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I was piped over the side from the Kennedy when I retired from the Navy on 31 August 1984. I was a Master Chief Machinist Mate and the senior enlisted man in the Main Engines Division. In her day, she was the best carrier in Airlant. One night when we were operating off the Virginia Capes I wanted to take a turbo generator off line to work on it and the Chief Engineer told me I had to wait until the Air Group was finished sinking an old Destroyer target hulk. Since I had a background in Destroyers, Escorts, and Frigates, I asked him which one.
He said it was the USS William M. Wood DD 715, which was the first ship I served on in the Navy!
I saw Big John docked in Manhatten next to the cruise ship terminal quite a few years ago. It sure made the Intrepid look small.
Apparently the JFK never had the SLEP (service life extention program) refit that would have seen "her" continue service as a front line carrier.
The last time I saw the JFK was when we (USS Forrestal) relieved her off Palma De Mallorca in December, 1969! Sad to see her go the way of the Forrestal! :beerchug: