USS Joseph P Kennedy DD850

• Namesake: USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. (DD-850) was named after Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., a U.S. Navy aviator and the eldest son of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, who was killed in action during World War II. • Gearing-class Destroyer: She was a Gearing-class destroyer, one of the most numerous and successful destroyer classes built for the U.S. Navy during and after World War II. • Commissioning: The ship was commissioned on December 15, 1945, just after the end of World War II. • Korean War Service: USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. served in the Korean War, providing gunfire support and screening for aircraft carriers. • Cuban Missile Crisis: She played a key role during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, serving on the blockade line and participating in the interception and boarding of the Soviet freighter Marucla. • Apollo Recovery: The destroyer served as a recovery ship for NASA’s Gemini 6, Gemini 7, and Apollo space missions, helping to retrieve astronauts and capsules from the Atlantic. • FRAM I Modernization: In the early 1960s, she underwent a Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM I) upgrade, receiving new anti-submarine weapons and sensors. • Vietnam War: The ship served off the coast of Vietnam, providing naval gunfire support for U.S. and allied ground forces. • Decommissioning: She was decommissioned on July 1, 1973, after nearly 28 years of service. • Museum Ship: USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. is preserved as a museum ship at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Massachusetts, where she is open to the public and serves as a memorial and educational platform.