THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 16, 1996 TAG: 9605160391
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
The carrier John F. Kennedy, a part of the Norfolk waterfront for 25 years until moving to Florida last year, returns today for a short visit.
The carrier is scheduled to dock at the Norfolk Naval Station about 7:45 a.m., carrying a portion of its air wing on its deck. The carrier is in town in advance of sailing Saturday to New York City for Fleet Week '96.
Also arriving today is the Norfolk-based carrier Enterprise, after completing the joint U.S. and British exercise off the Virginia and North Carolina coasts. Several other ships in the exercise are scheduled to arrive in Norfolk through Saturday.
More than 6,000 sailors and Marines of the Atlantic Fleet are scheduled to attend Fleet Week May 22 to 29. President Clinton will officially open the event at the Intrepid Sea-Air Space museum.
Fleet Week will begin with a parade of ships, including the cruiser Ticonderoga and destroyers Arleigh Burke and John Rodgers from Norfolk, passing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on the Hudson River on Wednesday.
Nine of the 13-ship armada will moor near the Intrepid museum. More than 100,000 people are expected to tour the ships during the week. by CNB