I served onboard from 1989 to 1992 in the communications department. So sad to see her in this condition. Brought tears to my eyes. I think all of us who served onboard will agree that there will always be a part of us on that ship and there will always be apart of that ship in our heart.
hey didn't we do fleetweek that year in newyork? tomasse was capt. we had to take on Saratoga flight ops because somebody in flight ops chewed a hole in that f-14s wing. I couldn't wait to to get off that heep.
I was lucky enough to visit the USS Kennedy in 1989 when it was in the Boston. As I walked on the deck, I was amazed at the enormity of the ship. I was also very surprised at the size of the cables that launch and catch the jets when taking off and landing. What a beautiful and powerful looking carrier. Still have my USS Kennedy hat that I bought while in line waiting to board her that same day of my visit.
Seen both of them in the Med in 1972-73. I was on the USS Detroit at the time. I remembered taunting the JFK’s shotline crew when they missed us twice. They got it right the third time. The Kennedy relieved the USS Intrepid in May of ‘73; the Forrestal was relieved in June of ‘73 by her sister ship, the USS Independence CV -62.
I was in the Army and had just graduated from BT. I was a Bandman, and our AIT was the Armed Forces School of Music, which is at Little Creek. Leaving the airport in a taxi, a sailor jumped in with me, asking to split it. He was part of the crew of the Kennedy, and the taxi dropped him off at the closest accessible point on the quay where she was tied up at Norfolk. I had never seen Navy capital ships before, and the Kennedy was the most beautiful behemoth I had ever seen. I will never forget her. This happened shortly before you joined her crew, in the first week of December of 1985. Good video, if not a bit bittersweet. What a great warship she was! Thanks for sharing.
Here's a thought, keep them afloat let us "old sailors" do like the weekend warriors two weeks DET or workups until we die. Bet it would keep lots of us in shape and happier than we are now. I miss my NAVY.
Just take off all your clothes, and walk thru a mall. It'll give you that "ol' Nostalgia" of "no secrets, no privacy" New naval recruits would be well advised to just leave thier modesty dockside. It's just one less thing you have to worry about keeping squared away.
Was invited on board when she was moored off Mallorca in the Mediterranean a few years ago. Superb ship and fantastic experience. Such a shame to see her like this now.
Kris, Thank you for your Naval service. The Forestal was the first of the super carriers and was also the carrier that had the horrible fire just off Yankee Station in Vietnam which claimed the lives of over a hundred sailors.
SURELY IT WAS MCSABOTAGE. HIS ENTIRE FAMILY WERE CIA NAZI TRAITORS. HIS DADDY WAS CNO AND RAN THAT WAR. HO CHI MINH WAS CIA LIKE MAO, POL POT, CASTRO AND KIMMY. ALL WERE GRADUATES OF YALE, I BELIEVE. AT LEAST, MAO WAS. HE RAN THE SCHOOL'S COMMIE NEWSPAPER.
Robert Chinnock let me guess and have Kangaroos man it ? It would cost more to run it then it’s worth ! You don’t look to be a very sharp guy. You best stick to cleaning the toilets at WALMART guy!
Kennedy Plank Owner, 68-71. Two Med cruises, three Gitmos and lots of CARQUALS in between. Saw Bob Hope Christmas 1970 at Suda Bay, Crete. First 9 months worked Cat 3. Then switched to Crash & Salvage. Was at DECOM in 2007.
Thank you for serving your nation. I saw her and her sister ship, USS Iwo Jima, in port at Norfolk back in the 70s. I was floored at the sheer might and magnificence of these 2 beautiful craft. Wish she could be rehabbed and used as a museum. Boston Harbour would be a perfect place for her, knowing the JFK connection to Massachusetts.
Thanks for posting. I remember when USS JFK visited Dublin in July 1996 for about a week. My uncle who was living in the center of Dublin called me and said he had just had a whole bunch of aircraft fly low over his house which had caused every car alarm to sound off. With that news I put down the phone and frantically ran downstairs and outside to witness two Tomcats, two Hornets, Two Prowlers, and one Hawkeye all with their tail hooks down fly over my house. Happy days for an aero-sexual like me. :-)
Kris, I hate seeing Big John CVA 67 in the condition that she is now. I was aboard from Aug. 69 to mid 72. I was 1st in the 3rd Div. then the 5th Div. liberty crafts. I am looking forward to seeing the new CVN 79. I retired from the Navy in 2002. I miss my Navy.
Boats...Too bad she 's in this shape. I recall seeing WWll vintage Fletcher class DDs in mothballs at St Helena. They were in incredible shape compared to this. They simply had a chalkey grey appearance.
I was fortunate enough to go for a Sea Trial on it before it went into Commission. I was young, maybe age 4 with my Dad, Mom & Brother. It was fun!! That's a lot of Steel sitting in that water. We should save The JFK!! Let it cruise Our Shorelines!!
I was on board 78-79 med. cruise. Postal clerk... before the internet, cell phones, Skype etc. we were very much a lifeline for the crew and I was proud to have sailed with all my shipmates. I’ll always remember her as the captain would say “we got 8 burnin and 4 turnin” in reference to the boilers and screws(propellers).. thanks you JFK- cv67
I wish that the US government would partially restore all these great ships and gift them to coastal city states all over the US From Maryland to California. Especially the non nuclear powered ships.
@@curtekstrom6600 lol i bet a lot of people wouldn't care😂 why go to the beach when you can go on tour after tour after tour of all sorts of awesome ships from the Navy. But yes, the cost would deter most places from this.
...except we've scrapped 5+ in the last 4 years. Kitty Hawk and JFK are the last carriers in inactive reserve. It's almost like somebody wanted to ensure we could never call them back into service.
