Served on Big John from May 1999 until August 2002. It's haunting to see her now, like visiting a grave. It was hard, but it was some of the best duty I served while in the Navy. Thanks Matt for filming this.
Omgawd, I lived on this ship in 1977,78 until CVN-69 DWIGHT EISENHOWER was commissioned and we were first airwing to break it in brand new. I was attached to VA-34 BLUEBLASTERS A-6 Intrudar squadron. Tears of joy here. Wow. What a sight , R.I.P.
Served on JFK 74-77 with VA-34, AT2, left at Naples mid cruise stand down. 77, one hell of a ship, hate to see her like this, only hope new JFK can live up to her.
I served on her from 87-91 including Desert Storm as part of VS-22. I stopped by last year while I was in Philly to visit. So many great memories of great friends and exciting times. She is still beautiful in my eyes.
UAU !!!! What a fantastic piece of Life you got there !! 👍👍👍 ... "great memories, great friends and exciting times".... All that in one of the major confflic of the Century. It's life well lived. But I have to ask, what exactly comes to be parte of VS-22 ???
Wow, just wow. I lived on her from 02/92 - 03/96 as an ET Fleet SatComm (NAVMACS). Thanks for posting this. I can't believe there 4 EHF antenna domes (the white tic tacs) mounted on top of the island...
Excellent vid! Great shot of the flight deck and the fantail. For a minute i saw myself on the fantail looking out into the ocean again! Served aboard USS JFK from 1980 to 1982 IM-4 Division GSE. Sure do miss those days!
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@@pauljensen9793 I think she's the last of the non-nuclear supercarriers still afloat with all the others except perhaps CV-63 (Kitty Hawk) scrapped or (CV-66 America) sunk.
@@robertf3479 USS Kitty Hawk is up for scrapping but hasn't been scrapped yet. But yes JFK and Kitty Hawk are the last non nuclear US Navy Carriers. And USS America was sunk before Constellation was scrapped.
Served on Big John 1998-2001 as a Corpsman (HM1) Advanced Lab Tech (8506). So many memories. Great shipmates and docked in Mayport, Florida. Did a cruise on Big John to The Gulf, Op Sail 2000 in NY. The Navy was good to me and my family.
Thank you! Spent time on the Kennedy. Almost blown overboard on Elevator 3 one night by an A6. The net caught me. Watching this, brings it all back. Every time I have been to Philly in the last five years of so, I make it a point to at least drive by and see the ship.
Hi Matt, Could I have your permission to you a couple of shots from your drone footage? I'm working on a video about a similar ship and your footage would allow me to substitute some bits and pieces that I couldn't find of the actual ship. Thanks!
@@TheMattfranz Thanks very much! I will overlay your channel name on any part of your footage that I show. Working on USS Kitty Hawk, which was also scrapped.
@@TheMattfranz yep, many seemed unhappy with these last conventional carriers not being turned into a museum. We made a video on the topic exactly 2 years ago. Look up "Why Did US Navy Give Away a Supercarrier For FREE?"
My father has dementia now but was assigned to VF 14 Tophatters on this ship and he can recall his Navy days with incredible accuracy. I have a hard time watching soldier returning videos because I so clearly remember him returning from cruise time after time and how emotional it was to see him leave again for another deployment.
Fred Bradley I don’t like those videos either. I was the guy coming home to his family and I wished people understood that not everyone wants that moment to be publicized or even exploited. It is about a family starting to heal. Come to think of it they never filmed me leaving my family for the desert. That was awful. Anyways, thank you for the sacrifice you made as a military kid and the service your family did for our country.
I served on Big John from 12/1981 through 6/1985. V4 Division Purple Shirt. Brings back a lot of memories. I’ve been on every square foot of that flight deck.
I never served, but much thanks and respect to those of you who did. This ship needs to be saved, ironically the last oil fired carrier, is also the last carrier that could possibly be a museum, now that the Forrestals and Kitty Hawks are gone.
