USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. facts for kids
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Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. underway in 1962
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| History | |
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 United States |
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| Name | Joseph P. Kennedy Jr |
| Namesake | Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. |
| Builder | Fore River Shipyard |
| Laid down | 2 April 1945 |
| Launched | 26 July 1945 |
| Sponsored by | Miss Jean Kennedy Smith |
| Commissioned | 15 December 1945 |
| Decommissioned | 2 July 1973 |
| Stricken | 1 July 1973 |
| Identification |
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| Nickname(s) | Joey P |
| Status | Museum ship at Battleship Cove |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Gearing-class destroyer |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 390 ft 6 in (119.02 m) |
| Beam | 40 ft 10 in (12.45 m) |
| Draft | 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) |
| Installed power | 4 × Babcock & Wilcox 615 psi (4.24 MPa) 850 °F (454 °C) superheated D-Type express boilers |
| Propulsion | 2 sets of high pressure, low pressure and cruising turbines (General Electric or Westinghouse) 60,000 shp (45,000 kW); 2 shafts and 12.5-foot (3.8 m) four-bladed propellers |
| Speed | 35.25 knots (65.28 km/h; 40.56 mph) |
| Range | 5,800 mi (5,000 nmi; 9,300 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Complement |
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| Sensors and processing systems |
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| Armament |
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| Aircraft carried | Drone Anti-Sub Helicopter (DASH) |
| Notes | Fuel capacity of 96,000 US gal (360,000 L; 80,000 imp gal) |
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 Location in Massachusetts
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| Built | 1945 |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000231 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 11 December 1989 |
| Designated NHL | 29 June 1989 |
The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) is a former United States Navy Gearing-class destroyer. This ship was named after Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.. He was a naval aviator and the older brother of future President John F. Kennedy. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. served until 1973, with breaks for upgrades.
Some important moments in her service include:
- Blocking Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- Helping to recover astronauts from the Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 space missions.
Today, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. is a museum ship at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 1989, it became a National Historic Landmark. This is because it is one of the few Gearing-class destroyers still existing.
Contents
Building and Early Years (1945–1950)
The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was built by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. This happened at their Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. The ship was launched on July 26, 1945. Miss Jean Kennedy, Lieutenant Kennedy's sister, sponsored the ship. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was commissioned in Boston on December 15, 1945.
The new destroyer began its first training trip in the Caribbean on February 4, 1946. Robert F. Kennedy, Joseph's younger brother, sailed on this trip. He was 20 years old and an apprentice seaman. He left the navy on May 30, 1946.
The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. returned to its homeport, Newport, in April 1946. For the next few months, it helped train Naval Reserve members. On October 8, it arrived in Norfolk. The ship joined Admiral William D. Leahy's flagship, USS Wisconsin, for a trip. They sailed to Chile and Venezuela. The ship went through the Panama Canal twice. The President of Venezuela reviewed it on November 25, 1946. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. returned home on December 14, 1946.
In 1947, the destroyer operated along the East Coast and in the Caribbean. It sailed for fleet exercises off Puerto Rico on February 9. After that, it joined the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. The fleet worked to keep peace during a time of trouble in Europe. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. visited many Mediterranean ports. It arrived back in Newport on June 26, 1948. The rest of that year was spent practicing antisubmarine warfare (ASW). In the first half of 1949, it made two training trips to the Caribbean.
On August 23, 1949, the ship sailed for duty with the 6th Fleet. It was the flagship for Destroyer Squadron 18 (DESRON 18). It returned on January 27, 1950.
Korean War and Global Travels (1950–1960)
When the war in Korea began, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. trained reserves in July 1950. It then practiced bombardment and convoy exercises. These prepared it to defend South Korea from Communist forces. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. sailed for Japan on January 3, 1951. It traveled through the Panama Canal, Pearl Harbor, and Midway Atoll. At Sasebo, it loaded ammunition. One month after leaving Newport, it joined Task Force 77 (TF 77) off Korea.
From February to April, it protected attack carriers. These carriers attacked enemy positions and supply lines. On April 8, it left for the Formosa Patrol. This patrol helped prevent more fighting across the Taiwan Straits. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. then returned to Korea. It arrived off Wonsan on May 20. There, it supported the Allied siege of harbor islands by bombarding enemy targets. This duty lasted until June 13. This period of constant bombardment was very important. After this, the ship steamed to Sasebo.
The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. did not go straight back to the West Coast. Instead, it sailed west to complete a trip around the world. With other ships from Destroyer Squadron 8, it visited Singapore, Bahrain, Port Said, Naples, and Gibraltar. It returned to Newport on August 9, 1951. Until January 1953, it practiced battle skills. It also served as a training ship for the Fleet Training School in Newport. On January 7, it sailed for another 6th Fleet trip. It returned to Newport on May 18, 1953.
Antisubmarine training and another Mediterranean trip (January–May 1954) filled its schedule through most of 1955. On November 5, it sailed for Arctic exercises off northern Europe. The ship visited Oslo, Norway, and Bremerhaven, West Germany. It performed exercises with 6th Fleet units. It returned to Newport on March 5, 1956.
In June 1956, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. arrived at Annapolis. It joined battleships Iowa and New Jersey. They took United States Naval Academy midshipmen on a training cruise. After returning from Northern Europe on August 1, the ship took part in training until May 6, 1957. Then, it sailed again for 6th Fleet duty. The Jordanian crisis had just ended with strong fleet support. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. took part in carrier operations until September. Then, it steamed to Norway for NATO joint exercises. It returned to Newport on October 22, 1957.
