European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 stars and strip e s sunday March 25 2007 uss John f Kennedy decommissioned in Fla by Ron word the associated press Mayport Fla the first skipper of the air Craft 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 p Yates the ships 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 the lowering of the ships Flag and More than 2000 sailors in dress blues marching off for the last time what a bittersweet Day it is a Glo rious breath of life weve filled the ship with Zecchin told about 7000 former Crew members and military dignitaries gathered at Mayport naval station the carriers Home port forthe last 12 years the Kennedy looked As if it had just come from the shipyard its Gray paint gleaming and its top encircled by red White and Blue Bunting As officials arrived two volleys of six shots each were fired in Salute the ship was Active in both Iraq wars and launched aircraft into hot spots around the Globe including Afghanistan at 1050 feet Long it once carried a Crew of about 4600 and 70 combat aircraft its decommissioning Crew was about 2800 Zecchin called the Crew a profile in courage a reference to president Kennedy pulitzer prize win the Cabin will go to a Navy museum the Carrier will be towed to Philadelphia where it will be placed on inactive status Ning Book profiles in courage none of the Kennedy family attended the ceremony they said their goodbyes during a port visit to Boston about three weeks ago adm John b Nathman commander of us Fleet forces command called the Kennedy an icon of american might and Freedom Gary Wright 60 an original Crew member trav eled from Baltimore to see the Cere Mony the aviation technician from 1968 to 1971 said his Mother still has a piece of the commissioning cake in her Freezer i dont know Why she wants a 38yearold piece of cake he said the Kennedy entered Navy ser vice in september 1968 More than a year after it was christened by the slain presidents then9yearold daughter Caroline its import Cabin was designed by his widow Jacqueline and is the Only room on a Navy ship with Wood panelling officials said one of its paintings shows the president sailing with his daughter the Cabin will go to a Navy museum the Carrier will be towed to Philadelphia where it will be placed on inactive status the Kennedy recently served As a training plat form for Navy pilots to obtain Carrier Landing qualification the Navy suspended the ships flight operations about a year ago citing faulty Landing equipment the decommissioning of the steam powered Kennedy leaves the uss Kitty Hawk As the Only Navy aircraft Carrier that does not run on nuclear Power Zecchin is headed to Japan to supervise the decommissioning of that vessel Oscar sailors reach for a pallet of surplus equipment being unloaded from the aircraft Carrier uss John f Kennedy on tuesday at naval station Mayport Fla the Kennedy was decommissioned Friday Well Cham u sep cars bist prices around i 2 mimiti1 from ats Nyji Mirin jau1 n tosi200 Mirant cd to pass on base inspection land transportation office 11to free of charge maintenance services 1 cars scrapped for free ii 5 i i i ill hitlh11 2 la lie in civil Call i m in str Japan pm  ucens6nom2jo Hong Kong ap35 Singapore ap35 Seoul ap35 v198oo Bangkok ap35 Okinawa Honolulu mid East coast direct s433 City ap7 adult round trip ap3 Dert Xixi 414 Days package night flight day2 day313 day414 non Stop to Cairns 3nushts hotel Mcd Arr Cairns Transfer to City Center free time proc ext to by 14oavs free Transfer City to Airport ask other Day As Well ask our staff How to survive in Cairns kids include All tax fuels sri aug break last minutes 2oax private tour Dep 515 april day1 arrive Beijing day2 climb the Wall day3 City tour day4 free Day Days Back to Narita day1 arrive Shuket day23 free time day4 arrive Bangkok day56 free time Day depart Bangkok Dep 7r8 9 april day1 arrive Honolulu day23 free Day day4 Fly to Japan Days Back to Narita air fare nights hotel Transfer 891o Guam 5days package last minutes Pilyer for Spring break j week pm a closed xxx in no we arts Tippy to important a a a