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A ‘cruise of lasts’ winds down

A symphony of ship’s horn blasts from frigates, cruisers and destroyers greeted the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy as it pulled into the basin of Mayport Naval Station, Fla., on Saturday.

The salute was a nearly five-minute tribute to the 38-year-old war ship slated to be decommissioned March 23 in the same location it was tied up upon returning from an over two-week visit to Norfolk and Boston.

The previous 24 hours had begun with the ship conducting its last flight operations as two helicopters from the Norfolk, Va.-based HCS-26 lifted off and headed for land as the Kennedy steamed by on its way down the East Coast.

"It was a cruise of lasts — at least, potential lasts, because you never know, but we need to treat these events like they are the final events in the life of this proud warship," said Capt. Todd Zecchin, the ship's commanding officer. "None of this has hit me yet, and I don't know when that will happen -- but I'm sure it will."

Zecchin will get to say his last farewells on March 23, when he is slated to be the last sailor to leave the ship and head down the brow with the ship's flags, logs and the commissioning pennant.

"I think it will most likely hit me then," he said. "That will be a supremely sublime moment."

Others said their goodbyes in other ways.

Out on the E-6 and above smoking sponson, just below the port side of flight deck on the 0-2 level, a dim red light illuminated the small, reflective celebration that was going on. Many feet below, the Atlantic Ocean was sliding by the ship as the hours ticked away. Some broke out cigars and swapped sea stories about the ship on its recent cruises, or, for some who had done multiple tours onboard, remembrances of earlier days when the ship and the sailor were much younger.

"This is a great ship and recently it has gone through a lot and right now she is running smooth in the water and all is well with the world," said Master Chief Information Systems Technician Pico Torres, who will retire March 17.

Torres started his career as a deck seaman on the JFK and eventually struck his way into the radioman rating and the Kennedy's radio shack.

"She was my first ship and she's going to be my last," he said. "I hate to see her go because she still can give a lot more — but that's the way it goes."

The ship's horn symphony was in full swing in the basin when the Kennedy returned the salute with a long blast on her horn and all fell quiet.

All along the edge of the flight deck, Kennedy sailors decked out in their dress blue uniforms stood rendering a hand salute. Though there was a finality in the air, you feel a sense of pride among the crew who witnessed the stirring salute. They had made it and brought the old girl through a final 18-day deployment and safely back home.

Moments later, the first lines were thrown over by the boatswain's mates as the tug boats pushed Kennedy up to the pier. Shore crews worked hard to get the ship's mooring lines in place, and soon the final call came over the ship's 1MC — "moored shift colors." Onboard, many stopped for a brief second to take in the moment. But then it was gone and the day above decks became just like any other homecoming with sailors clamoring for the brows to be put in place so they could go on liberty.

But there was one final moment to take place. Deep inside the ship, the engineers were monitoring the ship's electricity and steam as they shifted the ship to shore power. Once all was hooked up, the order was given to extinguish the final fires in the ship's boilers and one by one, they were put out.

Down in Two Main Machinery Room a crowd gathered between the space's two boilers. Even the captain and the executive officer joined the celebration as the final valves were turned and the ship went cold for the final time. Hands were shook and shipmates gave congratulatory hugs and posed for pictures. Their job was now over.

All that's left now is to take the ship apart and prepare her for the long sleep.

"This is history and while it's great to be a part of this all — it's a sad history, too," said Master Chief Machinist's Mate (SW) Ron Castle, who has overseen the care and feeding of these boilers during the Kennedy's last days. "We really hate to see this plant shut down for the final time because we've put so much work into keeping her going — and my only regret in the whole thing is that I'll never be able to deploy with these sailors working on this plant and that's simply a shame."