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace and Sagamore Hill National Historic Sites.

A photograph of President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the graves of General Theodore Roosevelt and Quentin Roosevelt is found on the first page of “News and Notes.” Four photographs of the Paul Manship statue of President Roosevelt on Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, D.C. and an illustration of Mount Rushmore National Memorial accompany the text.

Announcement of the launch of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on October 27, 1984. The announcement lists the dignitaries and speakers at the launch ceremony and gives statistics about the ship such as its length, height, and speed. An illustration of both sides of the medallion of the Theodore Roosevelt Association accompanies the announcement.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984

Article about the launching of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt on October 27, 1984. The article has four parts. The first section notes the speakers and dignitaries at the ceremony, quotes from three of the speakers, and describes the christening of the ship. The second section, “The New Big Stick,” gives details about the ship’s construction and its capabilities and notes the other aircraft carriers that belong to the Nimitz class of carriers. “Aircraft Carrier is Fourth Ship Named After Theodore Roosevelt” discusses the two other ships and one ballistic missile submarine that were named to honor Roosevelt. “The Roosevelt Navy Tradition” examines Roosevelt’s relationship with the Navy and discusses the four other members of the Roosevelt family who, like Theodore Roosevelt, served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy.

Nine photographs of the christening and launching of the carrier and a photograph of the USS Louisiana supplement the text. A listing of the officers of the Theodore Roosevelt Association and the members of its executive committee is found on the second page of the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

William Davison Johnston reviews Theodore Roosevelt’s history with the United States Navy, covers some of his diplomatic achievements, and quotes from Roosevelt on the navy, his record as president, and on the obligations of Americans.

A photograph of Johnston speaking at the launch and one of Roosevelt with a naval officer, without an explanatory caption, accompany the text.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Secretary of Defense Weinberger quotes extensively from Theodore Roosevelt in his address to the crowd assembled for the launching of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. He notes Roosevelt’s winning of the Nobel Peace Prize, emphasizing that Roosevelt’s record demonstrates a commitment to peace bolstered by a strong navy. Weinberger also reviews the defense policy of the administration of President Ronald Reagan, and relates how the Theodore Roosevelt will strengthen the nation’s navy and its ability to guard the world’s sea lanes.

A photograph of Weinberger speaking at the ship’s launching supplements the text of the speech.

President Reagan writes the members of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) on the occasion of its annual meeting and notes the TRA’s participation in the launching of the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1984-10-25

William Davison Johnston, President of the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA), explains that the commissioning of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt will be funded and overseen by the TRA. Johnston details the many components of the commissioning, including providing commemorative gifts for the crew, supplying the ship and its crew with books, movies, and athletic equipment, and aiding in the design and outfitting of an onboard museum devoted to Theodore Roosevelt. Johnston lists the members of the commissioning committee as well as the heads of the five subcommittees, and he notes that the TRA has rented space solely to manage the many aspects of the commissioning scheduled for October 27, 1986.

The article includes a column “Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) Facts and Figures” that lists forty different aspects about the ship such as her length, and it also includes a listing of the officers of the TRA as well as the members of its executive committee. Photographs of the carrier and of Roosevelt appear in the article.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Announcement that a nuclear powered aircraft carrier for the United States Navy will be named Theodore Roosevelt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1982

Postcard with a color image of the USS Theodore Roosevelt operating as an excursion ship in Saint Joseph, Michigan. On the reverse of the postcard, the unknown sender informs Mary Cravens that they have not been well.

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1933-07-18

Postcard with a color image of the USS Theodore Roosevelt operating as an excursion ship.

Collection

Fritz R. Gordner Collection

Creation Date

1912

Program for the commissioning ceremonies of the aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt. The program contains letters of congratulations from various dignitaries, a short essay on Theodore Roosevelt’s role in the Navy, and a listing of the carrier’s officers and crew.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1986-10-25