[10] She has been succeeded by the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), laid down in July 2015, launched in October 2019, and scheduled to enter service in 2025.

[11] After an ORI (operational readiness inspection) conducted by Commander, Carrier Division Two, John F. Kennedy left for the Mediterranean in April 1969.

The turnover complete by nightfall, the carrier, escorted by destroyers, transited the Strait of Gibraltar at the start of the mid watch on 22 April.

Earlier the same day, one F-14 Tomcat, following a problem with the catapult, fell off of the flight deck of John F. Kennedy, with AIM-54 Phoenix missiles in international waters, off the coast of Scotland.

During this time John F. Kennedy played host to the first visit of the Somali head of state, President Mohammed Siad Barre.

In October 1983 John F. Kennedy, with Commander, Carrier Group 6 (CCG-6) embarked, was diverted to Beirut, Lebanon from her planned Indian Ocean deployment, after the Beirut barracks bombing killed 241 U.S. military personnel taking part in the Multinational Force in Lebanon, and spent the rest of that year and early 1984 patrolling the region.

[19] Setting sail in July 1986, John F. Kennedy participated in the International Naval Review to help mark the Re-dedication of the Statue of Liberty.

John F. Kennedy served as the flagship for the armada before departing on her eleventh overseas deployment to the Mediterranean in August – highlighted by multiple Freedom of Navigation exercises in the Gulf of Sidra, and operations off of the coast of Lebanon as a response to increasing terrorist activities and U.S. citizens being taken hostage in Beirut.

The ship returned to Norfolk, Virginia in March 1987 and was dry-docked a second time for fifteen months for critical upgrades and major repairs.

John F. Kennedy returned to the U.S. in time to participate in Fleet Week in New York and Independence Day celebrations in Boston, Massachusetts before receiving an "All-hands" recall on 10 August 1990, for Operation Desert Shield.

Between the commencement of the operation and the cease-fire, John F. Kennedy launched 114 airstrikes and nearly 2,900 sorties against Iraq, which delivered over 3.5 million pounds of ordnance.

With the upgrades completed, John F. Kennedy departed on her 14th deployment to the Mediterranean, assisting several task forces with workup exercises in anticipation of intervention in Yugoslavia.

John F. Kennedy would be available to deploy with either an active or reserve carrier air wing when mobilized in support of urgent operational requirements.

Officers and crew from John F. Kennedy joined local military and civilian organizations in celebrating Barry's achievements at his statue in Crescent Quay, Wexford, and three F-14 Tomcat fighters flew at low level over the town.

During her visit to Ireland, high winds in Dublin Bay caused the boarding pontoon to tear a large hole in John F. Kennedy's hull.

Shortly before John F. Kennedy's 16th deployment, she became involved in a rescue mission when the tug Gulf Majesty foundered during Hurricane Floyd in mid-September 1999.

[2] During the first six months of 2002, John F. Kennedy aircraft dropped 31,000 tons of ordnance on Taliban and al Qaeda targets in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

[21] In July 2004 John F. Kennedy collided with a dhow in the Persian Gulf, leaving no survivors on the traditional Arab sailing boat.

A popular misconception is that John F. Kennedy's captain waited to make the turn at the last possible moment to recover aircraft critically low on fuel returning from airstrikes.

The official review board determined this was not the case and the aircraft could have remained safely aloft until John F. Kennedy maneuvered to avoid the dhow.

[23] John F. Kennedy was the most costly carrier in the fleet to maintain and was due for an expensive overhaul; budget cutbacks and changing naval tactics prompted the U.S. Navy to decide to retire her.

[25] Before decommissioning she made a number of port calls to allow the public to "say farewell" to her, including a stop at her "homeport" Boston Harbor.

On 22 March 2008 ex-John F. Kennedy arrived, with the afternoon high tide, at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia.

[32] In August 2010, two groups successfully passed into Phase II of the U.S. Navy Ship Donation Program:[3] On 4 January 2010, Portland, Maine City Council unanimously endorsed the efforts of the USS John F. Kennedy Museum while Gov.

[36] Plans as of September 2014 had the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame working to secure Pier 2 of the Naval Station Newport.

[39] In October 2017, it was announced that Kitty Hawk would be disposed of by scrapping, leaving John F. Kennedy the last available carrier capable of conversion to a museum.

There were still several groups, from Florida, Maine and Rhode Island, with the assistance of the USS John F. Kennedy Veteran's Association, hoping to persuade the Navy to reinstate the "donation hold" status, while they pursued the goal of obtaining her as a museum.