Stoddard Rebirth?
As you will read an effort to Name a new ship the USS Stoddard was started. It was never approved but this documentation still lives as a tribute to the effort
As announced at the 2000 Reunion, on our behalf,
 Bob Hoag has started the campaign to get the Navy to
name a future ship after our ship's namesake.
 
Here is a very early attempt on the project.

Bob Hoags Efforts are below

 

10-08-01

Shipmates: 

The letter is off to SECNAV, and all my politicians. So now you can fire up your computers and typewriters to send off your letters. I've attached a slightly updated list of suggested instructions. Primarily I suggest you not send another copy of my letter to SECNAV (his staff will have one) so just refer to it. However, do send a copy to your politicians since it has a lot of information in it that you may not want to repeat. Lets hope we have good luck.� What I'm really hoping for is that they name an Arliegh Burke Destroyer after Stoddard since as a Capt. during WWII Arliegh Burke was Squadron Commander of DESRON 23 (Little Beavers) which were all Fletcher Class Destroyers. Stoddard (at least when I was aboard) was in the last all Fletcher Class Squadron on the West Coast (DESRON 21). I might add that I had the great pleasure to meet Adm Burke twice. First when he was CNO and I was a Midshipman. He inspected my room and as you might surmise, I was terrified, but he was a great gentleman, and very friendly. Second time was at Destroyer School after he was retired when he lectured us about the Lebanon Crisis. I was absolutely in awe over how frank he was to us about leadership. I'm sure much of what he told us most people (including Naval Officers) were not aware of. He certainly was a dedicated Destroyerman. Hope this provides some grist for your personal notes in your letters.

Bob 
 

Click here for other E-mails regarding the search for information.

If you want to help, start here:

PROCEDURES FOR LETTERS To SECNAV CONGRESSMEN/SENATORS etc.
  1. The attached letters are only suggestions. It is important to personalize it, (even hand write the whole thing if your writing is legible) especially with some hand written words, and of course a signature. If you personally know the addressee, the more personal the better, especially with your experiences from the War, ship, etc.
  2. I would recommend sending a copy of my letter as an enclosure to everyone you send your request to, except SECNAV. You can refer to my letter and indicate that you support it, and that you've sent letters to your Congressmen, and Senators etc. 
  3. Don't make the letter too long.
  4. For anyone except SECNAV, strongly request that they fully endorse your request, and send it to SECNAV. 
  5. Do not send your letter via email. It will most likely be deleted, and will not go in the file on ship name requests.
  6. Keep a copy of your letters, and if you don't get a return from the legislators or SECNAV, then query them as to what they are doing about your request. This will get the staffs attention.
  Stoddard History Use as an enclosure
  James Stoddard History Use as an enclosure
  SecNav Letter See instruction #2 above
  Additional Justification Use as an enclosure for more reasons why, or add to your text
  Medal of Honor Click on the thumbnail for a full-size version
  Navy Unit Citation Click on the thumbnail for a full-size version
Navy Unit Citation #2 Another example that could be used
  Sample Letter Can be used as a sample for your own design