USS Kitty Hawk CV 63

DISPLACEMENT: 80,000 tons

LENGTH: 1,047.5 feet

BEAM: 129 feet 4 inches; extreme width: 252 feet

DRAFT: 37 feet

SPEED: 35 knots

COMPLEMENT: 4,582 crew

ARMAMENT: Sea Sparrow Launchers; 3 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts

CLASS: Kitty Hawk

.....The second Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) was laid down by the New York Ship Building Corp., Camden, N.J., 27 December 1956; and launched 21 May 1960, sponsored by Mrs., Neil H. McElroy; and commissioned 29 April 1961 at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Capt., William F. Bringle in command.

.....Following shakedown in the western Atlantic, Kitty Hawk departed Norfolk 11 August 1961...After a brief stop at Rio de Janeiro, where she embarked the Secretary of the Brazilian Navy for a demonstration of exercise at sea with five Brazilian destroyers, the attack carrier rounded Cape Horn 1 October...She steamed into Valparaiso Bay 13 October 1961 where she entertained the President of Peru.

.....Back in San Diego, Adm., George W. Anderson, Chief of Naval Operations landed on her deck 18 November 1961 to witness antisubmarine demonstrations by USS Henry B. Wilson (DDG-7) and USS Blueback (SS-581), a Terrier missile demonstration by USS Topeka (CLG-8) and air demonstrations by Kitty Hawk.

..... Kitty Hawk entered San Francisco Naval Shipyard 23 November 1961, for alterations...Following operations out of San Diego, she sailed from San Francisco, 13 September 1962... Kitty Hawk joined the 7th Fleet 7 October 1962, relieving USS Midway (CVA-41) as flagship.

.....After participating in the Philippine Republic Aviation Week Air Show, Kitty Hawk steamed out of Manila Harbor 30 November 1962, and welcomed Adm., H.D. Felt, Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, for a demonstration of modern naval weapons, 3 December...The ship visited Hong Kong early in December and returned to Japan, arriving at Yokosuka 2 January 1963...During the following two months, she visited Kobe, Beppu, and Iwakuni before returning to San Diego 2 April 1963.

.....On 6 June 1963, President John F. Kennedy, with top civilian and military leaders. Boarded Kitty Hawk to witness a carrier task force weapons demonstration off the California coast...Addressing the men of the task group from Kitty hawk, President Kennedy told them that, as in the past, control of the seas still means security, peace and ultimate victory...He later wrote to President and Madam Chiang Kai-Shek who had witnessed a similar demonstration on board USS Constellation (CVA-64): "I hope you were impressed as I was, on my visit to Kitty Hawk, with the great force for peace or war, which these mighty carriers and their accompanying escorts provide, helping to preserve the freedom of distant nations in all parts of the world."

.....The 30th of September 1963 say Kitty Hawk at sea off the California coast for her final exercise as a unit of the FIRST Fleet...Following a series of strike exercises and tactics reaching along the California coast and off Hawaii, Kitty Hawk again sailed for the Far East...On 17 October 1963, she departed her home port at San Diego for the Far East and her second tour do duty with the SEVENTH Fleet.

.....En route to the western Pacific, Kitty Hawk received her operational Readiness Inspection in Hawaiian waters...Upon completion, Rear Adm., Duerfeldt, COMFAIRHAWAII said the combination of Kitty Hawk/CAW-11 was "the best weapons system we have observed this year."

.....While approaching Japan, she learned an assassin had shop President Kennedy...Flags were at half mast as she entered Sasebo Harbor 25 November 1963, the day of the President's funeral and, as senior ship present, she had the sad honor of firing memorial salutes.

.....Following initial SEVENTH Fleet port visits to Buckner Bay, Okinawa and Sasebo, Japan in November, Kitty Hawk headed south to Taiwan to participate in Exercise Big Dipper...Nationalist Chinese forces combined with SEVENTH Fleet units for the amphibious exercise to demonstrate how American forces can answer the call from a besieged ally...Kitty Hawk aircraft supplied air support and aerial reconnaissance for the assault forces...Adm., Claude V. Ricketts, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, observed Kitty Hawk's operations 3 December for Big Dipper...Aboard with him was Vice Adm., T. H. Moorer, Commander SEVENTH Fleet.

.....After Big Dipper, Kitty Hawk visited Kobe, Japan, for a four-day goodwill visit...On 23 December, Kitty Hawk moored at Yokosuka, Japan, for a two-week Christmas visit...On 5 January 1964, Kitty Hawk was seaward again for operations...During that at-sea period, she held joint operations with the carrier USS Oriskany (CVA-34).

.....Kitty Hawk returned to Yokosuka 10 February for a two-week upkeep period...Because of inclement weather before entering port, many airplanes due to be launched to nearby NAS Augusta for maintenance were left on board...But on 12 February, more than 20 planes were catapulted off while the ship was moored in an unusual demonstration of the flexibility of the carrier and her aircraft.

