Kitty Hawk (CV 63) - Naval Cruise Book

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BP! .J Qi , I I .9 . ' ' c S-A05 T WQQ VT' ik'-A.. -.xr 4 HLP-3 -me nv mwur v .ut v -fr-1.1-.,ict.v - fs Xi QMS 1 -sseq., ,5-use K X if 'I In October 1977, KITTY HAWK and Air Wing ELEVEN began their last Western Pacific deployment together, re- turning to San Diego almost seven months later. On july 1, 1978 KITTY HAWK welcomed Air Wing FIFTEEN and began preparations for her next cruise. On May 30, 1979, KITTY HAWK and Air Wing FIFTEEN left San Diego for the Eastern Pacific. This scheduled May to December deployment, which includ- ed Indochina refugee search and assis- tance operations and Korea contingency operations, was extended for two months by Arabian Sea readiness operations in response to the Iranian crisis. The ship and air wing were awarded the Navy Ex- peditionary medal for this 74-day period. After nine months, KITTY HAWK re- turned to San Diego on February 25, 1980. In july, she was awarded the Battle Efficiency E and Meritorious Unit Ci- tation. On April 1, 1981, KITTY HAWK and her embarked Air Wing PIFTEEN left San Diego for her 13th deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. The ship and air wing were awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and Humani- tarian Service Medal for the rescue of Vietnamese Boat People in the South China Sea. In January 1982, KITTY HAWK trav- eled to Bremerton, Washington, for a year-long comprehensive overhaul that was completed in January 1983. After a vigorous work-up period, KIT- TY HAWK deployed as the flagship for Battle Group Bravo. During Exercise Team Spirit '8-4 she was struck by a submerged Victor class submarine in the Sea of japan, forcing the submarine to be towed back to her home port. KIT- TY HAWK logged over 62,000 miles on the deployment, which included a two- month-plus on station period in the North Arabian Sea. She steamed into home port San Diego on August 1, 1984. KITTY HAWK was presented the Marjorie Sterett Battleship Fund Award rn December' 1984 In March 1985, KIT- TN' IIAWIK was presented the Battle Effi- cieruy II' as the best carrier rn the Pa- .artrr I leer. The award was tor the grading period through Decenrber 1984

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Continuing A Proud Heritage The aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK is the second U. S. Navy ship to bear the name of the small North Caroli- na town near which Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first heavier-than-air manned aircraft on December 17, 1903. Aviation has come a long way Si11C6 that eventful day. Nine such 12-second, 120- foot flights would be required to travel from the bow to the stern of today's USS KITTY HAWK. The first Navy ship to bear the name was a 498-foot aircraft transport used in World War II. Built in 1932 as a commer- cial ship, she was acquired by the Navy in 1941 and modified to transport air- craft. She was decommissioned in 1945 and returned to her peacetime role. Today's KITTY HAWK was con- structed by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden, New Jersey. Launched on May 21, 1960, she was com- missioned April 29, 1961. Carrying an air wing of more than 85 aircraft, the 80,000 ton ship of over 1,065 feet in length has a complement of more than 5,000efficers and men. g I ' In 1961, KITTY HAWK cruised around South America to her new home port of San Diego. There she prepared for her first Vwlestem Pacific deployment, which began in September 1962. During the next io years, KITTY HAWK and Air.Wing ELEVEN completed six Viet- nam conflictlgcombat cruises, winning one Presidential Unit Citation, four Navy Unit Commendations, a Meritori- ous Unit Commendation and many oth- er awards. A In 1973 and 1975, KITTY HAWK and her air wing again deployed to the West- ern Pacific, participating in many Sev- enth Fleet exercises to maintain oper ational readiness. The 1973 cruise in cluded a 68-day Indian Ocean stint. Early in IVIarCl1 1976, KITTY HAWK began a year-long overhaul during which exten- sive modernization and modifigation completed her conversion from an attack carrier to a general purpose carrier. Key changes enabled KITTY HAWK to oper- ate the Navy's new F-14 Tomcat fight- er and S-3 'V1king anti-submarine air- craft. 'WC x-niifk a 2 .1 I I.- S 4 'N-sl ,pail g ,L ...C-so b affmld' o' Q-0'

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Commanding OffiCC1' Capt P R WOOCI Captain Phillip R Wood is a native of Topeka Kansas In 1950 Captain Wood enlisted in the United States Navy and served three combat cruises in Korea aboard the destroyer USS O BANNON QDDE 4503 Following graduation from the University of Tulsa Captain Wood entered the Naval Flight Training Pro gram After being designated a Naval Aviator in 1959 he served in both fighter and attack squadrons having completed five deployments to the Western Pacific In 1969 he reported to the F 8 Replace ment Squadron VF 124 and served as Of ficer in charge of the Fighter Weapons School and was assigned to the initial F 14 cadre at NAS Miramar as model man ager Upon completion of this tour Cap tain Wood reported to the Naval Post graduate School in September 1970 as a student earning a Master of Science de gree Following graduation in 1972 he re turned to sea duty as Carrier Air Wing TWO operations officer and completed his third Vietnam combat cruise aboard USS Ranger Following a tour as VF training officer at Headquarters Commander Naval Air Force Pacific Captain Wood commenced F 14 flight training in VF 124 In De cember 1975 he reported to VF 211 as Executive Officer and served as Com manding Officer from April 1976 to April 1977 Captain Wood assumed com mand of Carrier Air Wing ELEVEN in December 1977 and made deployments to the Western Pacific aboard USS KIT- TY HAWK and to the Mediterranean aboard USS AMERICA. Captain Wood reported to OPNAV in May 1979 and was assigned to OP-sos as Assistant Head, Aircraft and Weapons Require- ments Branch. Following the Washing- ton tour in October 1980, he attended the Senior Officers Ship Material Readiness Course at Naval Reactors Facility, Idaho Falls, Idaho. In July 1981, Captain Wood assumed command of USS WABASH