Unofficial USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Home Page

Unofficial Home Page
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U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.
DD-850


National Defense Ribbon




† In memoriam †

  17 Sailors of the U.S.S. Cole, DDG-67  
October 12th, 2000

They gave their lives for freedom

† † † † † † † † † † † † † † † † †  

NEVER FORGET



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At last!
+ + + CLICK HERE + + +
for a group picture taken
at the 1999 JPK reunion.
Recognize any old shipmates?



Want to join the JPK Former Crewmembers Association? It's only $20 per year and includes a GREAT newsletter!
Just print out this form, fill it in, and follow the intructions - click here .


The 2010 reunion will be held in Fall River, Massachusetts, from 30 SEP 10 through 03 OCT 10.
Join in on all the fun, food, comradeship, and ceremonies, including visiting the old "Joey P".
Contact Ray Sampson at {401} 725-8848   OR   print out these forms - click here.


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. . . A D V E R T I S E M E N T . . .
The USS JOSEPH P. KENNEDY JR (DD-850) Ship's Store now has T-shirts, mugs,
baseball jerseys, mousepads, and other items. All have the ship's name or
patch printed on them. Click on the following:

http://www.cafeshops.com/jpkennedyjr

. . . A D V E R T I S E M E N T . . .
(note: The Webmaster is NOT involved with this company, nor do I make ANY profit
from sales, but I have dealt with this vendor before, and was very satisfied with
the products and service - bru h, webmaster)


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DD-850
bow shot stern shot

The USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.

DD-850

The U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., DD-850, was named for President John F. Kennedy's eldest brother, who was killed on 12 August, 1944, in World War II. She served in the Korean War, was part of the NATO fleet, participated in the inauguration ceremonies of President Kennedy, was part of the recovery teams for Project Mercury, Gemini 6, Gemini 7, and Gemini 12, and she played an active role in the Cuban missile blockade of 1962. She is now the only Gearing class destroyer preserved for posterity and is the site of the Admiral Arleigh A. Burke National Destroyerman's Museum. DD-850 has been designated a National Historical Landmark by the U. S. National Park Service.


For a more complete history of the JPK, Jr., CLICK HERE



DD-850

Some statistics:
U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. DD-850
BuilderBethlehem Steel Co.Fore River YardQuincy, Mass.
Laid DownApril 2nd, 1945
LaunchedJuly 26th 1945
CommissionedDecember 15th, 1945
F.R.A.M. (Level I) CompletedMay, 1962N. Y. Naval ShipyardNew York, NY
Stricken from Navy ListJuly 2nd, 1973To Museum StatusFall River, Mass.
DISPLACEMENT19461962
Full Load3,479 tons3,540 tons
MAXIMUM SPEED
Full Load34.6 knots31.3 knots
SHIP'S COMPLEMENT
OFFICERS2218
ENLISTED345270
ARMAMENT
GUNS / SURFACE1945 19521962
5" /38 Twin664
3" /50 Twin-4-
3" /50 Single-2-
40mm Quad12--
40 mm Twin4--
20 mm Twin18--
TORPEDO
21" Quintuple55-
ANTI-SUBMARINE WEAPONS
Hedgehog Mark 11-2-
Depth Charge Tracks (Rails)21 -
Depth Charge Projectors66-
Mark 32 Torpedoes--6
ASROC (AntiSubmarine ROCket) -- 8
DASH (Drone AntiSubmarine Helicopter) --1
THE SHIP
DIMENSIONS
Overall Length390' 6"
Waterline Length383' 0"
Maximum Beam41' 1"
Frame Spacing21"210 frames
Designed Draft13' 1"
Maximum Draft18' 6"
MACHINERY
Boilers4B & W3 drum express
Pressure565 psi
Temperature850° F.
TurbinesTwo setsWestinghouse geared
ReductionTwo setsDeLavaldouble reduction
Shaft Revolutions312 rpm
Horsepower60,000
PropellersTwofour bladed
Diameter12' 6"
RuddersTwobalanced streamlined
Fuel Oil739 tons
Diesel Oil26.5 tons




DD-850 - An artist's rendition.




November refueling




Bravo




Charlie




Romeo





NBCR


The Kennedy refueling from the U.S.S. Wisconsin, BB-64, in March, 1949. Note the pre-FRAM configuration.



