John F Kennedy (CV 67) - Naval Cruise Book

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U S John E Kennedy A History of Service USS John F. Kennedy tCV 671 was named for the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy. The keel was laid October 22, I964, at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia. President Kennedy's nine-year-old daughter, Caroline, christened the ship in May I967 in ceremonies held at Newport News, Virginia. In the early 70's, Kennedy deployed several times to the Mediterranean. The first time was in response to a deteriorating situation in the Middle East. The ship's fourth Meditenanean cmise included her first visit to a North Atlantic port: Edinburgh, Scotland. In I978, Kennedy recorded 3l,568 flight hours and l2,438 arrested landings. Kennedy then underwent a year-long major overhaul which ended in I979. Kennedy's ninth deployment, in l98 I , was her first to the lndian Ocean. Kennedy transited the Suez Canal, hosted the first visit aboard a United States ship by a Somali head of state, and achieved her l50,000th arrested landing. ln l982 Kennedy won an eighth Battle E efficiency award and fourth Golden Anchor retention award. Then in l983, as a result of growing crisis in Beirut, Lebanon, Kennedy was called upon to support efforts there which defined ship's operations into the next year. Awards received during that period included a ninth Battle the Silver Anchor award for retention, the RADM Flatley award for safety, and the Battenburg Cup for being the overall best ship in the Atlantic Fleet. Kennedy spent the winter of I 984 in drydock at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for complex overhaul. ln l985. Kennedy received a fifth Golden Anchor retention award and several departmental efficiency awards. While in the shipyard, Kennedy was also awarded the Inaugural Department of Defense Phoenix Award, signifying a level of maintenance excellence above all other DQD components world-wide. ln July l986, Kennedy served as the centerpiece for a vast intemational naval armada during the lntemational Naval Review in honor of the l00th AnniversarylRededica- tion of the Statue of Liberty. Kennedy departed for the Mediterranean in August, retuming in March l987. After a brief shipyard period. Kennedy visited Boston, Massachusetts, and then Portland, Maine, marking the first visit of an aircraft carrier to that city. ln November l987, Kennedy's flight deck crew trapped their 200,000th aircraft. Kennedy departed Norfolk, Virginia, for her l2th major deployment to the Meditenanean in August l988. On January 4, l989, while conducting routine operations in intemational waters. F- l4s from Kennedy's embarked air wing shot down two Libyan MIG-23s which were approaching the battle group in a hostile manner. In the spring of l989, Kennedy entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a short industrial period. The remainder of l989 was spent honing Kennedy's battle readiness in preparation for deployment. Kennedy also visited Fon Lauderdale, Florida, and paid a second visit to Portland. Maine. USS John F. Kennedy entered the 90's eager to take on new challenges as part of America's commitment to help keep the world's oceans free for all nations. After spending the first half of l990 participating in a variety of exercises, Kennedy paid visits to New York for Fleet Week '90 and Boston for the Fourth of July. ln August, with just four days notice, Kennedy deployed ,in support of Operation Desert Shield. Kennedy entered the Red Sea in September. l990, and became the flagship of the Commander, Red Sea Battle Force. On January I6, l99l , aircraft from Kennedy's CVW-3 began Operation Desert Storm with attacks on Iraqi forces. The ship launched almost 3,000 sorties in Desert Storm, with the aircrews of CVW-3 flying over I l,000 combat hours and delivering more than 3.5 million pounds of ordnance in the conflict. After the cease-fire was agreed on by the United Nations, Kennedy transited the Suez Canal for the fourth time in seven months and headed for her joumey home. Kennedy arrived in her homeport of Norfolk, Virginia on March 28, l99l. .

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.-.,- ---M -M ...l f, . , .- -X -- .- V-. 11: '22-J'--' ':- Q A .- - a- -rf-1'if 5i':L' if aft ' . gf. .- :x-tif' 7 I , - - -- ' -' - A -- '- -1--f-.A ' .vu!8'..4.fif. '2 5'fJ:.112--:,'f 7? 'paw-r, '-Q13 '?f'f':C2L117,.- . nnsouor u nxemaay cvm 'lheSealofUSS.lohnE Kermedyisbasedonthe,coatofarmsoftheKennedyandFitzgerald families. 'lheseancient symbolsrepresentthestabilitythatstemsfrom tradition. ln addition, modem symbols have been incorporated to show the progress that stems from innovation. Both stability and progress were notable characteristics of the policies of President John F. Kennedy, and both are essential to the continued accomplishment of our mission. The black shield with three gold helmets is the traditional coats of arms of the O' Kennedy of the Onnonde. The helmets represent the original Gaelic word for Kennedy, Ceinneide, which means helmeted head. The red and white borders are the colors of Fitzgerald of Desmond. Above the shield is the single helmet, crowned with a wreath of the Kennedy colors, black and gold, and flanked by the red and white mantel in Fitzgerald colors, symbolic of courage. The crest of the coat of arms is a malled forearm, holding a sheaf of arrows and framed by olive branches, symbolizing power and peace, as do the eagle's claws in the Presidential Seal. The bottlenosed dolphins holding the banner at the bottom are traditional symbols of the sea and seamen. They represent our freedom to roam the seas, freedom essential to progress in the world community. Dolphins are friends of man but deadly enemies of aggressors and attack only when provoked. V The shamrock shaped banner symbolizes good luck, President Kennedy's Irish ancestry and our ties with Ireland. Written on the banner in Latin is the ship's motto, Date Nolite Rogare, which means Give, be unwilling to ask. The phrase represents the spirit of President Kennedy's inaugural address and specifically that famous line: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country... K The wings are symbols not only of Kennedy's air power, but also of progress and the freedom to roam the skies. Stars, representing the 50 states, surround the shield. A 5 l st star, the topmost in the seal, represents the high state of readiness sought by Kennedy. In years that she eams the coveted Navy E forefficiency, this top star will be gold in color. The ship's seal was designed by Kennedy's first Commanding Officer, Captain Earl P. Yates.