USS Arkansas (CGN-41) Stern Plate on Exhibit

The name of a vessel is required to be displayed permanently and prominently across the stern. The color, size and spacing of the letters are designed to ensure that the name can be seen and clearly read from other ships many miles away.

Ships also display their name, or in the case of warships, their unique hull number, on either side of the bow to identify them. (Since the bow of a submarine is underwater, the numbers are displayed on the sail.)

This stern plate is from the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN-41). It was removed when she was decommissioned and recycled.

The stern plate is on loan from the U.S. Navy.