Wow. I served on the Spiegel Grove LSD32 in 66. I watched her sink off the Keys to make a reef and it brought tears to my eyes. This is also very sad to see. So many good men served on her to keep us safe. Bless them and the JFK. RIP.
Ulikemyname not really, you see it’s about onboard systems. The new Queen Elizabeth class carriers of the Royal Navy use 50% of the crew used by US carriers on a per capita basis. Reducing crew means less food, water etc and accommodation. More space for equipment.
@@kennztube That's true but the Nimitz is an older design but it still is larger with capabilities not only to have more fighter but to also launch more fighters. It is also nuclear so it can go on sea for a much longer period if times... Years longer 😂😂
I helped build her as a summer help college student in 1967 and 1968 at the Newport news Shipyard. I hope the wiring I helped install in frames 58 to 68 held up. When under construction, we referred to her as Haul 577 (I guess it was the 577th ship Newport News Shipyard built.) It was a dirty and noisy job that paid about $2.00 an hour with all the overtime you could want.
WOW!!! This bring back to me an incredible very special day! Yes, just before the Desert Storm started, I was in France, in Nice, south of France in the Mediterranean Sea. It was end december 1990, I went there from Italy to celebrate new year's day. I saw on the sea that monster and I said to myself ..."oh, how I really would like to take a walk on that incredible big monster!" And it happened!!!! Yes, becouse in the city I met a member of the crew who drove me and others there, and he showed us all or almost, like a perfect tourist guide. I even saw a jet fighter landing and doing take off, I had goose skin!!! I was surprised how greased was the deck and all the others details wondered me. I noticed that others crew members drove people to visit this war ship. It was 31 december 1990. I was 24 y.o. For an italian civilian boy it was like to take part at a superb movie. I gave a large tip to that military sailor who gave me that opportunity. Then few weeks later Desert Storm started. I was proud, while looking news on tv, to say to others ..."guys, I took a walk on that aircraft carrier..." Best wishes to all who served in the Aircraft carrier J.F. Kennedy!
Sailors often are proud to show their ship off to visitors. I'm glad you had that opportunity. Watching carrier flight operations never really got old to me. I was a destroyer sailor and often had to follow Kennedy, Saratoga and Coral Sea around in what we call the 'Plane Guard Position,' off the port quarter (behind and to the left) just in case one of the planes launching or landing has an accident and goes into the sea. It never happened with a fighter but we once had a helicopter (Sea Cobra) crash almost alongside us. Crew of two, we pulled one out of the water but the pilot … they eventually found him still strapped into the cockpit in 600 feet of water. Carriers usually moor starboard side to the pier, not port side as Kennedy is here. The brow (gangway) runs from the pier to the lowered #2 elevator (same one lowered here) and often with a 2nd brow rigged to the #3 elevator aft of the island.
I served on JFK from 1974-1977; The Kennedy was a great Ship to be on, you could eat hot meals on 2 different mess decks while the ship was underway 24/7 - I have a lot of good and bad memories on that ship - I am sure the "New" JFK will serve us well;
Had my first F-14 traps on the JFK in April 1983 during initial CQ in VF-101, then more in May 1986 before I rolled out of VF-14 while they were working up for the next cruise. Very sad indeed.
I'm a plank owner. OC DIV started in bldg P-4 at NOB Norfolk then to Newport News Ship building and Drydock and Commission, GITMO, and the Med in spring of 69
I first saw this video a week or two ago and thought it was amazing. Since then and particularly in the last day or two I've been reading up on the supercarriers of the US Navy and learned a lot. This ship is one of only 3 conventionally powered supercarriers out of the 11 that served the USA still existing. The first one Midway is a museum while this ship and Kitty Hawk are the other two. You can't preserve nuclear carriers like Enterprise so Kennedy and Kitty Hawk are all there is now. Seeing this ship that served through so much history now already rusting is quite sad. P.S. I'm a Brit and happy about the new Royal Navy big carriers coming in. I'm especially happy they're not nuclear as maybe they'll be preserved in the end.
