I have witnessed the launching of only one ship in my life, the USS John F. Kennedy. I recall vividly sitting on my father’s shoulders at Newport News Shipbuilding, straining to see Caroline break the bottle of champagne over the ship’s bow. Kennedy had been a hero to many, including my father, so it was with great pride that we joined the thongs of people that day to pay homage to him as his namesake ship was launched.
So it is with sadness that I read today that the ship is going to be mothballed. Not because the ship itself will be out of service, but because it represents a kinder, gentler time in our political history. There were things about JFK that we subsequently learned that never saw the light of day back then, things that may have kept him from ever being elected in today’s environment. Had that happened, we would have been deprived of the services of a man who helped move this country forward. As it was, his tenure was cut short and some of his work left undone. Our innocence was stolen, our distrust in government born and our faith in our fellow man shattered.
We can never go back to those earlier days, but we can draw on the experience of them. And, perhaps, learn from them.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
I’ve often wondered, “what if” Jack Kennedy had lived to fullfil his promise. However, I am convinced that I would not be alive but for his wise navigation of the Cuban Missle Crisis. That is something that I reflect upon often these days.
I’ve often wondered the same thing.
I went aboard the Kennedy the second cruise she ever made. I was part of the air wing being in VA-34. That was a very important part of my life and I would love to be able to get back aboard but as far as I know the ships are not opened to the public before they are decommissioned….they should be.
my husband is stationed on the jfk now and we are very uncertain of
what orders he will be getting when he has to leave it, they are not being very open about anything i just am grateful that they are decoming it because it is very unsafe for the crew, especially my husbands rate which is an MM they needed to do it a while ago or at least give them money to fix it, i am surprized noone on there has died in the last few monthes because of the leadership onboard and in office they never put the safety of their people above making a buck, right now they have the ship lit off and for what? it is going to be decommisioned, there is no logical reason to put all those men and women in danger for no reason, when half the equipment fails, and that itself can be fatal when you are dealing with steam and valve leaks and so on and so forth, but nothing about this countrys leadership surprizes me anymore, it seems only about politics and not about the safety or moral of our military