I don't think the UK could go wrong with refurbishing a just retired Nimitz class carrier. They are nuclear powered; they have cat and trap systems; they can hold 90 aircraft and they have total interoperability with U.S.. The UK is going to buy the F-35 anyway so the only downside I can see is the potential cost of refurbishment. These Nimitz carriers are just too capable to go into mothballs. I say the UK should buy two or three of them at bargain prices.
pbr streetgang Those are of course legitimate concerns. I would expect any agreement to include a complete refurbishment and/or upgrade of ship's systems to include a recoring of the reactors. Whether or not this idea is feasable would depend on a review of final costs including the initial cost of the sale to the UK. I would hope that the U.S. would rather help our most dependable ally and be content with the new shipyard jobs that would be created. That has to be better than the scrap value of the ship. If the U.K. could manage the shipyard costs assuming they were comparable to the six billion pounds spent for the two Q.E. class carriers. One refurbished Nimitz class carrier would have capabilities far greater than any Q.E. class carrier. Lets remember that the new Q.E. class was to have cat and trap including EMALS which was abandoned due to costs. What they wound up with was two conventional carriers with limited offensive capabilities and which are unable to keep up with a U.S. strike group in terms od speed and range. The F-35B STOVL does not have the range or payload of the F-35C and is designed for the Marine Corps mission of supporting amphibious landings. All of that to say this: The U.K. took a great design and butchered it up to conform to the realities of cost. I just wonder if they couldn't have had a refurbished Nimitz class carrier for about the same cost.
pbr streetgang Aha! As soon as you said "bloody" I knew you were a Brit. lol Just to be plain about it the U.K. has sacrificed defense on the altar of social welfare programs. We yanks are making the same decisions about socialism except that we want to have our cake and let future generations pay off the debt. Our defense budget is approaching 700 billion dollars; more than the next 12 countries combined! We have shiny new carriers while our social programs are going broke. Crazy world we live in.
Hey Shipmate, thanks for posting this. I'm a Kennedy Clan Member too, 82-86 I saw her through Lebanon and a Drydock Yard Period. So sad to see both of these great ships in such a state. So many memories!
Why can't the navy treat our old carriers like they treat our old battleships? It puts a lump in my throat, to see these beautiful old ships rust away like that. Thank you for posting this video.
Thank you. I served on the Forrestal 1967-1969 we were relieved in the Med by the Kennedy in April 1969. That was the first deployment of the Kennedy. We were extended six months because of a snafu. When the keel of the Kennedy was laid she was going to be a nuke but that changed and she was made as an oil burner. When she went on her carrquals and they tried to refuel at sea they found they forgot to put refueling sponsons on her. Back to the shipyard for a refit.
I did a hitch on the Forrestal...1973 to 1976. I was a DM3 (Illustrator Draftsman...a retired rate these days). I worked in IOIC (Ship’s Intel Center).
I was on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA 42, USS Kitty Hawk CVA 63 and USS Enterprise CVN 65. Too sad that these 3 ship that I served on is now gone. I retired after 20 years of service at alameda naval air station on board the Enterprise almost 33 years now. The US navy is the most powerful navy in the world!
my ship USS SEATTLE AOE-3 WAS PART OF THE 6TH FLEET BATTLE GROUP. WE REFUELED JFK so many times. she was a truly awesome ship to behold.. god bless this old war horse.
I was a kid living in Jacksonville FL when the Forrestal and Saratoga were home ported at what is now NAS Mayport. I always looked forward to my dad being OOD because that meant I could go on base with him, and see the ships up close when they weren't on deployment.
@@rockinredneck57 My dad was the CPO, all the sailors went to when they screwed up enough to get base restriction, or restricted duty, or something, but not enough for Capt's Mast or Court Martial. He worked in a small building called the "Quarterdeck" back in the day. 80 to 89 when he retired.
USS FORRESTAL made a port call in Ponce Puerto Rico,I belonged to BSA troop 128,we were taken on a tour and I will never forget the experience,it was awsome.(Years after i joined the USAF)
@@elifoust7664 Fort Allen,former Army Air Corps Losey Field,in the town of Santa Isabel,now is a P.R. Army National Guard post.The Navy had a Comm.Center there too.👍🇺🇸🇵🇷😎
Airman Jason Godbey here. This was my home from 87 to 90. AIMD, IM-3, in shop 62B. Med cruise 88/89. Remember when the Lybian Migs were splashed during GQ drill? I also remember when the Bonefish caught on fire.
AE1 Johnny Jones was in charge of 62B during the Med Cruise. AE3 Reed and Robert Roselle(he was red-headed) also worked in 62B. 62B was tucked into a small corner of 610 on the port side the 02 level. Later on Jones went TAD to the Master-at-Arms. AE1 Greg Everett was in charge of 62B for a while. I don’t remember where he worked but Adam Blum or Blume was the unofficial drunk of AIMD. In my coop were airman Labbe(if I’m spelling that right) and airman Hart, also airman Lent. Labbe was a tall, lanky guy and it was easy to laugh with him. AE2 Jerry Srock worked in 620. Great guy, he was involved with Damage Control during GQs. Chief Morales was also involved with 620. Warrant Officer Lynch worked out of an office on the 02 level port side, kind of close to 610. He strolled in on occasion. Petty Officer Battles worked in a compartment far forward at the end of the AIMD tunnel. Any of those names ring a bell? Remember that guy that ran around in the gorilla suit sometimes?
I was on the Forrestal in 1974 and 75 while attached to VF-11 The Red Rippers out of Oceana, VA, we did 2 Med cruises and 2 carrier quals prior to that around the Devil's Triangle. I worked as an AT in AIMD. I made E5 after the second cruise.
Hi....I was on holiday in Majorca mid seventies......I was invited onto the Forrestal by a sailor who was drinking on shore leave in Palma Nova....it was fantastic ....gigantic!
Thanks for the info. The Forrestal was the first carrier I toured as a youth in '57 at Norfolk. In recent years it is known as the carrier that had the largest in operation fire aboard her, I believe in '73 or so. I am glad she is still afloat.
Hi, I remember when the Enterprise was commissioned. In 2005, I met a Navigator from the " Big E ". He told me about how it had places for eight reactors, if I recall, it only had six because it was unknown how many were needed to move the ship. It turned out only two. He mentioned it was possible to turn on all six if needed to get a carrier some where in a hurry. That, that speed was classified. I was saddened when I heard she had become too hot too handle and must be destroyed.