@@nolankahler6705 It wasn't in 1945. But I think the rebuilds starting in the 50s turned it into one. I know the Forrestals were the first supercarriers to be laid down as such from the get go. But I think with the 50s rebuilds the Midways became them too.
Ingur Lund there is no actual definition of Supercarrier however the popular theory involving the sizing and amount of certain facilities excludes Midway.
@@nolankahler6705 There's no actual definition but there is popular theory? Okay well my popular theory is that when they were over 80,000 tons fully laden they were Supercarriers.
I spent 6 months of my life on the JFK 2002 Operation Iraqi Freedom. Brings back memories!! It’s sad to see how quickly a ship will deteriorate when not properly maintained.
We would replenish her in the Med. in the 70's. I was on USS Santa Barbara. Saw a few pics of it being salvaged, so sad. I'm surprised the Kennedy is still floating. She's still proud looking.
@@jtuttle11 I am so far removed from those days now that I guess I almost forgot. I had luxurious accommodations though - a MIDDLE rack and almost everyone around me worked the opposite shift. I remember one of the first nights waking up, sitting up(attempting to), and almost knocking myself out. AIMD by the way.... Desert Shield/Storm.
@@GearZenChannel you must have been in berthing compartment 3-78-0-L. AIMD day shift. I was there Spring of 76-sept 79. Worked nightshift in jet test. Slept in the day shift compartment rack 98 because it was quieter than the nightshift compartment. Trick to the bottom rack was make sure the top guys were down before you stuck your head out.
@@coldwarveteran4239 That sounds very familiar, but honestly I don't remember. If you stuck me in the hanger I could get to my old rack blindfolded though!
These majestic ships should be made available to buy by our allies. They have been well cared for and could be given away to allies for the price scrapping them.
It's a damn shame to let them rust until they're scrapped, I'm sure any smaller member of NATO would rather buy an old aircraft carrier and restore it, rather than having none. Germany is currently buying the F/A-18E & F, it's not too far stretched to imagine them also buying an old supercarrier, especially considering the design never changed. It's been done before with vessels that were actually outdated and outclassed.
Pat's Rides thanks for your service. I regret not serving. I married and had a kid young or I would've. My brother's and his woke met in the navy I'm sure that's pretty common these days.
I served on the Richard E Byrd DDG23, which was the lead destroyer of her screen in 1973-75. Went onboard to get an x-ray. Huge ship. Made a couple of med cruises with her.
They were both. Next to each other at Pier 12 Norfolk Naval base... I was on the USS America cv-66... A division hydraulics steering and elevators... from 75 to 79
The ICs on that ship gave us a bunch of equipment and a free office chair to roll it back to our ship on, back in 2006 in Mayport. First and only time I set foot on an active carrier. Quite a ship. Named for a true American.
Very cool Vid. I grew up in jax beach and watched her go on deployment and return with the rails lined. Ive got to believe watching her go in and out of mayport had a role in me joining the Navy. I was in from 06-16. Never got to sail on the Kennedy but I did do 3 years on the IKE CVN69. I see a few similarities to nimitz class on 67 and alot of differences too.
Not that hard, just gotta call up philly ATC and give them your info as long as your registered and as long as your not flying a hour before or after anything at the sports complex and dont enter the airspace above the rail yard or tracks your fine. So clearly by your comment you either dont fly a professional drone or you have no clue of the rules. Or your just trying to be one of those people that just like to stir the pot. I been flying drones in philly for years so do some research before your comment and make your self look like a jackass.
