Mayport, Fla. – The first skipper of the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy was surrounded Friday by shipmates wanting an autograph, a picture or just a chance to talk about old times.
But for Adm. Earl Yates, the ship’s captain from 1968 to 1969, the decommissioning of “Big John” after nearly 40 years of service was a little sad.
“I feel like crying,” he said.
Yates was among the 19 of 29 former Kennedy captains who attended the ceremony, presided over by the final skipper, Capt. Todd Zecchin. The event ended with more than 2,000 sailors in dress blues marching off for the last time.
“What a bittersweet day. It is a glorious breath of life we’ve filled the ship with,” Zecchin told about 7,000 former crew members and military dignitaries gathered at Mayport Naval Station, the carrier’s home port for the past 12 years.
The ship was active in both Iraq wars and launched aircraft into hotspots around the globe, including Afghanistan. At 1,050 feet long, it once carried about 4,600 people and 70 combat aircraft. Its decommissioning crew was about 2,800.
The Kennedy entered Navy service in September 1968, more than a year after it was christened by the slain president’s daughter, Caroline, then 9 years old. Its in-port cabin was designed by his widow, Jacqueline, and is the only room on a Navy ship with wood paneling, officials said.
None of the Kennedy family attended the ceremony. They said their goodbyes during a port visit to Boston three weeks ago.
