Kitty Hawk

Published May 06, 2013 by
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Source: Misc. Photograph Collection (East Carolina Manuscript Collection)

Staff Person: Ralph Scott

Description: The USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) was laid down by the New York Ship Building Corporation in Camden, New Jersey on 27 December 1956 and launched 21 May 1960. She first joined the US 7th Fleet on 7 October 1962. The Kitty Hawk was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for her service during the Vietnam war 26 November 1965 to 14 May 1966. She flew over 10,000 sorties and dropped 10,700 tons of ordnance against enemy forces. The vessel was decommissioned on 12 May 2009 and is currently in the US Strategic Reserve Fleet at Bremerton, Washington. A group in North Carolina would like to bring her to Wilmington in 2015 when she is schedule to be removed from reserve status and stricken from the fleet.