THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, January 13, 1997              TAG: 9701110011
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A8   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:   21 lines

CARRIERS DON'T SAIL ALL BY THEMSELVES

Once again, the only ship that gets any recognition (two weeks in a row) is the carrier (Virginian-Pilot, Jan. 1). There are many other Navy ships than carriers. When are The Virginian-Pilot and Joe Flanagan of TV 13 (WVEC) going to learn this?

As a retired Navy chief petty officer with more than 27 years' service, I am tired of seeing only the carrier getting recognition. If it wasn't for the destroyers and other support ships, the carriers would be worthless. A carrier can't even go to sea for operations without an escort ship.

Let's start giving the other ships the recognition that they deserve and take the spotlight off the carriers.

RALPH CLAPPER, U.S. Navy (ret.)

Edenton, N.C., Jan. 2, 1997