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USS JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, JR. (DD-850)


Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign - NBCR

Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign (circa 1968) - ELMIRA

CLASS - GEARING As Built.
Displacement 3460 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 390' 6"(oa) x 40' 10" x 14' 4" (Max)
Armament 6 x 5"/38AA (3x2), 12 x 40mm AA, 11 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; General Electric Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 36.8 Knots, Range 4500 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 336.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Bethlehem Steel,Quincy. April 2 1945.
Launched July 26 1945 and commissioned December 15 1945.
Decommissioned (?).
Stricken July 1 1973.
Fate Preserved as memorial berthed at Fall River Mass.

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Kennedy 58kJoseph Patrick Kennedy, Jr., older brother of President John F. Kennedy, was born in Nantasket, Mass., 25 July 1915. He attended Harvard College and Harvard Law School, enlisting in the Naval Reserve 24 June 1941. After flight training, Kennedy was commissioned Ensign 5 May 1942. He served with Patrol Squadron 203 and Bombing Squadron 110 before joining a special air unit in Britain in 1944. He was appointed Lieutenant 1 July 1944. Lt. Kennedy took part in a secret project to destroy German V-2 rocket launching sites by the use of radio controlled drone aircraft loaded with explosives. The plane could not take off by radio control, however, and Kennedy volunteered to take her into the air where guidance systems would take over. After exhaustive preparations he and another brave flyer, Lt. W. J. Willy, took off from Win-farthing 12 August 1944. However, the drone exploded with two enormous blasts, killing both officers. Lt. Kennedy was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously for this dangerous mission in the drone Liberator bomber. His citation testifies: "Intrepid and daring in his tactics and with unwavering confidence in the vital importance of his task, he willingly risked his life in the supreme measure of service, and, by his great personal valor and fortitude in carrying out a perilous undertaking, sustained and enhanced the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service."Bill Gonyo
Kennedy 25kUndated, location unknown.-
Kennedy 65kUndated, location unknown.Bruce Helmboldt
Kennedy 234kUndated, Valetta, Malta.Bruce Helmboldt
Kennedy 107kCirca 1950, refueling from the USS Missouri (BB-62).Robert M. Cieri
Kennedy 157kDestroyer Squadron Eight Change of Command, 1951 "Recently returned from Korea, Commander Destroyer Squadron Eight, Captain E.S. Von Kleeck, Jr., reads his farewell address on board the USS J. P. Kennedy, Jr., as officers and men of Destroyer Division 81 stand-by to receive their new commander." Captain Von Kleeck was relieved by Captain J.J. Laffan. Probably taken at Newport, Rhode Island, soon after 8 August 1951, when DesDiv 81 returned from a Korean War deployment. Ships present are (from right to left): USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850); USS William R. Rush (DD-714); USS Fiske (DD-842); USS Hawkins (DDR-873); and an unidentified escort destroyer (DDE). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the "All Hands" collection at the Naval Historical Center.Fred Weiss
Kennedy 68kAs above.Steve Schar
Kennedy 117kThe J. P. Kennedy (DD-850), Fred T. Berry (DD-858) and McCaffery (DD-860) in Genoa, Italy May 6, 1954.Larry Bohn
Kennedy 50kA series of 9 views of the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD-850) during a visit to Chicago, July 3 1959. Photos taken from the bridges around the Merchandise Mart on the Chicago River.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 48kAs above.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 51kAs above.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 53kAs above.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 52kAs above.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 47kAs above.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 52kAs above.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 51kAs above.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 47kAs above.Allan MacArthur Wilson
Kennedy 108kThe Kennedy in Narragansett Bay approximately June of 1962 right after she got out of Fram overhaul and just before leaving for Refresher Training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.JE Dowd CDR USNR (Ret.)
Kennedy 256kGenoa, Italy on August 4 1964.Carlo Martinelli
Kennedy 91kBoston Naval Shipyard, June 1965© Richard Leonhardt
Kennedy 120kGrand Canyon (AD-28), at Newport RI in 1966 with five destroyers alongside. Destroyers moored alongside include Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850), William R. Rush (DD-714), Harlan R. Dickson (DD-708), and two unidentified ships. © Richard Leonhardt
Kennedy 83kNewport, November 10 1969© Richard Leonhardt
Kennedy 92kUSS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD 850), USS William M. Wood (DD 715), and USS Charles F. Adams (DDG 2) at Barcelona, Spain, in late January 1970. If you look closely, you will notice that Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. was fitted with ULQ-6, while William M. Wood lacked this active countermeasures system.Fabio Peña
Kennedy 69kAs a memorial in Fall River December 9 2001.Steve Schar
Kennedy 114kUSS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD 850) moored in Fall River, MA on October 21 2007, photo by Ulrich Iffland (Copyright).Bill Gonyo
Kennedy 88kA series of 22 images of the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (DD 850) as she appeared in Fall River, MA during September 2008.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 61kAs above. Kathy looks over the forward enlisted head located on the second deck just forward of the mess decks.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 74kAs above. Mess decks, looking aft and to port.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 62kAs above. Ladder to berthing space below the mess decks.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 54kAs above. ASROC loader.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 82kAs above. CIC looking aft and to starboard.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 79kAs above. 01 level looking forward.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 63kAs above. Starboard side 01 level, looking aft.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 61kAs above. ASROC launcher, looking forward. I believe the ASROC "pepperbox" was usually turned 180 degrees from the position shown here.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 63kAs above. DASH flight deck.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 68kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 60kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 62kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 53kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 58kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 65kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 73kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 78kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 55kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 87kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 52kAs above.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 57kAs above. Ship's store, port side, weather deck, below DASH deck.Larry Backus and Kathryn Lee Huculak
Kennedy 48kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski
Kennedy 49kShip's patch.Mike Smolinski

USS JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, JR. DD-850 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The hazegray Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)

Commanding Officers
Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves

CDR Harry Grimshaw Moore    Dec 15 1945 - 1947
Unknown
CDR William Russell McKinney    1953 - 1954 (Later RADM)
Unknown
CDR John William Maddex    Apr 1956 Jul 1958
CDR Nicholas Michalevsky    Jul 1958 - 1959
CDR Joseph Eugene Volonte    1959 - Jul 1960
CDR Mark George Tremaine    Jul 1960 - 1961
CDR John Victor Peters    1961 - ?
Unknown
CDR James Wilton Hayes Jr.    Jul 14 1965 - 1967
CDR Thomas A. Rogers    1967 - 1969
CDR Peter Frederick Klein    1969 - Sep 8 1971
CDR Brian Patrick McCrane    Sep 8 1971 - 1973

Crew Contact And Reunion Information

Contact Name: Raymond Sampson
Address: 484 Walcott Street, Pawtucket, RI 02861
Phone: (401)725-8848
E-mail: None


Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.


Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. website
Battleship Cove Kennedy page
Tin Can Sailors Website
Destroyer History Foundation
Destroyers Online Website
Official U.S.Navy Destroyer Website

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