John F Kennedy (CV 67) - Naval Cruise Book

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•rd. In 1983. as a result of growing crisis in Beirut, janon, KENNEDY was called upon to support ef- forts there that defined ship ' s operations into the next year. Awards received by the ship during that period included a ninth Battle E, 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 1984 in drydock at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a minor overhaul. In 1 985, the ship received a fifth Golden Anchor retention award and several departmental efficiency awards. While in the shipyard, the ship was also awarded the inaugural Department of Defense Phoenix Award, sig- nifying a level of maintenance excellence above all other Department of Defense components world-wide. In July 1986, KENNEDY served as the centerpiece for a vast international naval armada during the Interna- tional Naval Review in honor of the 1 00th Anniversary and Rededication of the Statue of Liberty. KENNEDY then departed for the Mediterranean in August 1986 and returned in March 1987. After a brief shipyard period. Kennedy visited Bos- ton, Massachusetts, and then Portland, Maine, marking the first visit of an aircraft carrier to that city. In November 1 987, KENNEDY ' S flight deck crew trapped their 200,000th aircraft. KENNEDY departed Norfolk, Virginia, for her 1 2th major deployment to the Mediterranean in August [1988. On January 4, 1989, while conducting routine operations in international waters, F-14s from the em- j barked air wing shot down two Libyan MIG-23s that were approaching the battle group in a hostile manner. In the spring of 1 989, the ship entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a short industrial period, and KENNEDY spent the remainder of 1989 honing battle readiness in preparation for deployment. KENNEDY also visited Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and paid a second visit to Portland, Maine. After spending the first half of 1 990 participating in a variety of exercises, KENNEDY paid visits to New York for Fleet Week ' 90 and Boston for the Fourth of luly. In August, with just four days ' notice. Big John deployed in support of Operation Desert Shield. KENNEDY entered the Red Sea in September 1990 and became the flagship of the Commander, Red Sea Battle Force. On January 16. 1991. aircraft from the ship ' s CanierAir Wing THREE began Operation Desert Storm with attacks on Iraqi forces. The ship launched 114 strikes and 2,895 sorties, with the aircrews of Carrier Air Wing THREE flying 1 1 ,263 combat hours and delivering more than 3.5 million pounds of ord- nance in the conflict. After the cease-flre. KENNEDY transited the Suez Canal for the fourth time in seven months and began her journey home. Big John arrived in homeport Norfolk on March 28. 1991, to the greatest homecoming cel- ebration and outpouring of public support since World War II. KENNEDY then entered a four-month shipyard re- stricted availability at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The ship departed the shipyard at the end of September 1 99 1 with extensive repairs and maintenance accomplished on engineering systems, flight deck systems and equip- ment. Additionally the ship was ready to handle the F A- 18 Hornet aircraft to replace the A-7E Corsair ll ' s that had flown on their last deployment from the deck of Kennedy. The 1992-93 deployment nu,. ' Kennedy ' s 14th to the Mediterranean area. The deployment was driven principally by turmoil in former Yugoslavia and surges of continuing conflict with Iraq. The ship conducted multiple exercises with the armed forces of Mediterra- nean littoral nations, hosted large numbers of visitors in port and at sea, and spent substantial operating time in the Adriatic Sea. USS JOHN F KENNEDY expects to undergo a two- year-long comprehensive overhaul in Philadelphia Naval Shipyard after return from deployment. Following the overhaul. KENNEDY expects to change homeport from Norfolk, Virginia, to Mayport, Florida. %S)Li o!. cv-ei

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fyl y f ' TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV 67) was named for the 35th President of the United States. John F. Kennedy. The ship ' s keel was laid October 22, 1964, at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia. Presidcni Kennedy ' s nine-year-old daughter, Caroline, christened the ship in May 1967 in ceremo- nies at Newport News, and on September 7, 1968, the ship was conmiissioned. KENNEDY was originally designated as CVA-67. attack aircraft carrier. In the early 1970 s. the classifi- cation was changed to CV- l, indicating that the ship was capable of supporting anti-sub, larine warfare air- craft, making it an all-purpose, multi-mission aircraft carrier. The designations are reflected in the ship ' s seal, the original one depicted below and the current one above. The seal is based on the coat of arms of the Kennedy and Fitzgerald families. These ancient symbols represent the stability that stems from tradition. In addition, modern 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 the ship ' s mission. The black shield with three gold helmets is the traditional coats of arms of the O ' Kennedy of the Ormonde. The helmets represent the original Gaelic word for Kennedy. Ceinneide . which means helmc head. The red and white borders are the colci.. 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 mailed 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. Dolphins attack only when provoked. 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 the famous line, Ask not what your country can do for you: ask what you can do for your country. 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 51st star, the topmost in the seal, represents the high state of readiness sought by KENNEDY. In years that she earns the coveted Navy E for effi- ciency, this top star will be gold. Around the seal is an unbroken rope, symbolic of the unifying force among shipmates in a common mission. The ship ' s seal was designed by Kennedy ' s first Commanding Officer, Captain Earl P. Yates. In the early 1970s. 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 Mediterranean cruise included her first visit to a North Atlantic port. Edinburgh. Scotland. In 1978, KENNEDY recorded 31.568 flight hours and 1 2.438 arrested landings. KENNEDY then under- went a year-long major overhaul that ended in 1979. The ship ' s ninth deployment, in 1981, was her first to the Indian Ocean. KENNEDY transited the Suez ' Canal, hosted the first visit aboard a United States ship by a Somali head of state, and achieved her 150.000th arrested landing. In 1982 KENNEDY won an eighth E, the battle efficiency award, and a fourth Golden Anchor retention

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SHIP STATISTICS Keel laid: October 22, 1964 Christening: May 27, 1967 Commissioning: September 7, 1968 Building Cost: $187,000,000 (1965 dollars) Replacment Cost: approximately $4,000,000,000,000 (1993 dollars) Horsepower: over 200,000 Speed: approximately 30 Knots (35 mph Length overall: 1,051 1 2 feet Breadth at flight deck: 252 feet at widest point Height (keel to mast top): 23-story building Area of flight deck: 4.56 acres Displacement: 80,000 tons fully loaded Weight of rudders: Nearly 24 tons each Number of crew (including Air Wing): 5,100 Meals served aboard daily: 15,000+ Dining areas: 2 enlisted mess decks, 1 CPO mess, 2 officers ' messe Captain ' s yailty, flag mess PayroU: +$65,000,000 year ($2,740,000 per payday) Cost to operate U ' $30,000,000 a year