Again in 1958, the ship sailed to the Mediterranean. On this trip, it spent April in the Persian Gulf with the Middle East Force. It arrived back in Newport on July 1, 1958. After a needed repair period in Boston, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. arrived at Annapolis again on June 3, 1959. This was for midshipman training. With other ships, it entered the St. Lawrence River. It represented the Navy at the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway on June 26, 1959.
Both President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Queen Elizabeth II took part in the ceremonies. After this, the destroyer entered the Seaway and steamed to Chicago on July 2. The ship visited various ports before returning to the Atlantic on August 6. In 1960, it returned to the Mediterranean with Forrestal and Franklin D. Roosevelt. It returned to Newport on October 15.
Key Missions and Modernization (1961–1964)
In January 1961, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. steamed to Washington, D.C. This was for the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. He was the brother of the ship's namesake. In February and April of that year, it helped with Project Mercury space missions. Then, it arrived in New York City on July 1, 1961. This was for a Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) overhaul at the New York Naval Shipyard. During this time, it received new antisubmarine equipment. It also got a new helicopter flight deck and hangar at the back. Many other changes were made to extend its useful life. After its upgrades in late May 1962, it underwent thorough testing. This happened out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It returned on August 26, 1962.
The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. and other ships quickly responded to the threat of Soviet ballistic missiles in Cuba. President Kennedy ordered a quarantine. The ship sailed on October 22. It played an active role in the blockade. This blockade helped ease the Cuban Missile Crisis. On October 26, under Commander Nicholas S. Mikhalevsky, it sent a boarding party to the Lebanese merchant ship Marucla. After this clear show of US Navy power, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. stayed on patrol in the Caribbean. It returned to Newport on December 7, 1962.
In 1963, the experienced destroyer carried out training off the Virginia Capes and Nova Scotia. It left Newport on April 29, 1964, for another Mediterranean trip. This lasted until August 26. In October, it was part of Operation Steel Pike I. This was one of the largest amphibious operations since World War II. As the task force traveled to the Spanish coast, it acted as an antisubmarine screening ship. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. returned to Newport on November 19, 1964.
Space Recovery and Final Missions (1965–1967)
In late January 1965, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. sailed to Port Canaveral, Florida. There, it helped qualify two new Polaris submarines for patrols. This was followed by a regular 3-month overhaul at the Boston Naval Shipyard. Commander J. W. Hayes took over command of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. from Captain J. V. Peters on July 14. The next day, a 2-month period of refresher training began. The ship sailed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The US crewed space program was one of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.'s more recent duties. Leaving Newport on November 27, 1965, the ship took a position 1,200 nmi southeast of Bermuda. It was part of the recovery team for Gemini 6 and Gemini 7. These missions involved a 14-day orbital and rendezvous flight in space. The space shots were successful, and its duty was done. The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. returned to Newport on December 21. It then prepared for another trip to the Mediterranean.
Assigned to Destroyer Squadron 10 (DESRON 10), the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. left Newport on February 15, 1966. It was to serve with the 6th Fleet. After arriving at Gibraltar on February 24, it took part in air defense and antisubmarine operations for the next four months. It traveled across the Mediterranean, from North Africa to Turkey. It finished its peacekeeping patrols in late June. It returned to Newport on July 8.
For the rest of the year, it conducted destroyer exercises and carrier screening operations. These took place off the eastern seaboard. In mid-November, it helped with recovery operations. This was after the successful 4-day flight of Gemini 12. On March 1, 1967, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. sailed again for duty with the 6th Fleet. It cruised the Mediterranean until late April. Then, it went through the Suez Canal to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. In late June, it left the Gulf of Aden for the United States. It sailed around the Cape of Good Hope and South America. It arrived in Newport the following month. There, it continued its training.
Becoming a Museum Ship
As the US involvement in Vietnam ended, the Navy reduced its fleet. The Kennedy was removed from service in early 1973. It was officially taken off the Navy Register on July 1 of the same year. Because of its famous name and ties to the Kennedy family, plans were soon made to save it.
After being removed from service, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was moved to Fall River, Massachusetts. It became part of the Battleship Cove Museum. As of 2018, it is open to the public. It serves as the official memorial to Massachusetts citizens who died during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. It is also home to the Admiral Arleigh Burke National Destroyermen's Museum.
In the spring of 2000, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was brought to Rhode Island Sound. This was for the movie Thirteen Days. In the movie, it played itself and John R. Pierce. Active duty Navy members and Naval Reservists crewed the ship. They wore period uniforms. Some systems, like radar antennae, gun mounts, and ASW torpedo tubes, were made to look operational for action scenes. A tugboat towed the ship, staying out of view during filming.
Awards and Honors
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| Combat Action Ribbon | ||
| Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation | Navy Expeditionary Medal | American Campaign Medal |
| World War II Victory Medal | Navy Occupation Service Medal with "EUROPE" clasp |
China Service Medal |
| National Defense Service Medal with star |
Korean Service Medal with two battle stars |
Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal |
| Presidential Unit Citation (South Korea) |
United Nations Korea Medal | Korean War Service Medal (South Korea) |
Note – The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. displays the ribbon of the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal at Battleship Cove in Fall River. However, the ship was not in the correct area during the time period for this medal.
See also
