News
Editorial: A crest fitting for the state
Scott Wagar
08/13/2013
It is an exciting time for North Dakotans considering that the USS North Dakota (SSN-784) is nearing completion and will go into service for our country in 2014.
The USS North Dakota is the first of eight new submarines (SSN 784 to SNN 791) that are being built in a new variant called the Block III, a Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine.
The submarine is 377-feet long, 34-feet in diameter, has 7,900 tons of displacement, will be able to travel 25 mph while submerged and once its nuclear reactors are fueled it will be operational for 33 years without being refueled, which with this type class of vessel is the lifetime of the ship.
The USS North Dakota is a stealth submarine with top notch surveillance mechanisms, which will be able to make strikes at sea or on land using either torpedoes or missiles. An interesting point of the Block III stealth design is that when the plans were made they designed it to carry and deliver members of the Special Forces like the elite U.S. Navy Seals teams.
An incredible piece of the USS North Dakota is the vessel’s crest and the symbolism it holds when it comes to our state and people. The crest was designed by submissions by the ship’s crew and the residents of North Dakota, which has brought one of the most remarkable creations of a ship’s crest.
According to Wikipedia.com, the Native Americans of our state are recognized with the shape of the crest being an Indian arrowhead, which resembles the shape of the North Dakota Coat of Arms. There are also two Native American tomahawks that not only represent the heritage of the state’s Native Americans, but of the Tomahawks Cruise Missiles which can be launched from the ship.
The North Dakota farmer is also characterized through the USS North Dakota. The vessel’s motto is going to be “Strength from the Soil, Reapers of the Deep.” The first stanza comes from the state’s Coat of Arms and the Governor’s flag and grants a connection between USS North Dakota and the State of North Dakota. The second stanza, Reapers of the Deep,” represents a double meaning of the fighting spirit of the ship’s warriors and bond to the state’s farm heritage of reapers who cut the grains of the state’s fields.
The motto is placed on two green ribbons which correspond to the state’s agricultural community and the colors of the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University. On the serrated edges of the arrowhead there are also two heads of wheat adding to the importance of the agricultural community.
The state’s National Guard is represented with two six shot revolvers (gold and silver in color) at the base of the crest. The grips hold the words “Rough” and “Rider” or the “Rough Riders.” This symbolizes Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and his volunteers who fought in the American Spanish War, which included the North Dakota National Guard which served one year in the Philippines and supported its occupation after the war was completed.
The six shooters signify the USS North Dakota crew and the vessel’s arsenal. The sights of the pistols, which are made up of two dolphins (again, gold and silver in color) symbolize the officers and crew members of the ship. The barrels of the guns represent the two payload tubes of the tubes. The dolphins also have red and green eyes which embody the port and starboard running lights of the sailor who navigates the vessel.
At the top of the arrowhead baseline are two horse head, which signify the Nokota horses who are the last descendents of wild horses in North Dakota. (Today, the Nokota Horse Conservatory is working hard in preserving the Nokota horse under Leo Kuntz, president of the NHC; Frank Kuntz, executive vice president of the NHO and Shelly Hauge, executive director of the NHC. To learn more about the NHC go to http://www.nokotahorse.org/cms/).
Between the two horse’s heads is the nighttime sky with the Constellation Orion, which correspond to the “hunter” and represents the warrior heart of North Dakota residents and the crew of the USS North Dakota.
At the horizon of the nighttime sky is the first USS North Dakota (BB-29), a dreadnought battleship (1910-1930) which was the first ship to be named after North Dakota.
On top of the arrowhead is a banner with the words “USS North Dakota” after SSN-784. On each side of the ship’s name is a gold star, one for the BB-29 and the other for SSN-784.
Under the UUS North Dakota (BB-29) is the present day namesake of the state which signifies the sailors who will operate this state of the art submarine.
North Dakotans can stand proud of the USS North Dakota (SSN-784) and its crest. No doubt this submarine has the heart and soul of the North Dakota people and will serve our country with great success.
To see the USS North Dakota’s crest, go to www.navy.mil/view_image.asp?id=132016.