JFK Returning to United States

[Don Roberdeau]

Good Day.... Best Wishes for All this Thanksgiving!

Please take a moment this Thanksgiving to remember the men and women around the world who serve us to help preserve our safety and work towards peace and freedom.

If you want to help contribute to morale by sending a holiday best wishes package of goodies to those who serve (even mail and email is considered "gold" to the troops), Please, contact your local military enlistment center for more details. Thank You.

"U.S.S. John F. Kennedy Returning to United States"

http://www.news4jax.com/news/3948309/detail.html

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After assisting ground forces in Fallujah with an air strike, the men and women aboard Mayport-based carrier U.S.S. John F. Kennedy are making the slow journey back to the states -- in time to spend the Christmas holiday with their families.

In phone interviews with Channel 4's Frank Powers on Wednesday, several personnel aboard the JFK spoke about their deployment and the return trip home.

The carrier's skipper, Capt. Dennis FitzPatrick, said he was very pleased with

"The crew has just done some magnificent work," he said. "They did exceptionally well. I am very blessed with some very talented, young professionals. … They just didn't miss a beat. They really understood why they were here."

Crew members found out they would be assisting two weeks prior to the campaign.

"The big change that we saw were our hours were longer," said FitzPatrick about the mission.

Despite the extended deployment, he said spirits aboard the ship were high.

"My lasting impression of this deployment and this crew is just the super morale," he said.

A wing commander aboard the JFK agreed.

"From the lowest sailors all the way up to the guys flying the airplanes over the beach, they performed really well and what was most impressive was it didn't matter how long we flew … or how hot it was outside -- they got the job done," he said.

He also spoke about the chance to try out new weaponry with precision aiming that allowed them to take out targets and leave civilian buildings untouched.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Wesley Vinson said one of the best feelings for him during the missions was knowing he helped fellow troops.

"Seeing our guys in their Humvees looking up at us and waving at us as we're flying over them really just gave me a sense of pride, knowing that we were protecting them as they were protecting people on the ground," he said.

Vinson said he planned on spending time with his wife and 14-month-old daughter when he returned home.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Richard Osborn had a similar idea. He and his wife were married only one month before he was deployed, and he said he's looking forward to making up for lost time.

But more than 900 sailors on three Mayport ships won't be home for Christmas. They will deploy Monday to join in the war effort. The guided missile frigate Taylor, guided missile destroyer Carney and destroyer O'Bannon will participate in regional exercises with allies and make diplomatic port calls.

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Don Roberdeau

U.S.S. John F. Kennedy, CV-67, "Big John" Plank Walker

Sooner, or later, the Truth emerges Clearly

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http://members.aol.com/DRoberdeau/JFK/ROSE...NOUNCEMENT.html

http://members.aol.com/DRoberdeau/JFK/BOND...PINGarnold.html

http://members.aol.com/DRoberdeau/JFK/GHOS...update2001.html

T ogether

E veryone

A chieves

M ore

"So let us not be petty when our cause is so great. Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our national future is at stake. Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our cause - united in our heritage and our hopes for the future - and determine that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance."

----President KENNEDY, from the speech he was scheduled to give at the Texas State Democratic Committee, 22NOV63