Swedish Extrovert
03-23-2007, 08:27 PM
I'd just like to pay my own little farewell to one of the greatest warships ever, in the worlds finest Navy ever.
The USS John F. Kennedy has faithfully served her country for 39 years. Commissioned in 1968, it has landed aircraft in all major conflicts since. She was laid to rest today, and feelings of 'sublime melancholy' and major pride surged through my mind as over 5,000 VIP civilians in attendance and countless others on the beach enthusiastically applauded her crew.
I'm roasted after escorting media all day, but it was worth it.
Farewell to a ship that has been a cornerstone of the US Military for the last two generations. To prevent war, and maintain peace, a powerful American military presence must exist. The USS John F. Kennedy has been that presence.
President John F. Kennedy best said it himself when he addressed graduates of the United States Naval Academy on 1 August, 1963: "I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: 'I served in the United States Navy.'"
If you care, here is an article in the local media here - http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=78434
A decommissioning really puts the power of this vessel in perspective... to think all the traps, and the battles, all those hard long nights as Sailors frantically - albeit composedly - labored about to complete countless missions. All the places that this great ship has been to. It's quite humbling and certainly exciting to think about.
The USS John F. Kennedy has faithfully served her country for 39 years. Commissioned in 1968, it has landed aircraft in all major conflicts since. She was laid to rest today, and feelings of 'sublime melancholy' and major pride surged through my mind as over 5,000 VIP civilians in attendance and countless others on the beach enthusiastically applauded her crew.
I'm roasted after escorting media all day, but it was worth it.
Farewell to a ship that has been a cornerstone of the US Military for the last two generations. To prevent war, and maintain peace, a powerful American military presence must exist. The USS John F. Kennedy has been that presence.
President John F. Kennedy best said it himself when he addressed graduates of the United States Naval Academy on 1 August, 1963: "I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: 'I served in the United States Navy.'"
If you care, here is an article in the local media here - http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=78434
A decommissioning really puts the power of this vessel in perspective... to think all the traps, and the battles, all those hard long nights as Sailors frantically - albeit composedly - labored about to complete countless missions. All the places that this great ship has been to. It's quite humbling and certainly exciting to think about.