The Chattanooga City Council is asking the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense to name a Navy warship the USS Chattanooga, in honor of the five servicemen killed here in the July 16 terrorist attack.
Councilman Chip Henderson sponsored the resolution, which the council approved unanimously Tuesday evening.
"This is to honor and remember those five heroes," Henderson said. He said he has been meeting with a group of retired military officers and that members of the group suggested naming a ship as an appropriate memorial to the servicemen.
Over the years, four Navy ships have already carried the USS Chattanooga name, according to the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The first was a steam sloop in service from 1866-1871. The second was a cruiser, in service from 1904-1921.
While that ship was later scrapped, its bell was saved and is now on display inside the National Medal of Honor Museum in Northgate Mall, along with vintage photos of the ship and crew.
Two other ships carried the USS Chattanooga name, but one was renamed before its commissioning in 1944 and the other was canceled in August 1945, a few days after Japan surrendered to end World War II.
Contact staff writer Steve Johnson at sjohnson@timesfreepress.com, 423-757-6673, on Twitter @stevejohnsonTFP and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/ noogahealth.