To anyone interested in our Naval History, I strongly recommend Gregory Freeman's book "Sailors to the End: The Deadly Fire on the USS Forrestal." Though coming from a Navy Family, I did not serve. However, thanks to my father Leroy E. Sebring, the interest has always been there. I found the book at a yard sale and as soon as I put my hands on it I knew it was coming home with me. Finished the book in two days. Then read it again. Freeman provides a lot of incredible detail about that horrible day, and it will stick with you. A must read.
I was on the nuclious crew on the Kennedy front Jan 1968 to Dec 1969. Spent most of first year in Newport News drydock/shipbuilding then gitmo shakedown and then the med cruise . We had F4B, A4C, A3. S2, E1 Squadrons of course a C1A (COD). ALL THE NEWER PLANES went to Westpac due to Vietnam war. I was Aircontrolman 3rd class. I am a plank owner... Still got it.
The last time I saw the JFK was in 1976 while I was serving on the USS NEW DD818 . The JFK was brand new doing sea trials in Chesapeake Bay. The last time I saw the Forrestal was off the east coast of Florida. We were along side taking on fuel from the Carrier and it got pretty exciting. An aircraft handler was to busy looking at us and did not spot an A6 Intruder properly on the elevator when they lowered the elevator it tore the nose off the aircraft. Shortly thereafter we had to do an emergency break away because the fuel they were pumping was full of seawater and our boilers started shutting down, would have been a hell of a wreck. I really do miss it!!
I was assigned to AIMD at NAS Lemoore CA. in 74 working on Pratt&Whitney TF-30 P408 engines. I was actually TAD to AIMD from VA155 at Lemmore CA. Served abroad the USS Oriskany with VA-155 from 71-74. made 3 Combat tours to Vietnam at that time. Its a shame these old super carriers couldn't be refitted to Nuclear power and modernized.
I was on Big John from 75 to 78, Flight deck EM3 worked on arresting gear and catapults. She was a whole lot prettier than now, we had field day every week and carried a gold E on the Island. Good ship and crew.
I miss her. Got to her in 1983 during SLEP in the Philly shipyard and spent roughly 7 years out of 10 in the Navy calling her home. It was a shame she was scrapped BUT, I have a piece of her I obtained during the dismanteling phase. Some of the finest and best years of my life were spent on there.
Only ever aboard as a Detailer during a sight visit to Mayport. Day long. My first Duty station, VF-151 - USS Midway (CV-41) Nov-85 to Nov-86. The ships company till Mar-89 IMUTS IM3. My shop was on the same platform as the SonoBuey cage on the 01 lvl in Bay one on the port side. . . Gonna have to go dig out the albums to get the bullseye info. Midway Magic was a thing.
Interesting video, must have been very poignant for you, thanks for sharing. Both these ships are very special, JFK was the last conventional carrier built for the USN, (Nimitz CVN 68 and the other 9 Nimitz class ships would follow her) and Forrestal was the first of the modern super carriers.
Probably not. The ship had a bad history. It was named after James V Forrestal who was the first Secretary of Defense but he suffered from PTSD (he was a Naval aviator during WWI) and committed suicide.
These smartphones whether filming concerts & recording the sound brilliantly or out here filming & recording voice/passing aircraft & balancing it beautifully. All we do is point it & press go. They are way beyond Star Trek.
Thanks for this video, though I have no idea how it showed up in my recommended videos. Sometimes the UA-cam algorithm is a little scary. I was on Forrestal from 1985 to 1987. I joined her right in that very shipyard in January 1985 during SLEP. The crew had just moved back aboard, though the ship still had a million holes in her. Man, was it cold. The first thing I learned was to always have a flashlight, because the lights went out at least 5 times a day, and there were openings in the deck that would go down 5 or 6 decks. You could easily step into one in the dark. Good times.
Kris, When you were on that aircraft carrier got docked at Subic bay did you and your shipmates walked around? Now Subic bay is a free port and a resort before you plan to revisit check out the video clips in UA-cam.
USS Kennedy started my NAVY career onboard joining my first squadron vfa-105 flew out right after thanksgiving. 1992, and done another cruise with VFA-86 1999-2000 MIL cruise, got the cruise book. great ship. as a conventional it layout of the interior nothing like the NIMITZ class. great ship. Shame too see her sitting there rotting away.
Heard years ago that this is one of the best places for storing moth balled ships due to its fresh water. On a long hot dry summer spell the salt line probably reaches it. Has to be at least 60 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. Back in the 1960's used to tour the Philly navy yard during drummer open house. By the time we walked halve down a steel carrier flight deck on a hot afternoon thought our sneakers were on fire.
Served aboard 74 thru 77. Was cva and changed to cv I think when we came out of the yards in 75. Had two collisions while aboard with the Belnap and the Bordalon. Two med cruises one North Atlantic and two to getmo and lots of two weekers and less to dump coffee grounds. I still have dreams every now and then I went back in the navy and was aboard the big John again.
I was there from 75 to 78, was on board for both those collisions, was on the fire team that had to deal with class D fire in aircraft storage area on port side somewhere around frame 170 - 03 level. Nasty fire, couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, scared the hell out of me. Think we had to change from CVA to CV to comply with SALT II or something. I always thought we still would attack so what difference did it make.. LOL..
Amid im2 div. Tire & airframe shop hanger bay 74-77 same as u, we probably pass each other on the mess decks or on liberty boats in the med. I got the cruise book. I'll have to look 4 u
@@stephenharlan4126 was in locker 7B on the island and we fought the fires also. I was a SK and those were our storerooms and receiving area. After fires were out we had to clean them up and paint them. Also the 12 foot gash in the 02 level was in stock control part of our division.
I served Aboard her in 70 & 71 her second cruise. She was a CVA then, that's how I will always remember her. I was part of the air wing attached to RVAH-14 a Vigilante squadron.
Mac Arthur said it best, so paraphrase it, " Old soldiers never die, they just fade away". I'm fearfully certain that my dad's shipmates from CV-6 have faded away.