I know technology outruns usefulness. But like the old saying goes if it ain't broke don't fix it. Ships like this can and should be refitted with our new technology Not cut up or sunk . Yes we do need new ships nothing wrong with updating! But if it cost a hundred million to refit this ship? And twenty billion to build another You got one carrier floating. And waiting 7 to 8 years for the other to be built Plus ... remember this one?.... safety in numbers. I'd rather 15 carriers than have one In dry dock rusting away. Wouldn't you?
Sam Kendall Not really. A carrier is not a house where standard parts are accessible and replaceable. Can’t put in new boilers or stop hull erosion from salt water. People lament retiring F-14 but the wing pivots needed inspection and replacement which required disassembling the wing roots. The sea and military use is hard on equipment and the endless deployments in gritty Middle East accelerates deterioration.
It's even worse than what Tony said. After so many million miles under the keel, JFK developed the same problem USS America (CV-66) had - and America earned the nickname "world's largest submersible." It was said, the only thing keeping America afloat was the paint. And she and JFK were built nearly the same time. Problem is, steel plate and salt water don't get along that well, regardless of how much paint and sealant you apply. Plus, seams 'work' in a heavy sea, and to repair them, you have to dry dock the ship, drain bilges, THOROUGHLY DRAIN and ventilate it (in an OIL-FIRED power plant), including bunker fuel, avgas, and jet fuel. Clean all those vast tankage spaces, thoroughly dry dry them. Now you can Start inspecting EVERY HULL PLATE WELD, on a ship nearly 1,000 feet long, with a beam around 300 feet, and (I think) 12 decks below the waterline when docked. Each weld must be scraped down to bare metal, x-rayed for ANY cracks, and if found, re-welded. Then re-sealed, inside and out, and anti-corrosion paint applied both sides. On the ENTIRE HULL. After this is complete, new equipment and machinery can be installed in what is, basically, a new-built, 60-year-old, totally OBSOLETE Oil burning aircraft carrier that really can't handle current inventory aircraft. And at a cost almost as high as 1/3 - 1/2 of a brand new, nuclear powered Ford class.
The JFK was supposed to be nuclear powered. Her immediate predecessor, the Enterprise, cost so much to build that the Congress balked at funding a sister ship of the same design. JFK wound up being the last oil-fueled carrier. The Navy designed the Nimitz class, that was far cheaper to build. The Navy only bought nuclear-powered carriers after that.
The JFK's immediate predecessor was CVA-66 The America. Enterprise was CVAN-65. The Kennedy is CVA-67. America and Kennedy were both oil fueled ships. They were originally planned as a continuation of the nuke Enterprise but, as you said, the gov't feared the cost. Never served on either 66 or 67 but spent 2 years on the Nimitz CVAN-68 and visited both the others as I had friends aboard them in Norfolk.
We went on that boat in Pensacola in 2001. Very impressive especially the marines guarding the base gate, that was after 911, but the thing that impressed me the most was the tire marks way down on the radiused stern of the flight deck. Some of those marks looked like they were 3 feet or more below the level of the deck.
@@lesliebarfoot7462 Thanks, I got saved all alone in a12x10 foot steel room with nothing but a bible and what I had heard people say in the past. Someone had planted a seed and after Jesus had me read from John to Jude he saved me on Romans Chapter 10. Truely his word does not return unto him void! so speak up for Jesus it makes the difference!
As a former JFK Sailor, and very proud PLANK OWNER, (68-69) I'd say it's a sad day, a great ship. Too bad they didn't just convert it into a home for homeless Veterans, ehh ??? 5,000 homeless vets off the street ? But then the Mil-Ind- complex would not have an excuse to build another one for what, 5 bill ??? CG, ABF3/2 , Plank Owner, V4 Div., proud purple-shirt Airedale .... btw, thanks very much for the video... is that Newport News Shipyard there ?? I vaguely remember it that way, (50 yrs ago)
Really cool footage! I saw "Big John" on several occasions when it came down to GTMO in the Mid-80's. Only question I have here is how you were able to fly the DJI Mavic when you are so close to PHL? I thought there'd be some kind of restriction in flying a UAV being so close to an airport. Anyway, I thought it was great video.
