CV-67 Needs a Home.

[Mumbles]

This is sort of sad. Hopefully Massachusetts will sack up for the Ship named after it's native son.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/11/navy_seeks_prop.html

 

[Owen]

Big John

I'd heard MA wanted her for Battleship Cove.
They were peeved when NNAM sent a crew
to remove artifacts from her when she was
still in Mayport.

 

[rrpilot]

I've was chatting up a museum docent one day and he indicated that the Navy requirements can be quite extensive... insuring the ship is structurally sound as well as insuring that the vessel can be returned to service if need be...I thought that if we are ever in a war and I see a Navy tug hooking up to the Intrepid I'm heading for the hills!...:icon_tong

 

[vick]

Damn, I CQ'd on her, I'm starting to feel old!

 

[Hozer]

Captain Rick Hoffman (Ret) has led a very vocal group in Jax trying to get the JFK down to Fort Lauderdale as a museum. Using the Midway as a business model with a year-round good climate, I think it's a winner.
(I am completely biased, as a former JFK crewmember). Big John was in good shape when she was laid up, needed a yard period but who doesn't after putting off a COH?

link to 2008 story...
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=99924

 

[HeyJoe]

There was a group in Miami/Fy Lauderdale headed by "Duke" Hernandez (and included Rick "Buzz Lightyear" Hoffman) that was vying to bring her there as well as a group in Boston trying to get her for display since the JFK Museum is there. The Miami Group had a vibrant website and was gathering support until they fell prey to a fundraiser that ultimately ended up in legal action. The Boston crowd would seem to have the political muscle, but still needs to raise funding to dredge an adequate berth and establish an environment to facilitate visitation. JFK (the ship) and Boston have a fond history. On was on JFK (as part of VF-32) when we visited Boston in summer of 1990 as part of Fleet Week. Crowds were incredible and it was one port that you wanted to wear your whites anytime you left the ship.

Another piece of the JFK history is one of the VF-32 Swordsmen F-14A Tomcats that flew off Kennedy and participated in the January 1989 downing of two Libyan MiG-23 Floggers. The lead aircraft is perserved at the National Air & Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy location in its later VF-31 markings (it was converted to a D model). The wingman actually scored first and that aircraft, 159437, has languished at AMARG at Davis Monthan for years. It is protected from destruction by the National Naval Museum of Aviation, but has yet to find a museum or group to give it a home. Sure would be nice to retrun her to the flightdeck of the JFK.

 

[FlyinSpy]

Another piece of the JFK history is one of the VF-32 Swordsmen F-14A Tomcats that flew off Kennedy and participated in the January 1989 downing of two Libyan MiG-23 Floggers. The lead aircraft is perserved at the National Air & Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy location in its later VF-31 markings (it was converted to a D model). The wingman actually scored first and that aircraft, 159437, has languished at AMARG at Davis Monthan for years. It is protected from destruction by the National Naval Museum of Aviation, but has yet to find a museum or group to give it a home. Sure would be nice to retrun her to the flightdeck of the JFK.

Minor threadjack, but I always found the attached file to be an "interesting listen" - the cockvit voice recording of full engagement HJ mentions above. You can literally hear the adrenaline creeping in as the engagement progresses; the backstory I heard was there may have been a little too much adrenaline on at least one participant's part, but I'd leave it to any of the Tomcat guys of that vintage to confirm.

 

[helolumpy]

I'd heard MA wanted her for Battleship Cove.
They were peeved when NNAM sent a crew
to remove artifacts from her when she was
still in Mayport.

Battleship cove wanted to get a carrier for years. They were talking about getting one back in the early 80's. One problem, they can't fit a 1,000 ft long ship anywhere in there!!!

Massachusetts will screw this up somehow. If Teddy was still alive, the money would be found somehow and the ship would be a museum near the JFK museum.

 

[Bevo16]

If Teddy was still alive, the money would be found somehow and the ship would be a museum near the JFK museum.