Old sailor myself USS Bowen FF 1079 I left the Navy just about the same time you got to the fleet. They sold my old ship to Turkey so I know how it feels to see your old home it's kinda sad to see the old ship without any life
was designated for donation for a museum but in 2017 when the navy designated one of the new ford class a Kennedy the hold was revoked and it was designated for scrap iam assuming so they didnt have a museum kennedy and a active kennedy at the same time
With what they are doing I would say they would not come back into service. The control and bridge area of the superstructure are not there anymore and that is what controls everything for these might ships. Sad to see them go but you have got to stay current..
I wonder how these "old" carriers will perform with their boilers-n-steam engines replaced by four General Electric LM9000 gas turbines making 348,000 shp (total) and turbo-electric drive. The math suggests about 40 knots. They will also be quite economical cruising along at ~20 knots running on a single turbine to conserve fuel.
Relatively quickly, no. It's horribly out of date and couldn't integrate with modern systems without massive overhaul that would take years. In an dire emergency wome of them could be braught to service for limited use. In the past nations at war have used outdated ships for shore gun placements, temporary troop transports, storage, etc. They can be used as targets for weapons testing and training which is their most valuable use at this point. When the breaker yards are ready for more work whichever is next will be hauled away and recycled.
Me and a dozen or more shipmates were invited onboard the JFK. whilst she was anchored of Malta in 1968 or 9, we were impressed by the size and the hospitality she was fairly new then. I was on HMS Bulwark at the time which was a British carrier converted to a helicopter carrier which was tiny in comparison.
Yeh, I hear it in the tone of your voice... It's a little sad when a sailor sees the ship he served aboard, sometimes for years, now sitting quiet in a shipyard, waiting to be chopped up, mothballed for who knows how long, or sold off to the highest bidder. I sailed aboard the USS Spartanburg County, LST 1192. Back in the early 80s. She sailed the Med, across the pond, and a few other places. I was an official 'shellback,' aboard her too! At least you get to visit the Kennedy. The Spartanburg Co., was sold off to the Malaysians. She caught fire in their port there, and sank! Now, she be the home of fishes and ole Davy Jones as well! Arrrrg!
I remember when these all these ships were in Service along with the Midway and Coral Sea and the second Largest Navy was the Soviet Union. I feel old.
What determines whether a carrier is placed in an inactive reserve status (mothballed)? I believe the USS Oriskany was sunk in deep waters. Is that now a no-no?
It's extremely expensive to environmentally prepare a large ship for sinking as an artificial reef. All the paints, oils, hydraulics, certain types of electric wiring, etc. have to be removed
I still can see the Kennedy when I walked off the Enterprise seems like yesterday. I still recall the different island it had to ours. Served abroad the Big E Aimd I-5 and KItty Hawk G-4 DIv. Great times on both but the hawk will always be my favorite girl.
I served onboard from 1989 to 1992 in the communications department. So sad to see her in this condition. Brought tears to my eyes. I think all of us who served onboard will agree that there will always be a part of us on that ship and there will always be apart of that ship in our heart.
hey didn't we do fleetweek that year in newyork? tomasse was capt. we had to take on Saratoga flight ops because somebody in flight ops chewed a hole in that f-14s wing. I couldn't wait to to get off that heep.
My brother served on the JFK during the first Gulf War. Thank you to all the men and women who served on that ship.
Thank you for your service my dad was on the Forrestal he passed away in 2017
I served a board the USS Shangri-La, CVA-38 during the Viet Nam war. A-4 Skyraiders and F-8 Crusaders. 1965 to mid 1968.
F-8 Crusader ... now that's a real Pilot's airplane! Super agile with no computer help. ^v^
I was lucky enough to visit the USS Kennedy in 1989 when it was in the Boston. As I walked on the deck, I was amazed at the enormity of the ship. I was also very surprised at the size of the cables that launch and catch the jets when taking off and landing. What a beautiful and powerful looking carrier. Still have my USS Kennedy hat that I bought while in line waiting to board her that same day of my visit.
Seen both of them in the Med in 1972-73. I was on the USS Detroit at the time. I remembered taunting the JFK’s shotline crew when they missed us twice. They got it right the third time. The Kennedy relieved the USS Intrepid in May of ‘73; the Forrestal was relieved in June of ‘73 by her sister ship, the USS Independence CV -62.
I was in the Army and had just graduated from BT. I was a Bandman, and our AIT was the Armed Forces School of Music, which is at Little Creek. Leaving the airport in a taxi, a sailor jumped in with me, asking to split it. He was part of the crew of the Kennedy, and the taxi dropped him off at the closest accessible point on the quay where she was tied up at Norfolk. I had never seen Navy capital ships before, and the Kennedy was the most beautiful behemoth I had ever seen. I will never forget her. This happened shortly before you joined her crew, in the first week of December of 1985. Good video, if not a bit bittersweet. What a great warship she was! Thanks for sharing.
Breaks my heart to see the jfk like that. Grew up seeing that ship everyday
Here's a thought, keep them afloat let us "old sailors" do like the weekend warriors two weeks DET or workups until we die. Bet it would keep lots of us in shape and happier than we are now. I miss my NAVY.
Just take off all your clothes, and walk thru a mall. It'll give you that "ol' Nostalgia" of "no secrets, no privacy"
New naval recruits would be well advised to just leave thier modesty dockside. It's just one less thing you have to worry about keeping squared away.
Thank u for your service!
i do too. miss my girl USS SEATTLE AOE-3.
Good idea. I'll be there. I had the privilege of helping to prepare USS Midway to become a museum in San Diego. Lots of fun, lots of hard work.
we need to bring back a battleship...
Was invited on board when she was moored off Mallorca in the Mediterranean a few years ago. Superb ship and fantastic experience. Such a shame to see her like this now.
I miss having "big John " here in Jacksonville. We used to drive out to Mayport to watch her come home.
My father served on both of these ships. He was Aviational Ordinance.
IYAOYAS
Kris, Thank you for your Naval service. The Forestal was the first of the super carriers and was also the carrier that had the horrible fire just off Yankee Station in Vietnam which claimed the lives of over a hundred sailors.
yeah the fire mcstain started with his antics on the flight deck
Big Boots 👈 Idiot bullshit repeater.
@@bigboots6114
No, I can assure you he didn't.
When I was in the fleet she was. Called the USS Forest Fire after that.