Battle _P I took it in 2017. Weren’t as many restrictions back then. Also, wasn’t ever higher than 200’. Contrary to popular belief, most airports don’t have prohibited zones enabled, although I have run into them while shooting over the Hudson in Manhattan. For some reason they’re not consistent. I was aware of the approach to Philly’s airport and had no intention of getting anywhere near airplanes.
I recently visited San Diego in early January. We did the cruise around the harbour, saw four carriers and multiple battleships, aswell as the US naval ship and I left that cruise fully understanding why no one fucks with the USA. I served in the British infantry from 1987 until 2001 and I'm glad the US are on our side...
Matt Franz, Question(s).....where is JFK now, is that Philly in the background?? What type/brand drone did you use? Did you need some certain permission to overfly?? Thanks for your time.
She’s in Philly, at the old Philadelphia Naval yard. Drone was Mavic pro. Did not need permission as the ship is decommissioned for over ten years now, with no one on board. Wouldn’t advise attempting such a flight over an active vessel -
@@TheMattfranz I have a bro-N-law living @ Cinamminson (sp [?])....anyways thanks for getting an answer right away! Another question....can you fly on the lower port side....I see that there are lamp posts there, but is it possible....I'm a model builder.
Hey_MMoe M it’s possible, as long as you’re careful. A lot of people on here flipping out about phillys airspace. Again, I was never above 200’ and never near any airplanes, nor would I want to be. In the US, you’re not suppossed to fly within 5 miles of an airport. Problem is , they classify even every helipad as an airport, even abandoned ones. Which makes it almost impossible to fly a drone anywhere in the northeast legally. Trump goes to bedminster and they enact a strict no-fly zone in a 40 mile radius around the golf course. 40 Mile restriction on a drone with a max 4 mile range? What sense does that make?
@@TheMattfranz Last comment.....Again, Thank You for answering right away, saw your other videos I like Sedona, as well as Meteor Crater AZ. I especially like your IOWA flyover, I work over there (not now though...COVID), if you can make another trip, we open a few new areas, Gun Tour, President's Tour, Engineering Tour, + a few more things down below back aft of ship. Stay Safe.
I was on the USS Wasp 18, from 64 to 68.I feel sad when I see these antiques rusting away. Is anyone painting them on any schedule? I’m an old man now and can’t do a full days work ,don’t have a lot of money, but I’d like to help keep these hero’s stay Navy Clean. Any organized effort out there to improve their outside appearance??
Looks like she's docked at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Naval yard. Not to far from her is the Battleship New Jersey, in Camden, New Jersey waterfront.
A million and s half gallons of fuel oil gets to be expensive after awhile using half a million gallons every 3 or 4 days not to mention her boilers are to old almost 55 years cost to keep and maintain former boiler technician
Really enjoyed the final approach scene. Going slow. It goes by too fast in cockpit landing videos. Deck looks really short just for the touchband go. I fly a cessna 152 on long runways. Not sure a cessna can stop thst short. Full flaps and brakes 🇺🇸
I’d like to do it again but simulate a landing, then go over and park. I did a launch from one of the catapults in another vid. Mavics top speed is about 42mph, so the landing looked pretty good.
I believe it’s technically not a naval shipyard anymore but a mixed use campus and a maintainence facility. I wouldn’t dream of flying over any active base or ships.
What about seeing her shipy out crispy new? Thats would have been truly awesome to see.. I Wonder if the President, John F Kennedy was ever on that ship.
@@cooperstellar201 no sir. Laid down in 1964, launched in 1967. JFK was assassinated in 1963. Then for the next 10 years, everything was named or renamed in his honor. NYC's Idlewild airport -> JFK, Cape Canaveral - Cape Kennedy (we un-renamed it). There is even JFK Street in Montreal and Avenue John Kennedy in Paris.
