Ford carrier construction starts

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) - A keel-laying ceremony has been held for the aircraft carrier Gerald R. ...  More »

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) - A keel-laying ceremony has been held for the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford at the Virginia shipyard where the $7 billion nuclear-powered ship is being assembled. The ship's sponsor is the 38th president's daughter, Susan Ford Bales. She delivered remarks Saturday at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's Newport News shipyard. Her initials were chalked onto a metal plate and welded into the massive keel. Bales said her father learned of the naming before his death nearly three years ago and was "very moved" by the honor. The carrier, scheduled for delivery to the Navy in 2015, will be the first in the Ford-class series. Ford served on the light aircraft carrier USS Monterey during World War II.  « Less