USS Kitty Hawk, Navy's Oldest Active Ship, Leaves Japan to Be Decommissioned

Fox News ^ | May 28, 2008 | Associated Press

[MissouriConservative]

The oldest active ship in the U.S. Navy, the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier, made its final departure from Japan on Wednesday to be decommissioned after nearly half a century of service.

*****

The Kitty Hawk, the last conventionally powered aircraft carrier in the Navy, is to be replaced later this summer by the USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered carrier. The decommissioning date for the ship is set for Jan. 31.

[Doohickey]

As far as I know, all Navy ships have been flying the First Navy Jack since September 11, 2002.

However, the next oldest commissioned ship will be the Big E.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Longer than that with regular dry dock maintenance. From what I have heard, the Kitty Hawk is in good shape and has had regular dry dock time and upgrades. Unlike the Kennedy that languished in the reserves for 10 years and was largely neglected.

[Vroomfondel]

ping

[btcusn]

A few years ago i think...Old Piedmont sailor here, my 1st ship.
Jack

[Non-Sequitur]

Unlike the Kennedy that languished in the reserves for 10 years and was largely neglected.

Neglected, perhaps. But the JFK was active her entire career.

[Non-Sequitur]

Any ideas what they are gonna do with it? Turn into a reef or use it for target practice?

Mothball her for a while. North Carolina wants her so they can put her on display.

[Non-Sequitur]

I read somewhere The Enterprise will be leaving around 2014 or 2015.

The Enterprise is slated to be replaced by the USS Gerald Ford.

[arthurus]

When I got a tour on it with my dad it was humongous. Standing beside it on the pier I could see that it reached up to the sky.

[Non-Sequitur]

Was USS Kitty Hawk ever offered to the Brits?

No. They have no use for her.

[riverdawg]

I worked on the JFK when it was being readied for delivery to the Navy. It seems wrong that the JFK was retired before I am!

[Non-Sequitur]

Anybody know which ship gets to fly the “Don’t Tread On Me” pennant after the KH decomms? Which active ship will then be the oldest in service?

Enterprise. She was commissioned about 6 months after Kitty Hawk.

[quiet_reverie]

My dad’s (David “Barrel” McRae) first tour of duty as a Naval aviator was with Fighter Squadron 213 on the U.S.S Kittyhawk off the coast of Vietnam. He died in ‘91 and seeing this story is bittersweet...

[A.A. Cunningham]

Unlike the Kennedy that languished in the reserves for 10 years and was largely neglected.

10 years in the reserves? BS

[Blood of Tyrants]

Okay, so she wasn’t in the reserves. But she was neglected and allowed to deteriorate badly before she was decommissioned.

[GitmoSailor]

I took a tour on the Kitty Hawk(1961) all the way around the Horn of South America and they even paid me ($88.00 a month).I will never forget the greatest ride of my life.

[SoCalPol]

The Kitty Halk and her sister ship the Connie were based in San Diego when they were commissioned around 25 yrs or more.

San Diego has the Ronald Reagan, the Nimitz and will also have the Carl Vinson

[editor-surveyor]

"wow,, I was all of two when the keel was laid. 1956"

You kids always think that it's all about you... ;o)

[headstamp 2]

“wow,, I was all of two when the keel was laid. 1956”

I was but a gleam in my father’s eye. LOL

I’ll never forget watching the astronauts be retrieved by this carrier during the Apollo days as a boy of about 7-8.

[GATOR NAVY]

Long ago. But I remember being next to Prairie at NAVSTA Long Beach in the ‘80s when they had the “Don’t Tread on Me” jack.

[GATOR NAVY]

Nic pic of Kitty Hawk and Drydock No. 6 here. I'd post it but it's huge.