Carrier Has Fans, Detractors In Portland, ME, And Newport, RI

The aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), which was the second to the last non-nuclear aircraft carrier to see active duty in the U.S. Navy, was decommissioned on August 1st, 2007 after nearly 40 years of service. "Big John" has since been berthed at the NAVSEA Inactive Ships maintenance facility in Philadelphia, where she has become eligible for donation as a museum and memorial to a qualified entity.

CV-67 Enters Port At Mayport, FL. Navy Photo

Two organizations have made such a request, though the sea lane to a final permanent home has not exactly been smooth sailing.

Groups in Portland, ME and Newport, RI have made proposals to the Navy, but one has met with some official and civic opposition. The New York Times reports that Portland City Council member David Marshall said the carrier is "not a good fit" for the harbor. He said it would block some views and be a potential liability for the city, a sentiment expressed by some who have spoken before the City Council.

But the head of the nonprofit group trying to secure the carrier for Portland, Richard Fitzgerald, disagrees. He told the paper that having the Kennedy in the harbor would set it apart from others in New England. "It would be the best thing that ever happened to the state of Maine," he told the Times.

Fitzgerald says that the ship is no bigger than the cruise ships Portland it trying to court for additional business for the port, but Marshall's contention is that cruise ships come and go, and that Big John would be a permanent resident in the harbor. Marshall says he also worries about financing for the project, which would include a museum, which is estimated at about $71 million over 10 years. Fitzgerald indicated that the money would be raised through private donations, and that no city money would be used for the carrier.

File Photo Courtesy U.S. Navy

A bit south of Maine, the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame is also pitching to bring CV-67 to Newport, with the effort led by U.S. Representative Patrick Kennedy and other public figures. They say Portland's bid is more of a sidebar than a story. The museum says it has already identified $10 million in commitments to bring the carrier to the city which was home to the Kennedy Summer White House and has other strong connections to the family.

Newport's bid is not deterring Fitzgerald, however. "It will happen in Portland," he told the paper.

FMI: www.ussjfk.org, www.ussjfkri.org