Hi Gregory and Doris, do you remember if you were in the harbor of Mallorca, i think it was -75 i was a little kid 12 year, and me and my family was on the ship! I cant remember if it was-75 and both my parents are dead! But it was a very big thing for me to be on the ship!
@@shinkicker404 Taiwan, India, Japan, South Korea could all use it properly and change the balance of power in Asia. It would be good to give it to Australia but I think tthat Australia is too small economically to support it, if Canada and Britain joined as Canzuk supporting the ship with crew, aircraft and fuel then maybe it would be a viable proposition. It is beautiful and as a conventional carrier it would be welcomed in Japan.
It serves as a point where barges and large boats (water taxis among others) can safely moor anytime the ship is required to anchor out rather than tie up to a pier. A small barge will often be moored to it and then smaller boats can tie up to the barge to load or unload personnel. It's usually safer than a boat tying up to the unprotected side of the ship.
There's things I just don't understand . First of all , I love my country , but we throw perfectly good things away . Like sinking a perfectly good Aircraft Carrier , to make an artificial reef , when we could use it as a hospital ship with a runway . That's just one example of our wastefulness . I've heard that the elastic bands on many of the face masks had to be destroyed because they had expired , I'm sorry but that's bullshit , the elastic bands on the mask's are fine , it's the ink on the masks expiration date that needs replaced .
As a retired RN Myron,,,,how would you enjoy to have all the PPE garb on and all the sudden the rubber band holding you mask in place snap due to the rubber becoming dry out of date,,,and then you are exposed to BAD SHIT MYRON?
@@MrRiprip56 With all due respect , you missed my point completely and just replacing the rubber is easier than replacing the whole mask . But question remains , how many hospital beds could be " comfortably " fit aboard that ship ?
@@myronhuddleston6207 HELLO I have watched so many You Tubes tonight I forgot what if you were also speaking of the JFK small carrier,,YES REFURBISH HER,,AND THE MASK Myron,,I know that anything rubber esp. if it is not in a constant temperature,,will degrade,,I admit I was a tad being the asshole I am,,,but really,,,Tell you from a long time ago for a laugh,,,as an orderly right out of high school,,I was digging the first impaction out of a old sick mans ass,,,,yep,,,,my finger went through the glove,,fixed that went to 2 gloves,,many years after EMS..went to Nursing instead of Paramedic,,I get car sick ridding down the road backwards,,Take care!
I still vividly remember walking down the pier at Newport News shipyard on a cold night in Jan 1969 to report aboard as an AGAN. I did not realilze that the big object to my right was actually the ship. Spent 1969 and 70 on her, made AG2, some of the best and most memorable years of my life. AGCS/ CDR USN Ret
I wonder how much scrap yards pay for just the wiring out ov a Aircraft carrier? and then how much they get for it?Can anyone enlighten me please?👊😎👊🇬🇧
I thought they were supposed to be moving her up to Rhode Island to be converted into a museum. This is DISGRACEFUL to the ship and al the crew who served on it. Operations Department/ OI division June '75 to Feb. '80
Why is your video titled JFK 2? This is CV-67 and will likely be cut up for razor blades because the liberals in Massachusetts won't want her for a museum. They had a great CATCC team 15 years ago! It was my pleasure to be aboard for that inspection/certification.
John Johnson I know it’s cv-67. ‘2’ is the second of 3 videos - not ‘JFK 2’. Sorry for the accidental title but it’s actually caused a huge amount of positive comments, many from those that served on her. So not a bad thing.
From what I understand it would take a lot of $$$ to make her a museum and a lot of signatures of approval. It would be a far better end to her than the scrap yard.
This is the last carrier eligible to be made into a museum because shes not nuclear I hope some city steps up and saves her she would look great in Baltimore docked beside Ft. Mchenry.
President Trump has mentioned that decommissioned carriers that are still in prestine condition will be put once again in service if faith call for it.
