USS Joseph P. Kennedy

USS Joseph P. Kennedy
Country	USA
Class	Gearing-class destroyer
Launched	26 July 1945
Nickname	Joey P

USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) is a former United States Navy Gearing-class destroyer. The ship was named after Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., a naval aviator, son of the former Ambassador to Britain, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., and older brother of future President John F. Kennedy. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. served, with interruptions for modernization, until 1973. Among the highlights of her service are the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the afloat recovery teams for Gemini 6 and Gemini 7. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. is on display as a museum ship in Battleship Cove, Fall River, Massachusetts. She was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989 as one of a small number of surviving Gearing-class destroyers.

Source: USS Joseph P. Kennedy on Wikipedia

USS Joseph P. Kennedy DD-850 Walk Around
Photographer	Bill Maloney
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	60

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General Characteristics and Role

The USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850) is a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy. Commissioned late in World War II, the Gearing class represented the ultimate evolution of the wartime destroyer, featuring an extended hull for greater fuel capacity and range compared to the preceding Fletcher and Allen M. Sumner classes. DD-850 is named for Lieutenant Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., the elder brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was killed in action in 1944. The ship participated in the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis blockade (earning the Presidential Unit Citation), and the Vietnam War. She has since been preserved as a museum ship in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Property	Typical Value (DD-850)
Class & Type	Gearing-class Destroyer
National Origin	United States
Commissioned	15 December 1945
Crew	Approx. 336 Officers and Enlisted
Propulsion	4 x Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 2 x geared steam turbines, 2 x shafts
Power Output	60,000 shp (45,000 kW)
Length	119.0 m (390 ft 6 in)
Beam	12.5 m (41 ft 0 in)
Displacement (Full Load)	Approx. 3,500 long tons
Speed	34 knots (63 km/h)

Armament and Modernization (FRAM I)

Original Armament: 6 x 5-inch (127 mm)/38 caliber guns in three twin mounts, torpedo tubes, and anti-submarine hedgehogs.
FRAM I Refit: DD-850 underwent the Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM I) program in the early 1960s, which significantly extended her service life.
Post-FRAM Armament: Reduced 5-inch guns to four (two twin mounts), removal of mid-ship torpedo tubes, and introduction of modern anti-submarine weapons:
- ASROC (Anti-Submarine Rocket) launcher.
- 2 x Triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes (for Mk 46 torpedoes).
- Hangar and deck for a Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH), although the DASH system was later phased out.

Service and Legacy

Korean War: Served two combat tours, performing shore bombardment and carrier escort duties.
Cuban Missile Crisis: Played a key role in the US naval quarantine of Cuba in October 1962.
Vietnam War: Conducted shore bombardment missions, serving as the Destroyer Squadron Commander (DESRON) flagship.
Museum Status: Decommissioned in 1973, she is now part of the Battleship Cove museum, serving as a memorial and the official exhibit of the Kennedy family’s naval service.