SURELY IT WAS MCSABOTAGE. HIS ENTIRE FAMILY WERE CIA NAZI TRAITORS. HIS DADDY WAS CNO AND RAN THAT WAR. HO CHI MINH WAS CIA LIKE MAO, POL POT, CASTRO AND KIMMY. ALL WERE GRADUATES OF YALE, I BELIEVE. AT LEAST, MAO WAS. HE RAN THE SCHOOL'S COMMIE NEWSPAPER.
It's so incredibly sad watch them wither away like this. A complete tear jerker !
I think australia should buy 1 and get it fixed and put it back into services
Robert Chinnock let me guess and have Kangaroos man it ? It would cost more to run it then it’s worth !
You don’t look to be a very sharp guy. You best stick to cleaning the toilets at WALMART guy!
@@kodyadams5589 Hay smart guy at least he is working. Go back to your Mommy loser.
@@kodyadams5589 Get some help you sick bitch. And learn how to spell dumbass .
Britain should buy a couple and do them up use them along with Q,E P,of,W carriers
@@stugreen7937
BAM ! 👍
Kennedy Plank Owner, 68-71. Two Med cruises, three Gitmos and lots of CARQUALS in between. Saw Bob Hope Christmas 1970 at Suda Bay, Crete. First 9 months worked Cat 3. Then switched to Crash & Salvage. Was at DECOM in 2007.
I was stationed on the Kennedy from 1981-1985...S-3 Division
When we pulled in from World Cruise in '83 we parked next to you. My first thought was wow, glad you're on our side.
Check out national association of Navy Supply Ratings fb page
Thank you for serving your nation. I saw her and her sister ship, USS Iwo Jima, in port at Norfolk back in the 70s. I was floored at the sheer might and magnificence of these 2 beautiful craft. Wish she could be rehabbed and used as a museum. Boston Harbour would be a perfect place for her, knowing the JFK connection to Massachusetts.
Iwo Jima is/was not a carrier.
Iwo was a helicopter carrier.
Thanks for posting. I remember when USS JFK visited Dublin in July 1996 for about a week. My uncle who was living in the center of Dublin called me and said he had just had a whole bunch of aircraft fly low over his house which had caused every car alarm to sound off. With that news I put down the phone and frantically ran downstairs and outside to witness two Tomcats, two Hornets, Two Prowlers, and one Hawkeye all with their tail hooks down fly over my house. Happy days for an aero-sexual like me. :-)
1971-1972 Med. cruise. VA-34 plane captain, Big John was my home then. Too many memories.
Kris, I hate seeing Big John CVA 67 in the condition that she is now. I was aboard from Aug. 69 to mid 72. I was 1st in the 3rd Div. then the 5th Div. liberty crafts. I am looking forward to seeing the new CVN 79. I retired from the Navy in 2002. I miss my Navy.
Boats...Too bad she 's in this shape. I recall seeing WWll vintage Fletcher class DDs in mothballs at St Helena. They were in incredible shape compared to this. They simply had a chalkey grey appearance.
CVN 79....New JFK.... i cant wait for CVN 80!!!! THE NEW ENTERPRISE !!!!!!!!!!
we still have a chance to preserve her as a museum ship in portland maine, or Rough Island
I was fortunate enough to go for a Sea Trial on it before it went into Commission. I was young, maybe age 4 with my Dad, Mom & Brother. It was fun!!
That's a lot of Steel sitting in that water. We should save The JFK!! Let it cruise Our Shorelines!!
I was on board 78-79 med. cruise. Postal clerk... before the internet, cell phones, Skype etc. we were very much a lifeline for the crew and I was proud to have sailed with all my shipmates. I’ll always remember her as the captain would say “we got 8 burnin and 4 turnin” in reference to the boilers and screws(propellers).. thanks you JFK- cv67
I wish that the US government would partially restore all these great ships and gift them to coastal city states all over the US From Maryland to California. Especially the non nuclear powered ships.
The cities can't afford to keep them up. Let them go. They have served.
The cost to maintain these as a museum is huge. Plus if every ship was saved over time. You wouldn't be able to go to that Sandy Beach Vacation.
That's smart that's what we should do with these ships instead of letting them rot
@@michaelpicozzi3910 why not sink them as fishing reefs like the USS Oriskany near Pensacola?
@@curtekstrom6600 lol i bet a lot of people wouldn't care😂 why go to the beach when you can go on tour after tour after tour of all sorts of awesome ships from the Navy. But yes, the cost would deter most places from this.
The U.S. has better aircraft carriers in mothballs than China has in service.
...except we've scrapped 5+ in the last 4 years. Kitty Hawk and JFK are the last carriers in inactive reserve. It's almost like somebody wanted to ensure we could never call them back into service.
I don't think the UK could go wrong with refurbishing a just retired Nimitz class carrier. They are nuclear powered; they have cat and trap systems; they can hold 90 aircraft and they have total interoperability with U.S.. The UK is going to buy the F-35 anyway so the only downside I can see is the potential cost of refurbishment. These Nimitz carriers are just too capable to go into mothballs. I say the UK should buy two or three of them at bargain prices.
pbr streetgang Those are of course legitimate concerns. I would expect any agreement to include a complete refurbishment and/or upgrade of ship's systems to include a recoring of the reactors. Whether or not this idea is feasable would depend on a review of final costs including the initial cost of the sale to the UK. I would hope that the U.S. would rather help our most dependable ally and be content with the new shipyard jobs that would be created. That has to be better than the scrap value of the ship.
If the U.K. could manage the shipyard costs assuming they were comparable to the six billion pounds spent for the two Q.E. class carriers. One refurbished Nimitz class carrier would have capabilities far greater than any Q.E. class carrier. Lets remember that the new Q.E. class was to have cat and trap including EMALS which was abandoned due to costs. What they wound up with was two conventional carriers with limited offensive capabilities and which are unable to keep up with a U.S. strike group in terms od speed and range. The F-35B STOVL does not have the range or payload of the F-35C and is designed for the Marine Corps mission of supporting amphibious landings. All of that to say this: The U.K. took a great design and butchered it up to conform to the realities of cost. I just wonder if they couldn't have had a refurbished Nimitz class carrier for about the same cost.
pbr streetgang Aha! As soon as you said "bloody" I knew you were a Brit. lol Just to be plain about it the U.K. has sacrificed defense on the altar of social welfare programs. We yanks are making the same decisions about socialism except that we want to have our cake and let future generations pay off the debt. Our defense budget is approaching 700 billion dollars; more than the next 12 countries combined! We have shiny new carriers while our social programs are going broke. Crazy world we live in.
