Aircraft carrier, free to good home: Navy to donate USS John F. Kennedy for museum, memorial

Free to good home: Carrier USS John F. Kennedy

PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Navy plans to give away the retired aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy for a museum or memorial.

The ship is currently in docked in Philadelphia with other retired warships.

The Navy says the deadline for submitting initial applications is Jan. 22. Bidders have to be a government or nonprofit group that pledges to use the ship as a museum or memorial. The winner gets the ship for free, but will be responsible for moving the 1,050-foot vessel from Philadelphia to its new home.

Known as “Big John,” the ship was the last conventionally powered aircraft carrier built by the Navy. It once carried a crew of about 4,600 and 70 combat aircraft. It entered Navy service in September 1968 and was decommissioned in 2007.