Entering Grand Harbor, Valetta, Malta
ATTENTION TO STARBOARD!
The "Joey P" (as she was known to ALL of her crews)
entering the Grand Harbour, Valetta, Malta, February, 1970.
(Pardon the tape, the US Post Office tore the picture in 1970.)
--- More Malta pictures in the postcard section ---



My DD-850 People and Pictures Page

Updated 21 MAY 99



My DD-850 Postcard Page

Updated 24 MAY 99







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Some information and a brochure on Arleigh Burke, added on 9 NOV 99, courtesy of Tracy Peters - click here.

Here's a link to the U.S.S. Massachusetts Home Page. The U.S.S. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., is now in museum status at Fall River, Massachusetts, tied up near "Big Mamie", the USS Lionfish (SS-298), and PT-796 - U.S.S. Massachusetts.

The Curator/Educational Coordinator at Battleship Cove in Fall River, emailed me in early March of 1998 stating that a "DD850's former crewmember association" newsletter is available. If you're interested in obtaining a complimentary copy of the latest one, please send your snailmail address to Debbie Collins at dlc3174@aol.com . The Curator job has now (1999) been assumed by Mr. Christopher Nardi - check out the Battleship Cove website for his email address.

If you have any pictures of the JPK, Jr., or any of her crew that you'd like to share, please scan them and send me .jpg (they're smaller) or .gif files (they're lots bigger) at the email address below. If you don't have access to a scanner, contact me anyway; we'll work something out. I'll put them up here with full credit (no copyrighted material, please).


Here is the first of the entries! Thanks to (ex MM1) Aaron Johnson for a whole roll of his slides from the JPK's final cruise.


Jim Davis, now of Pittsburgh, PA, loaned me a cruise book. To see the Cruise Book
from the 1960 Med Cruise, just follow the arrows:
or go to the index. And THANKS JIM!! Picture glitch fixed 9/15/98


Since I was already beginning to run out of space here, I have opened a "Crew's Lounge" at another site to take care of any pictures provided by any outside sources. Here's a link to the DD-850 Crew's Lounge.


Debbie Collins at the U.S.S. Massachusetts Memorial has kindly provided several pictures of the "Joey P" to me. Check them out at the Crew's Lounge!

Closeup snap of the D.A.S.H. now available at the "Lounge".

Two pictures (Master-At-Arms badge, and MM1 L.W. Johnson III & BT1 Rector in Naples contributed by (ex-MM1) Leonard W. Johnson III - added 30 OCT 98.

Newspaper picture of decommissioning ceremony contributed by Dirck Harris, ex BT3 - added 30 DEC 98.

Some GREAT photos of the early years of the JPK have been provided by Bill Lucas, and are now added to the Crew's Lounge. Check out these picures from the 1946-7 era and the Joey P's South America cruise! - added 30 JAN 99.

On 20 MAY 99 I received an email and later these pictures from one of my old shipmates, ex-RD3 Butch Ruiz. Here's a link to those pictures - Butch Ruiz - added 21 MAY 99.

Some more great photographs from the 1946 / 47 era, these courtesy of Chuck Cassidy, were added on 27 MAY 99. Check them out!

More snapshots, these from the 1962/63 era, donated by Len Barrett, ex-RD3. These are from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and some pictures of a visit to the JPK by Joe, Jr's, little brother (President John F. Kennedy) and his wife.

Added a picture of the JPK, Jr. in Fall River, MA, with the Russian missile boat alongside on 26 OCT 99. Thanks again to Butch Ruiz!


Here's Dale Yanz's contribution - some pix of the ole Joey P in 1970-71 - link updated 10 DEC 01.



These patches courtesy of Andy R. Maseo.
Added 01 MAY 00.



I received a note on 14 JUL 00 from Bill Freethy that says "I was aboard the JPK in 62/63 as a GMG3. Here is a pic of me at that time. If there are any old shipmates out there that remember me give me an e-mail at bfreethy@inteliport.com." Thanks Bill.

Please check the crews lounge frequently for the latest contributions! (Updated 15 JUL 00)


And here's a link to another JPK page - crest - just click on the crest! updated 23 MAR 99


Can anybody give this guy some help - request for information ?





U.S.S. Warrington, DD-843, Home Page.

The USS Bache, DD-470




Here's a picture of my old college roommate's ship, the U.S.S. Noxubee, AOG-56, a gasoline tanker. His name is Gary C. Hall, his rate, Yeoman. Wow! Secretary on a could-be Molotov cocktail! No thanks! Give me a "small boy" any day.

So you miss the "good ole navy days", eh? Read this - shipboard life.


Check this out - funny or sad?




Some great Navy links.




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