Posted on 05/23/2007 3:23:33 PM PDT by Thinkin' Gal
This image provided by the US Navy shows the U.S. Navy's oldest ship in full active service, the USS Kitty Hawk, departing Yokosuka Japan Tuesday May 15, 2007 to begin carrier qualifications in the western Pacific Ocean. Kitty Hawk is the Navy's only permanent forward-deployed aircraft carrier and operates out of Yokosuka, Japan. The Kitty Hawk is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2008. (AP Photo/US Navy - Stephen Rowe)
TOKYO - The USS Kitty Hawk, the US Navy's oldest ship in full active service, embarked on its last major maneuvers Wednesday before being decommissioned next year.
The 46-year-old vessel — the only American aircraft carrier permanently deployed abroad — eased out of its berth at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, just south of Tokyo, escorted by a carrier strike group of cruisers and guided missile destroyers, Naval spokesman John Nylander said.
The voyage, to last several months in the western and central Pacific Ocean, was expected to be the last major mission for the ship before it is replaced next year by the USS George Washington and sent back to the United States for decommissioning, said Rear Adm. Richard B. Wren, commander of the Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group.
"This is the last trip for USS Kitty Hawk," Wren told reporters.
The Kitty Hawk, with a crew of more than 5,500, was commissioned in 1961 and has served in Vietnam and Iraq. The diesel-powered ship was deployed to Yokosuka in 1998, and will be replaced with the nuclear-powered George Washington as part of the U.S. military's effort to modernize its forces in East Asia — an area of potential flashpoints with North Korea or China.
But the vessel's replacement sparked a backlash in Japan, where critics oppose the basing of a nuclear-powered warship in domestic waters. Japan's government backed the idea, however, saying the George Washington would boost regional stability.
Nuclear-powered warships have visited Japanese ports hundreds of times since 1964, and the United States has provided firm commitments to Tokyo regarding the safe use of Japanese harbors by the nuclear-powered vessels.
US Navy ping.
JUST SAY NO TO DECOMMISSIONING....(or make 10 more!)
The new Japanese PM is a realist, and very pro-USA..amazing how a few NK missiles flying over your capital city helps to sharpen the mental process..
Though I don’t have the honor of service there or in any other branch, thank you for the ping.
ping
I would stretch my meager Seaman Apprentice pay by touring ships and bumming meals from their Mess.
Well Done CVA-63. Were it in my power, I’d call an open deck and issue a beer ration. I would then join your crew in raising said beverage in the direction of Yankee Station. My God I’m getting old.
Wow. They are finally going to let a nuc carrier in there. I was in Yokosuka many times while the USS Midway was there, and one time when I was arriving there the protestors were out in force (as were the riot police) because a Nuc sub had stopped in for a visit.
Kitty Hawk is steam-powered by oil-fueled boilers. Typical Navy terminology is either 'conventionally powered' or 'nuclear powered'. I know because I was a nuclear power school graduate when I was assigned to the Kitty Hawk in 1965 - go figure! (Actually, I finally found out - via an internet BBS - a year ago that the nuclear training pipeline in that era was producing more graduates than the growing nuke sub fleet could assimilate, so many of us were sent out to limbo until a billet opened up.) Here I am 42 years ago (time flies!) aboard the 'Hawk in the same port - Yokosuka - relaxing on one of our F-4 Phantoms ... 
... at the ripe old age of 20. That 'Nam cruise on Kitty Hawk was a memorable portion of my Navy service - almost like a vacation after the rigors of electronics school, submarine qualification, and Nuke school! Since all my other sea duty was aboard nuke subs, it was the only time I could go on deck when off-watch and glory in the sea air and blue-water vistas. Thanks so much for posting this, Thinkin' Gal!
The Kitty Hawk and others within a couple years of decommissioning (or recently decommissioned but not yet stripped) should be the ones in the Persian Gulf — just in case Iran has some of those Chinese anti-carrier missiles.
Several years ago my brother was the chief engineer of the Kitty Hawk. He said it was his best tour of his 23 year Navy career. It was his last assignment prior to his retirement. But, it was an old and tired ship, and it needs to be retired.
VR-54, VR-53
Thanks for the ping!
1st Radioman, Coal Haulers 73-75. Good to meet you.
I couldn’t say. Kitty Hawk was the sister ship of the Constellation (CVA-64), in fact both ships were made from the same plans I’m told. They were both North Island boats in my time.
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