China or Pooty Poot in Russia.
Hey Shipmate, thanks for posting this. I'm a Kennedy Clan Member too, 82-86 I saw her through Lebanon and a Drydock Yard Period. So sad to see both of these great ships in such a state. So many memories!
Why can't the navy treat our old carriers like they treat our old battleships? It puts a lump in my throat, to see these beautiful old ships rust away like that. Thank you for posting this video.
They already have five on display as museum ships. Don't think more is necessary
@@timothycook2917 none from the modern era though. Forrestal would have been perfect as the first of its kind.
Thank you. I served on the Forrestal 1967-1969 we were relieved in the Med by the Kennedy in April 1969. That was the first deployment of the Kennedy. We were extended six months because of a snafu. When the keel of the Kennedy was laid she was going to be a nuke but that changed and she was made as an oil burner. When she went on her carrquals and they tried to refuel at sea they found they forgot to put refueling sponsons on her. Back to the shipyard for a refit.
I did a hitch on the Forrestal...1973 to 1976. I was a DM3 (Illustrator Draftsman...a retired rate these days). I worked in IOIC (Ship’s Intel Center).
I was on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA 42, USS Kitty Hawk CVA 63 and USS Enterprise CVN 65. Too sad that these 3 ship that I served on is now gone. I retired after 20 years of service at alameda naval air station on board the Enterprise almost 33 years now. The US navy is the most powerful navy in the world!
my ship USS SEATTLE AOE-3 WAS PART OF THE 6TH FLEET BATTLE GROUP. WE REFUELED JFK so many times. she was a truly awesome ship to behold.. god bless this old war horse.
Was aboard Sylvania (AFS-2), and did many an UNREP with her in the Med, along with Saratoga and America... Ahh the good ol days.....!!!
⚓🇺🇸
Wonderful yet sad look at these two great old carriers. Love the sound of your voice too, you're a fine narrator, Mr. Grauel.
I was a kid living in Jacksonville FL when the Forrestal and Saratoga were home ported at what is now NAS Mayport. I always looked forward to my dad being OOD because that meant I could go on base with him, and see the ships up close when they weren't on deployment.
I was on Forrestal in Mayport from 77 to 80. Much better home port than Norfolk.
@@rockinredneck57 My dad was the CPO, all the sailors went to when they screwed up enough to get base restriction, or restricted duty, or something, but not enough for Capt's Mast or Court Martial. He worked in a small building called the "Quarterdeck" back in the day. 80 to 89 when he retired.
They are in mothballs. They are being scrapped. The last non-nuclear carriers in the fleet.
USS FORRESTAL made a port call in Ponce Puerto Rico,I belonged to BSA troop 128,we were taken on a tour and I will never forget the experience,it was awsome.(Years after i joined the USAF)
FT.Allen?
@@elifoust7664 Fort Allen,former Army Air Corps Losey Field,in the town of Santa Isabel,now is a P.R. Army National Guard post.The Navy had a Comm.Center there too.👍🇺🇸🇵🇷😎
@@pedrorodriguez2914 I was a Navy brat on Fort Allen 1968-70,My dad was Radioman Chief...small world.
@@pedrorodriguez2914 Juana Diaz
@@elifoust7664 Yes,Juana Diaz,been a long time away 👍
Airman Jason Godbey here. This was my home from 87 to 90. AIMD, IM-3, in shop 62B. Med cruise 88/89. Remember when the Lybian Migs were splashed during GQ drill? I also remember when the Bonefish caught on fire.
Can you name some of the other guys that you worked with? I was in the jet shop during the cruise from 8889. IM2 division
AE1 Johnny Jones was in charge of 62B during the Med Cruise. AE3 Reed and Robert Roselle(he was red-headed) also worked in 62B. 62B was tucked into a small corner of 610 on the port side the 02 level. Later on Jones went TAD to the Master-at-Arms. AE1 Greg Everett was in charge of 62B for a while. I don’t remember where he worked but Adam Blum or Blume was the unofficial drunk of AIMD. In my coop were airman Labbe(if I’m spelling that right) and airman Hart, also airman Lent. Labbe was a tall, lanky guy and it was easy to laugh with him. AE2 Jerry Srock worked in 620. Great guy, he was involved with Damage Control during GQs. Chief Morales was also involved with 620. Warrant Officer Lynch worked out of an office on the 02 level port side, kind of close to 610. He strolled in on occasion. Petty Officer Battles worked in a compartment far forward at the end of the AIMD tunnel. Any of those names ring a bell? Remember that guy that ran around in the gorilla suit sometimes?
I served aboard USS John F. Kennedy from '84 until '87 in G-3 Division.
I was on the Forrestal in 1974 and 75 while attached to VF-11 The Red Rippers out of Oceana, VA, we did 2 Med cruises and 2 carrier quals prior to that around the Devil's Triangle. I worked as an AT in AIMD. I made E5 after the second cruise.
Hi....I was on holiday in Majorca mid seventies......I was invited onto the Forrestal by a sailor who was drinking on shore leave in Palma Nova....it was fantastic ....gigantic!
Thanks for the info. The Forrestal was the first carrier I toured as a youth in '57 at Norfolk. In recent years it is known as the carrier that had the largest in operation fire aboard her, I believe in '73 or so. I am glad she is still afloat.
No, the Forrestal was scrapped in 2015
So sad to see these Beautiful Ladies like this ..
Big E was my Lady.
Hi, I remember when the Enterprise was commissioned. In 2005, I met a Navigator from the " Big E ". He told me about how it had places for eight reactors, if I recall, it only had six because it was unknown how many were needed to move the ship. It turned out only two. He mentioned it was possible to turn on all six if needed to get a carrier some where in a hurry. That, that speed was classified. I was saddened when I heard she had become too hot too handle and must be destroyed.