..... Kitty Hawk visited Hong Kong 20-26 February 1964 and hosted many visitors aboard the ship...More than 300,000 gallons of fresh water was donated to the British government for use in the drought stricken colony.

.....In late February, Kitty Hawk headed south again to Taiwan - this time to participate in the amphibious Exercise Back Pack...During the exercise, Vice Adm., J. F. D. Bush, Royal Navy, British Naval Attaché to Washington, visited and was given a ride in the F-4B Phantom II jet...As in Big Dipper, Kitty Hawk aircraft provided air support and aerial reconnaissance for the SEVENTH Fleet Marines assaulting the beach.

.....Following Back Pack, Kitty Hawk spent a week at Sasebo followed by an Easter weekend visit to Buckner Bay, Okinawa.

.....On 6 April 1964, Rear Adm., Thomas Winfield South III was relieved by Rear Adm., William F. Bringle as Commander Carrier Division Seven aboard Kitty Hawk...Adm., Bringle was well known to the old hands aboard Kitty Hawk as he had previously served as her first commanding officer...The ship then visited Hong Kong during the period of 10 April to 17 April.

.....After departing Hong Kong, Capt., John "L" Butts, Jr., relieved Capt., Horace H. Epes, Jr., as Commanding Officer of Kitty Hawk on 20 April...Kitty Hawk then conducted operations in the South China Sea until she departed that area to arrive at Yokosuka, Japan on 6 May 1964 for a three-day stay...Following this, the ship and air group engaged in joint operations with HMS Victorious on 10 and 11 May 1964.

.....During the period between 18 May and 10 June, Kitty Hawk was again engaged in special operations in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam...While conducting photo reconnaissance flights over Communist Laotian territory, two Kitty Hawk pilots were downed by ground fire...Cmdr., D. W. Lynn, Executive Officer of VF-111, went down under Communist fire on 7 June, but was rescued and returned to the ship on the 8th...Also at this time, Lt., C. F. Klusmann of the VFP-63 detachment aboard Kitty Hawk was shot down and captured by communist forces in Laos...After almost three months in his prison camp, Lt., Klusmann managed his escape and was returned to the United States in mid-September.

.....Kitty Hawk arrived Yokosuka, Japan on 14 June 1964 after 36 continuous days at sea...On 15 June in an impressive Change of Command ceremony aboard Kitty Hawk, Vice Adm., Thomas H. Moorer was relieved by Vice Adm., Roy l. Johnson as Commander Seventh Fleet...Almost two years earlier, in October 1962, Adm., Moorer had assumed command of the Seventh Fleet in a ceremony also held on board Kitty Hawk.

.....On 29 June 1964, Kitty Hawk departed Yokosuka for operations south of Japan and returned on 5 July to make final preparations for the return trip to the United States...The Ship departed Yokosuka on 7 July for her return to the U.S., leaving a day early to avoid a threatening typhoon...Kitty Hawk arrived home at San Diego 20 July 1964 after a deployment that lasted over 9 months...She thus was entitled to fly her "homeward-bound" pennant, over 1,000 feet long, which she earned by being deployed more than nine months.

.....On 10 August 1964, Kitty Hawk departed San Diego for a three-day trip to Bangor, Washington...While en route on 12 August, the icebreaker USS Staten Island (AGB 5) towed the Kitty Hawk for several hours off Newport, Oregon to test this capability...Kitty Hawk spent two days at Bangor off loading ammunition and departed on 15 August for the one day trip to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington...During this short inland sea cruise, local dignitaries and their families were invited aboard...On 16 August, and open house was conducted at Bremerton during which approximately 25,000 people streamed aboard...This was the largest crowd to visit Kitty Hawk in a single day.

.....On 16 August 1964, the eight month overhaul and modification period began with several major modifications being installed in Kitty Hawk...These include the Naval Tactical Data System (NTDS), Integrated Operational Intelligence Center (IOIC), Automatic Handling System (AN/SPN-10), and the Airborne System Support Center (ASSC)...On 4 September, she moved into Dry Dock Number 6, the world's largest dry dock, and thus provided the first full capacity load for this dry dock.

.....Kitty Hawk returned to San Diego in May 1965, following her extensive yard period in Bremerton...She immediately began four weeks of intensive 'Refresher Training' during which time Kitty Hawk achieved the highest rating ever given and aircraft carrier...For five days underway in July, Walt Disney and a Hollywood crew, which included two chimpanzees, were on board to film parts of the movie Lt., Robin Crusoe, USN which starred Dick Van Dyke and Nancy Kwan as well as many of Kitty Hawk's crew...Along with Walt Disney were guests of the Secretary of the navy, midshipmen, Naval Reservists, and many other observers and visitors who were able to take advantage of the hospitality for which the Kitty Hawk is famous.