Kitty Hawk

The USS Kitty Hawk as she sails past a small group of Japanese fishing vessels and heads toward Sagami Bay, Japan. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Kitty_Hawk_(CV-63)

The USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) Supercarrier was decommissioned in 2009 after 49 years of service. Kitty Hawk: 1069 feet long and carried a compliment of 5,624 sailors, mostly in the Pacific Ocean. The Kitty Hawk was named after the site in North Carolina where the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane.

May 31, 2022, Reunion of USS Kitty Hawk Shipmates

The USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) was towed by the Michele Foss from Washington State, around South America, through the Caribbean, entering the Gulf of Mexico to Brownsville, Texas, on May 31, 2022. International Shipbreaking Limited, LLC/EMR partnered with Cameron County and The Port of Brownsville, Texas to sponsor a public arrival ceremony in honor of all those who served our country onboard this mighty ship. A ceremony was held on May 31st at the Cameron County Amphitheater, located inside Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island, Texas. There was an open mic time for veterans to speak about their experiences onboard and a moment of silence for those no longer with us.

The Kitty Hawk's last night at sea, May 30, 2022.

Dale Ray Thiesen in Brainerd, Minnesota, made a trip to Brownsville, Texas, to see the Kitty Hawk one last time before she is dismantled. Navy vets and enthusiasts were there for a gathering. You can contact Dale Ray by email, from this page. He served aboard the Kitty Hawk 1983 to 1987 as part of flight deck operations. Dale Ray remembers visiting Subic Bay in the Philippines, Pusan in Korea, Perth in Australia, and Singapore in Thailand.