CV-6 was my dad's.
Dad was on the CV59 USS FORRESTALL , hurts to see her this way.
Served on Forrestal 1980-1983 X-3 Div.
First In Defense.
To anyone interested in our Naval History, I strongly recommend Gregory Freeman's book "Sailors to the End: The Deadly Fire on the USS Forrestal." Though coming from a Navy Family, I did not serve. However, thanks to my father Leroy E. Sebring, the interest has always been there. I found the book at a yard sale and as soon as I put my hands on it I knew it was coming home with me. Finished the book in two days. Then read it again. Freeman provides a lot of incredible detail about that horrible day, and it will stick with you. A must read.
And before I forget, to all of you servicemen present and past: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Heroes all. God Bless.
I was on the nuclious crew on the Kennedy front Jan 1968 to Dec 1969. Spent most of first year in Newport News drydock/shipbuilding then gitmo shakedown and then the med cruise . We had F4B, A4C, A3. S2, E1 Squadrons of course a C1A (COD). ALL THE NEWER PLANES went to Westpac due to Vietnam war. I was Aircontrolman 3rd class. I am a plank owner... Still got it.
I spent four years on the Forrestal. '68-'72.
I joined the Forrestal while she was being refitted in Philly in 84 and got out in 88 I have a lot of good memories
I did 2 Med cruises on the Nimitz (75-79) and both these ladies had served along side at some point. Was an impressive sight side by side.
I remember USS Forrestal visiting Southampton UK when new during the 1950s and the public were given tours aboard. It was a magnigficent ship.
My dad's ship is there too and when we were landing in Philadelphia we saw the mothball fleet the ship he was on was the USS Simpson FFG 56.
My father was aboard the USS Forrestal in the late sixties right after the fire.
There was a book about the fire on the Forrestal Sailors to the End I highly recommend it
The last time I saw the JFK was in 1976 while I was serving on the USS NEW DD818 . The JFK was brand new doing sea trials in Chesapeake Bay. The last time I saw the Forrestal was off the east coast of Florida. We were along side taking on fuel from the Carrier and it got pretty exciting. An aircraft handler was to busy looking at us and did not spot an A6 Intruder properly on the elevator when they lowered the elevator it tore the nose off the aircraft. Shortly thereafter we had to do an emergency break away because the fuel they were pumping was full of seawater and our boilers started shutting down, would have been a hell of a wreck. I really do miss it!!
I was assigned to AIMD at NAS Lemoore CA. in 74 working on Pratt&Whitney TF-30 P408 engines. I was actually TAD to AIMD from VA155 at Lemmore CA. Served abroad the USS Oriskany with VA-155 from 71-74. made 3 Combat tours to Vietnam at that time. Its a shame these old super carriers couldn't be refitted to Nuclear power and modernized.
Like a long lost family member. I served on this ship in V-4 Division, 1980 & 1981.
Hi. Did the USS JFK ever visit Fremantle Western Australia. I think I recall seeing her moored off Fremantle once back in the 90s.
I was on Big John from 75 to 78, Flight deck EM3 worked on arresting gear and catapults. She was a whole lot prettier than now, we had field day every week and carried a gold E on the Island. Good ship and crew.
Aimd im2 , 74 - 77 hanger bay tire & airframe shop
I miss her. Got to her in 1983 during SLEP in the Philly shipyard and spent roughly 7 years out of 10 in the Navy calling her home. It was a shame she was scrapped BUT, I have a piece of her I obtained during the dismanteling phase. Some of the finest and best years of my life were spent on there.
Seen her when she came to Dublin Ireland back in the 1990s .... some machine...
Only ever aboard as a Detailer during a sight visit to Mayport. Day long. My first Duty station, VF-151 - USS Midway (CV-41) Nov-85 to Nov-86. The ships company till Mar-89 IMUTS IM3. My shop was on the same platform as the SonoBuey cage on the 01 lvl in Bay one on the port side. . . Gonna have to go dig out the albums to get the bullseye info.
Midway Magic was a thing.
I sailed with both of these from 75 thru 78
Interesting video, must have been very poignant for you, thanks for sharing. Both these ships are very special, JFK was the last conventional carrier built for the USN, (Nimitz CVN 68 and the other 9 Nimitz class ships would follow her) and Forrestal was the first of the modern super carriers.
My father served on cvn 59 forrestal I wonder if that name will be put on a future carrier
Probably not. The ship had a bad history. It was named after James V Forrestal who was the first Secretary of Defense but he suffered from PTSD (he was a Naval aviator during WWI) and committed suicide.
@@kwaktak he was SecNav before being appointed SecDef. He was a good man.
These smartphones whether filming concerts & recording the sound brilliantly or out here filming & recording voice/passing aircraft & balancing it beautifully. All we do is point it & press go. They are way beyond Star Trek.
I served on the Forrestal from 84 to 88 , this is a little hard to watch .
Thanks for this video, though I have no idea how it showed up in my recommended videos. Sometimes the UA-cam algorithm is a little scary.
I was on Forrestal from 1985 to 1987. I joined her right in that very shipyard in January 1985 during SLEP. The crew had just moved back aboard, though the ship still had a million holes in her. Man, was it cold. The first thing I learned was to always have a flashlight, because the lights went out at least 5 times a day, and there were openings in the deck that would go down 5 or 6 decks. You could easily step into one in the dark. Good times.
I was on the Pre-commisioning and commissioning crew in Newport News...Traced a lot of wires and cables on her... Was a DS-4 back then
Kris, When you were on that aircraft carrier got docked at Subic bay did you and your shipmates walked around? Now Subic bay is a free port and a resort before you plan to revisit check out the video clips in UA-cam.
USS Kennedy started my NAVY career onboard joining my first squadron vfa-105 flew out right after thanksgiving. 1992, and done another cruise with VFA-86 1999-2000 MIL cruise, got the cruise book. great ship. as a conventional it layout of the interior nothing like the NIMITZ class. great ship. Shame too see her sitting there rotting away.
Hey Kris. Great vid. I bet you have great memories. Thanks for sharing.
