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Carrier USS Kennedy decommissioned By RON WORD, ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER,The Seattle Intelligencer, Friday, March 23, 2007. Sailors reach for a pallet of surplus equipment being unloaded from the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy, Tuesday, March 20, 2007, at Naval Station Mayport, Fla. The Kennedy is being decommissioned March 23. (AP Photo/Oscar Sosa) MAYPORT, Fla. -- Sailors in blue lined the deck of the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy on Friday as guns boomed to commemorate the decommissioning of "Big John" after nearly 40 years of service. Officers gathered in front of a screen displaying a large American flag,...

ARLINGTON, Va. — Navy officials plan to decommission the last two conventionally powered aircraft carriers left in the fleet, but they are leaving the door open to bring one back if needed to assuage Japanese political concerns. Navy Secretary Gordon England told reporters Monday the 38-year-old USS John F. Kennedy will be decommissioned next year but will remain ready to be recalled to active duty if necessary. “We’re going to mothball the Kennedy,” England said, but he added, “if you need the Kennedy to go to Japan we can always make the Kennedy available.” Still, he insisted, “the Kennedy is...