In May 2022, the iconic aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) completed her final voyage to Brownsville, Texas, closing nearly six decades of distinguished service. Commissioned in 1961, Kitty Hawk sailed across the world, participating in countless operations and emerging as a lasting symbol of American naval power. Built at a cost of $264 million—roughly $2.5 billion in today’s dollars—the carrier reflected the advanced engineering and strategic ambitions of the Cold War era.
Though her storied career earned widespread admiration, the Navy sold Kitty Hawk to a scrapping company in 2021 for a mere penny, disappointing those who had hoped she might be preserved as a museum. While the ship itself is no longer afloat, her legacy endures in the sailors who served aboard her and in the critical role she played in shaping U.S. naval history.
Captivating military personnel and civilians alike
The USS Kitty Hawk, the lead ship of the Kitty Hawk–class aircraft carriers, was built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, with construction starting in December 1956. She was launched in May 1960 and officially commissioned into the U.S. Navy in 1961. Shortly after entering service, Kitty Hawk began a series of early deployments, including port calls in South America and patrol missions near Japan, signaling the beginning of a long and distinguished career on the high seas.
Service during the Vietnam War
During the Vietnam War, the USS Kitty Hawk served in Southeast Asia and was later upgraded to improve her performance as a multi-role aircraft carrier. In the 1970s, she operated throughout the Western Pacific, contributing to humanitarian missions like rescuing Vietnamese refugees and providing support after the assassination of South Korean President Park Chung-hee. She also deployed to the Arabian Sea during the Iran Hostage Crisis.
For the rest of her career, Kitty Hawk remained active in military operations across the Middle East and the Pacific.
Weapons equipped by the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
Beyond her combat prowess, the Kitty Hawk hosted several notable guests, including U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Nancy Sinatra, and author John Steinbeck. She also made a memorable appearance in Hollywood, serving as the backdrop for Disney’s 1966 film Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.
In a historic achievement, the Kitty Hawk became the first aircraft carrier to receive the Presidential Unit Citation in December 1967, in recognition of her outstanding service during the Vietnam War, especially her role in the Tet Offensive.
Sold down the river
In 2005, the U.S. Navy revealed that the USS George Washington (CVN-73), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, would replace the USS Kitty Hawk at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka in Japan.
The decommissioning process for the Kitty Hawk began in 2008, with the ship officially retired in 2019 in Bremerton, Washington. On the day of its retirement, over 2,000 people gathered in the ship’s hangar bay to participate in a ceremony that honored the long and storied legacy of the Navy’s oldest active warship at the time.
Veterans tried to save her
As uncertainty surrounded the fate of the USS Kitty Hawk, the USS Kitty Hawk Veterans Association spearheaded a determined campaign to preserve the historic carrier as a floating museum. Their efforts raised an impressive $5 million, reflecting the deep affection and pride many still felt for the ship. However, despite their persistence, the Navy rejected the proposal, instead deciding to send the vessel to the scrapyard. In October 2021, the Navy sold both the Kitty Hawk and the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) to International Shipbreaking Limited— for the symbolic price of one cent each.
By May 2022, the Kitty Hawk had reached Brownsville, Texas, where dismantling began. The process, projected to take between five and ten years and cost roughly $750 million, signaled a somber conclusion to one of the U.S. Navy’s most storied and enduring carriers.