The historic aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy (CV 67) arrived at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, on February 2 after a 2,021-mile trip from Philadelphia Naval Yard.
International Shipbreaking (ISL) was awarded the navy contract to recycle the 60,728-ton vessel, which is the last conventionally powered carrier built for the navy, and the only ship of its class.
She was commissioned in 1968 and decommissioned in 2007. She is a variant of the Kitty Hawk-class carriers, and was deployed during the 1970s, in response to the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East.
Having arrived safely in Brownsville, the carrier will go through an extensive dismantling and recycling process, which is expected to take approximately two years to complete.
ISL said it aims to recycle 97 per cent of materials. Once available, mementos from parts of the ship will be auctioned off so that those who served and other members of the public can own a part of history.