Yea, it's called an "earmark".

One thing is for sure, if Ted was in charge of getting it to Mass. that thing would have a rockin bar on the fantail. In-port cabins and staterooms for rent...by the hour.

 

[squorch2]

I was on the helo det when she pulled into Boston around Feb. 2007 for her last port call. There were lines miles long of Bostonians waiting to take a tour and almost every one of them told us that they wanted her to stay in Boston as a museum, even going so far as to call her "our" ship.

I imagine Boston is going to fight pretty hard to get her - the competition will be good for everyone.

That's her arriving at the pier across from Logan Int'l. Holy balls was it cold while we were there. The tail is an S-3 that was situated in the LA, and you might notice how nice the non-skid is. That's because it was no longer certified for landing wherever it looked nice and new - we has spots 3 and 4 that looked like crap for us to land on.

 

[HeyJoe]

I was on the helo det when she pulled into Boston around Feb. 2007 for her last port call. There were lines miles long of Bostonians waiting to take a tour and almost every one of them told us that they wanted her to stay in Boston as a museum, even going so far as to call her "our" ship.

I imagine Boston is going to fight pretty hard to get her - the competition will be good for everyone.

That's her arriving at the pier across from Logan Int'l. Holy balls was it cold while we were there. The tail is an S-3 that was situated in the LA, and you might notice how nice the non-skid is. That's because it was no longer certified for landing wherever it looked nice and new - we has spots 3 and 4 that looked like crap for us to land on.

Right now, it's no fight at all. They just have to satisfy criteria for berthing JFK and have the cash raised that goes with that. As afar as earmarks, a Democratic Congress in both houses and a Democratic President helps along with legacy Kennedy clout in politics. But...Defense Appropriations Bill is still stalled in Conference with no end in sight and President isn't keen on earmarks so may have to raise finding the old-fashioned way.

 

[vicariousrider]

Former President Kennedy was born in Brookline, MA ( http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy ). I'd say Boston would be a great place to park the U.S.S. John F. Kennedy and keep her there as a museum.

Perhaps even construct a replica of PT 109 in a hangar deck? I'm sure she's got the room for it.

 

[stickygdm]

My first time on a LSO platform: 1976 on JFK inport South Boston. My older sisters remembered I was a fascinated 6 year old with the "telephones" on the flight deck. 26 years later I was CVW7 LSO on our OEF deployment. I was on one knee tying my boot (Redwing:brown of course) on the platform and looked up at the console and realized I had seen that perspective before!

 

[helolumpy]

I was on the helo det when she pulled into Boston around Feb. 2007 for her last port call. There were lines miles long of Bostonians waiting to take a tour and almost every one of them told us that they wanted her to stay in Boston as a museum, even going so far as to call her "our" ship.

Back in 96 HS-3 as part of CAG 8 get shifted to the JFK. Since the Admiral now had an airwing to go with a carrier, he decided to take his new toys out and play.
First we were going to pull into my hometown of Boston. That got turned off and I was pissed until I found out we did a NorLant - 2 weeks at sea, 1 week port call in Dublin, 1 week at sea for exercises with the Royal Navy, 1 week port call in Portsmouth England and then two weeks back home.

I dare say it was above 'good deal' threshold!!! (Of course if the gods of Naval Air ever hear me say I had a good deal, they will strike me down with an IA!)

One of the best parts of that NorLant was the Admiral's aide walking into Ready 2 the night before we pulled in. He asked if we could do a log run into Dublin International that night.
We explained that we couldn't pick anyone up (night pax over water and all) and he said we were just getting cargo.
We naturally asked how large it was and how much it weighed and he told us it should only be less than 5 pounds.
We asked what we were getting and his response was classic; "It's the Admiral's choker whites... I left them home."

 

[HuggyU2]

...if Ted was in charge of getting it to Mass...

Yes, he certainly knew somthing about water-borne vehicles.

And, yes Vick, you are old.