GREP Expression Needed

Question

I'm reposting this here, hoping some genius scripters will know more than the designers ---
I've scoured the websites and have been trying to figure out the correct GREP expression for what I'm trying to achieve, but to no avail, so alas I am posting this in hopes of ending my misery.
I want to add an italic character style to the names of Naval ships (USS xxx xxx) in my book.  I want to italicize the name, but not the 'USS'. Any ideas?
Thanks a million.
~Laurie

Answer 1

Here you go (needed a break). Write the names in a text file, one name per line, and save it in the scripts folder using the name uss_names.txt. The first line in that file must be the name of the character style you want to use. If that style doesn't exist, the script creates it.
Peter
if (app.documents.length == 0) exit ();
// Read the text file
ship_names = get_list ();
// Create character style if necessary
if (app.documents[0].characterStyles.item (ship_names[0]) == null)
    app.documents[0].characterStyles.add ({name: ship_names[0]});
app.findGrepPreferences = app.changeGrepPreferences = null;
app.changeGrepPreferences.appliedCharacterStyle = app.documents[0].characterStyles.item (ship_names[0]);
for (i = 1; i < ship_names.length; i++)
    app.findGrepPreferences.findWhat = "(?<=USS\\s)" + ship_names[i];
    app.documents[0].changeGrep ()
function get_list ()
    var f = File (app.scriptPreferences.scriptsFolder + "/uss_names.txt");
    if (f.exists)
        f.open ("r");
        var temp = f.read ()
        f.close ();
        return temp.split (/[\n\r]/);
    else
        alert ("Can't find uss_names.txt.");
        exit ();