USTS ''Kennedy'' ''(T-AK-5059)'',

callsign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assi ...

KVMU, IMO number 6621662, is a former commercial freighter and a current training vessel of the

United States Maritime Service The United States Maritime Service (USMS) was established in 1938 under the provisions of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 as voluntary training organization to train individuals to become officers and crewmembers on merchant ships that form the ...

Construction and early years

United States Training Ship ''Kennedy'' was laid down in 1964 as ''Velma Lykes'', a

Maritime Administration Maritime administrations, or flag state administrations, are the executive arms/state bodies of each government responsible for carrying out the shipping responsibilities of the state, and are tasked to administer national shipping and boating issue ...

(MARAD)

break bulk cargo In shipping, break-bulk, breakbulk, or break bulk cargo, also called general cargo, refers to goods that are stowed on board ship in individually counted units. Traditionally, the large numbers of items are recorded on distinct bills of ladin ...

freighter type (C4-S-66a) hull under Maritime Administration contract (MA 182) at

Avondale Industries Avondale Shipyard was an independent shipbuilding company, acquired by Litton Industries, in turn acquired by Northrop Grumman Corporation. In 2011, along with the former Ingalls Shipbuilding, the yard was part of Huntington Ingalls Industries. I ...

New Orleans, LA New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Lykes Brothers Steamship Company Lykes Bros. Steamship Co., also called Lykes Lines, was a cargo shipping company acting from the beginning of the 20th century to 2005 having its main business in the trade to and from the United States. History In 1898 the sons of Dr. Howell Tys ...

in 1966. She was known as ''Velma Lykes'' until the vessel was reacquired by MARAD and she was renamed ''Cape Bon''.

Government service

She served the US Government for over 20 years including several tours to the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a mediterranean sea in Western Asia. The bo ...

as part of the

First Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...

before she was laid up in reserve at

Suisun Bay Suisun Bay ( ; Wintun for "where the west wind blows") is a shallow tidal estuary (a northeastern extension of the San Francisco Bay) in Northern California. It lies at the confluence of the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River, forming the ...

Benicia, CA Benicia ( , ) is a waterside city in Solano County, California, located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. It served as the capital of California for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the ...

as part of the Maritime Administrations National Defense Reserve Fleet. In 2001, ''Cape Bon'' was moved to

Buzzards Bay, MA Buzzards Bay is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Bourne in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The population was 3,859 at the 2010 census. It is the most populous of the five CDPs in Bourne. Geography Buzzards Bay is located at (4 ...

for preparation to replace ''Patriot State'' as the

Training Ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house class ...

for the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. She was converted to be a training ship at Bender Ship Repair in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth-most-populous city in Alabama ...

, being delivered and christened ''Enterprise'', after the school's original training ship USS ''Enterprise'', on

National Maritime Day Maritime Days are holidays typically established to recognize accomplishments in the maritime field. Maritime Days include: * China National Maritime Day * European Maritime Day * Indian Maritime Day (5 April) * Mexican National Maritime Day * Pa ...

2003. She was renamed ''Kennedy'' in January 2009 in honor of the

Kennedy Family The Kennedy family is an American political family that has long been prominent in American politics, public service, entertainment, and business. In 1884, 35 years after the family's arrival from Ireland, Patrick Joseph "P. J." Kennedy beca ...

. ''Kennedy'' is currently under the command of Massachusetts Maritime Academy alumnus Captain Michael Campbell.

Relief work

''Kennedy'' was deployed to New York Harbor in support of

Hurricane Sandy Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...

relief efforts in 2012 and

Hurricane Maria Hurricane Maria was a deadly Category 5 hurricane that devastated the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly Dominica, Saint Croix, and Puerto Rico. It is regarded as the worst natural disaster in recorded history to affect ...

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

in 2017. Its mission was to house first responders and FEMA SCF personnel

References

External links

* http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/buzzards-bay.htm * http://www.maritime.edu/index.cfm?pg=405 * http://wikimapia.org/16879888/USTS-Kennedy * http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/13/135059.htm {{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, TS Transports of the United States Navy Merchant ships of the United States Ships of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Training ships of the United States Ships built in Bridge City, Louisiana 1967 ships