USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850)

USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy named after Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., a United States Naval Aviator and the older brother of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Ted Kennedy. The ship was sponsored by Jean Kennedy Smith, the sister of the Kennedy family, and was commissioned on December 15, 1945, under the command of Commander Henry J. Armstrong Jr. at the Boston Navy Yard. The destroyer was built by the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, with the assistance of General Dynamics and Bath Iron Works. The ship's construction was overseen by the United States Navy's Bureau of Ships, led by Rear Admiral Earle W. Mills.

● History

The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) was one of the last Gearing-class destroyers to be built during World War II, with the design influenced by the Battle of the Atlantic and the Pacific Theater of Operations. The ship's keel was laid on April 2, 1945, and it was launched on July 26, 1945, with the assistance of Vice Admiral Louis E. Denfeld and Rear Admiral Francis S. Low. The destroyer was commissioned on December 15, 1945, and began its shakedown cruise in the Caribbean Sea, visiting ports such as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, under the command of Commander William F. Rayburn. The ship also participated in the NATO-sponsored Operation Mainbrace in 1952, alongside ships from the Royal Navy, French Navy, and Canadian Navy, including the HMS Vanguard and USS Midway (CV-41).

● Characteristics

The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) was 390 feet 6 inches (119.0 m) long, with a beam of 40 feet 10 inches (12.4 m) and a draft of 14 feet 4 inches (4.4 m), similar to other Gearing-class destroyers such as the USS Gearing (DD-710) and USS Eugene A. Greene (DD-711). The ship was powered by two General Electric steam turbines, producing 60,000 horsepower, and had a top speed of 35 knots (65 km/h), making it one of the fastest ships in the United States Navy at the time, comparable to the USS Forrestal (CV-59) and USS Enterprise (CVN-65). The destroyer was armed with six 5-inch (127 mm) guns, twelve 40 mm Bofors guns, and ten 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, as well as Hedgehog anti-submarine projectiles and Mk 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes, similar to the USS Mitscher (DL-2) and USS Turner Joy (DD-951).

● Service

The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) served in the United States Navy for over 27 years, participating in several major operations, including the Korean War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, alongside ships such as the USS Nautilus (SSN-571) and USS Enterprise (CVN-65). The ship was part of the Atlantic Fleet, and was homeported in Newport, Rhode Island, and later in Mayport, Florida, under the command of Rear Admiral Charles S. Minter Jr. and Vice Admiral Bernard L. Austin. The destroyer also made several deployments to the Mediterranean Sea, visiting ports such as Naples, Italy, and Piraeus, Greece, and participated in NATO exercises, including Operation Strikeback and Operation Dawn Patrol, with ships from the Royal Navy, French Navy, and Canadian Navy, including the HMS Ark Royal (R09) and USS America (CV-66).

● Awards

The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) received several awards and decorations during its service, including the Navy Unit Commendation, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the Navy "E" Ribbon, as well as the Korean Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal for Korea, for its participation in the Korean War and other operations, alongside ships such as the USS Missouri (BB-63) and USS Iowa (BB-61). The ship also received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for its participation in the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Navy Occupation Service Medal for its service in the Occupation of Japan, under the command of General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz.

● Preservation

The USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) was decommissioned on July 2, 1973, and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on July 2, 1973, after being replaced by newer ships such as the USS Spruance (DD-963) and USS Kidd (DDG-993). The ship was later donated to the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation and is now a museum ship in Fall River, Massachusetts, where it is open to the public for tours, alongside other historic ships such as the USS Massachusetts (BB-59) and USS Lionfish (SS-298), and is a popular tourist attraction in the New England region, attracting visitors from Boston, Massachusetts, and New York City. The ship has been preserved in its original condition, with many of its original features and equipment still intact, including its 5-inch (127 mm) guns and 40 mm Bofors guns, and serves as a memorial to the Kennedy family and the United States Navy. Category:Gearing-class destroyers