Heard years ago that this is one of the best places for storing moth balled ships due to its fresh water. On a long hot dry summer spell the salt line probably reaches it. Has to be at least 60 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. Back in the 1960's used to tour the Philly navy yard during drummer open house. By the time we walked halve down a steel carrier flight deck on a hot afternoon thought our sneakers were on fire.
Served aboard 74 thru 77. Was cva and changed to cv I think when we came out of the yards in 75. Had two collisions while aboard with the Belnap and the Bordalon. Two med cruises one North Atlantic and two to getmo and lots of two weekers and less to dump coffee grounds. I still have dreams every now and then I went back in the navy and was aboard the big John again.
I was there from 75 to 78, was on board for both those collisions, was on the fire team that had to deal with class D fire in aircraft storage area on port side somewhere around frame 170 - 03 level. Nasty fire, couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, scared the hell out of me. Think we had to change from CVA to CV to comply with SALT II or something. I always thought we still would attack so what difference did it make.. LOL..
74 to 77 AIMD airframe shop hanger bay. Good old days
Amid im2 div. Tire & airframe shop hanger bay 74-77 same as u, we probably pass each other on the mess decks or on liberty boats in the med. I got the cruise book. I'll have to look 4 u
@@stephenharlan4126 was in locker 7B on the island and we fought the fires also. I was a SK and those were our storerooms and receiving area. After fires were out we had to clean them up and paint them. Also the 12 foot gash in the 02 level was in stock control part of our division.
It’s hard to see these beautiful ships scrapped.
Cool video. Thank you for your service!
I served Aboard her in 70 & 71 her second cruise. She was a CVA then, that's how I will always remember her. I was part of the air wing attached to RVAH-14 a Vigilante squadron.
When ships slowly die, it's almost as sad and tragic as with people. Nothing lasts, except maybe land and sea.
Mac Arthur said it best, so paraphrase it, " Old soldiers never die, they just fade away". I'm fearfully certain that my dad's shipmates from CV-6 have faded away.
Old sailor myself USS Bowen FF 1079 I left the Navy just about the same time you got to the fleet. They sold my old ship to Turkey so I know how it feels to see your old home it's kinda sad to see the old ship without any life
It’s was an amazing ship it’s needs to be made into a museum
served on the BIG JOHN 86-88 3mmr straight up pit snipe lolz good memories of that old boat
Was that the Hawaii super ferry in the background?
Chris thank you for ur service
P.S. CVA-67 WAS A STEAM TURBINE POWERED CARRIER. This big ship could move when necessary. Served on 72-73. Fitron 14 Tophatters respectively.
Question, what is it that you do now for your profession? Just curious if your training has been there to help you make a living now.
was on her first deployment with with va95 to the med. in 1969 hate to see her in that shape now
was designated for donation for a museum but in 2017 when the navy designated one of the new ford class a Kennedy the hold was revoked and it was designated for scrap iam assuming so they didnt have a museum kennedy and a active kennedy at the same time
I wonder, in case of need, how long it takes to make these ships operational again?
With what they are doing I would say they would not come back into service. The control and bridge area of the superstructure are not there anymore and that is what controls everything for these might ships. Sad to see them go but you have got to stay current..
I wonder how these "old" carriers will perform with their boilers-n-steam engines replaced by four General Electric LM9000 gas turbines making 348,000 shp (total) and turbo-electric drive. The math suggests about 40 knots. They will also be quite economical cruising along at ~20 knots running on a single turbine to conserve fuel.
Thank you for your service
Big John beautiful. Miss those days in USS JFK
You need to double check yourself Mr. Not all US Navy ships are nuclear.
Oh so thats how it goes mr.making fun of people
Question for the poster: When a ship is “mothballed”, could it be brought back into service relatively quickly?
Relatively quickly, no. It's horribly out of date and couldn't integrate with modern systems without massive overhaul that would take years. In an dire emergency wome of them could be braught to service for limited use. In the past nations at war have used outdated ships for shore gun placements, temporary troop transports, storage, etc. They can be used as targets for weapons testing and training which is their most valuable use at this point. When the breaker yards are ready for more work whichever is next will be hauled away and recycled.
That is Awesome! I wish I could have been there!😯😁👍🏿
Me and a dozen or more shipmates were invited onboard the JFK. whilst she was anchored of Malta in 1968 or 9, we were impressed by the size and the hospitality she was fairly new then. I was on HMS Bulwark at the time which was a British carrier converted to a helicopter carrier which was tiny in comparison.
It's incredible!😮
Yeh, I hear it in the tone of your voice...
It's a little sad when a sailor sees the ship he served aboard, sometimes for years, now sitting quiet in a shipyard, waiting to be chopped up, mothballed for who knows how long, or sold off to the highest bidder.
I sailed aboard the USS Spartanburg County, LST 1192. Back in the early 80s.
She sailed the Med, across the pond, and a few other places. I was an official 'shellback,' aboard her too!
At least you get to visit the Kennedy.
The Spartanburg Co., was sold off to the Malaysians. She caught fire in their port there, and sank!
Now, she be the home of fishes and ole Davy Jones as well! Arrrrg!
I remember when these all these ships were in Service along with the Midway and Coral Sea and the second Largest Navy was the Soviet Union. I feel old.
I served aboard the USS Forrestal, from 88 to 91.
In 2001 I was at the NAS Mayport and stood next to the Kennedy and Nimitz.
What determines whether a carrier is placed in an inactive reserve status (mothballed)?
I believe the USS Oriskany was sunk in deep waters. Is that now a no-no?
It's extremely expensive to environmentally prepare a large ship for sinking as an artificial reef. All the paints, oils, hydraulics, certain types of electric wiring, etc. have to be removed
Thanks for the memories shipmate was on John same time as you VF14 TAD to CAG.
I still can see the Kennedy when I walked off the Enterprise seems like yesterday. I still recall the different island it had to ours. Served abroad the Big E Aimd I-5 and KItty Hawk G-4 DIv. Great times on both but the hawk will always be my favorite girl.
Send those ships to australia it has a shipyard on idle which would be a great project for local employment .
I saw both the Forrestal and Saratoga from the water when they were at Newport.