CC-1, ordered from Fore River at Quincy, was initially meant to be Constitution; the hull later took the name Lexington and became an aircraft carrier. To free the name, the historic frigate USS Constitution was officially renamed Old Constitution from 1 December 1917 until 24 July 1925. If CC-1 had entered service first as Constitution, the ships might have been remembered as the Constitution class. The paperwork and long renaming period show that this was a firm naval plan. That exceptional name suited a ship intended for peacetime presence and wartime scouting.
Notable Point · 3:28-6:35
Moving the Constitution name to a battlecruiser
The official renaming of the historic USS Constitution shows how seriously the Navy prepared to transfer the name to CC-1.