Kitty Hawk (CVA 63) - Naval Cruise Book

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FORT COI.LL S COLOHADOAN - •m Is ' Junta Stages Uprising in Viet Nam Capital CHICAGO p SUN-TIMES L REPORT DIEM, NHU SUICIDESii 4k,- -d - Ships Ready- Jml in Case! , Arkansas P CSazelle Sl jfUdviserTwilcl Celebration fo, Viet Ham Gives Way to Quiet [:..t: ;:C In Nervous Saigon ....... ((j j„5jp ■ Dirty Cr,w Murder, f Vows S ie Wi I Return •.« WHY As KITTY HAWK steamed out of San Diego on Octo- ber 17, the crew stood at quarters watching the famiHar skyline drift out of view for the next eight months. Many had one pressing question in their minds. Why? Why should I have to leave my family and friends for such a long period ? How am I helping my country by being on KITTY HAWK while deployed ? The answer to these timeless questions came with the dawn of November, when we read of the Diem Govern- ment overthrow in South Viet Nam. Once again the Far East had a hut spot. But ready to cool it ' if neces- sary were the armed forces, and in particular, the U. S. SEVENTH Fleet, the Navy ' s instrument of national policy in the Far East. Since 1943, the fleet has earned the reputation of always being ready at a mcMnents notice, whenever the call comes. This was the fleet that KITTY HAWK and Carrier Air Wing ELEVEN would soon join. The fleet ' s mission and tasks would be ours for the next eight months. W ' e had to be ready. The SEVENTH Fleet ' s task is not a light one. Its area of responsibility extends from the Indian Ocean East to the Solomon Islands, and from Antartica North to the Eastern Prnvinces of the USSR. This area contains 9,000 miles of .Asian coastline, most of which is Communist. The total area covers about 30 million sciuare miles, a fifth of the earth ' s surface. THE SEVENTH FLEET To protect such a diversified expanse and keep the seas free for all, more than 125 ships, 650 aircraft and 64,000 sailors and Marines are assigned in varying periods to the SEVENTH Fleet, presently under the command of Vice Admiral Thomas H. Moorer. From his fl.agship USS PROVIDENCE (CLG-6), Admiral Moorer directs a diversi- fied fleet — from the attack carrier to the fleet tug, from supersonic nuclear bombers to small transport aircraft, from Marine landing teams to those who stand sentry duty at the entrance to every installation. KITTY HAWK fits into the organization as one of three attack carriers which comprise Task Force SEVENTY SEVEN-the hardest hitting element of the SEVENTH Fleet. Together with their support ships, the carriers and their embarked aircraft can mount an aerial assault deadlier than the combined firepower by all combatants during World War II. Rear Admiral T. W. South II, Commander Carrier Division Seven who directed our operations was also commander of the entire Task Force for most of the cruise. The key to the fleet ' s success has been its mobility. Be- ing part of the Naval service, it is constantly in motion and widely dispersed. It can sustain operations for months, without relying on nearby shore bases. This mobility serves as a warning that this instrument of peace can be employed immediately as an implement of retaliation and destruction if deterrence fails. Training best describes how the fleet lives up to its motto, READY POWER FOR PEACE. Practice runs never cease. Awexes, Snoopexes, Loadexs, etc., filled KITTY HAWK ' s full schedule. Everything was practiced until it became second nature. Then it was done again. Seventh Fleet Departing

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WITH THE U. S. SEVENTH FLEET USS KITTY HAWK (C A-63 WESTERN PACHIC CRUISE 1963-61

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.t . H llul ;ill is not at sea in the SIlVlvN ' l 1 1 I- leet. Its shijjs liave llio privileci e of cominJ4 into the various (Xjrts and harhors of l- ar ICast countries. ' I ' his allows -lii|)s to ,;ive siiore leave and recreation to their crews and in s jme porls to replenish and effect minor repairs. 1 hese jjort visits arc more than just a lf)ok ; I a foreign country. livery man becames a dijjlrjmat as a jjciple-to- pe )|)le ambassador of K ' x ' dwill. Men give blood, donate iheir time and money to those less fortunate, and flisplay iheir shij). These and cjther activities and the sailors ex- emijlary behavior on the whole, ensure that welccmie mats arc out for members of the SliVli.N ' J ' H Fleet. But, after what seems like oidy a few hours in port, it ' s back to sea again. The SKVICNTII Meet has been ready now since it ' s beginning in 191. ' . After World War II fleet ships began the series of oKicial calls to various Western Pacific ports that are still continued today in direct support of American diplomacy in the Far East. There ' s been little chance for a letdown. Since 1949, i ' ormosa has been in the headlines. In 1950, Korea. Throughout the Fifties, Southeast Asia sizzled with one lonflict after another. In August of 1959 quick SEVENTH l- ' lcct action smothered a hot spot in Laos. Again in the [jring of 1962, when the Laotian Crisis threatened to spread into Thailand, the SEVENTH Fleet sent troops ashore iiid its ships stocid by. The crisis was cooled. Today, there is still South Viet Nam. An uneasy quiet till hangs over the Formosan Straights. There are occa- sional flareups in Korea. A break at While Beach READY POWER EOR PEACE ! 9 .At the same time, the history of the SEVENTH Fleet is filled with humanitarian gestures as examples of good- will and understanding for those in need. For example, in 1959, the carrier KIvARSARGE evacuated 3,200 people from by helicopter from Nagoya after Typhoon Vera swept through the Southern Japanese city with 1(S() miles per hour winds. Why? If one is not yet clear why KTTTV 1L ' K sails with the SEVEN ' TH Fleet, let him hear the words of Vice Admiral William . . Schoech. His remarks were made concerning the threat of communism on the occasion of his relief as Commander SbA ' ENTH Meet by Admiral Moorer in October 1962 aboard KITTY HAWK. We have become familiar with the constant probing, the unrelenting search for the soft »ixits in the free world, the unceasing attempt to extend the influence of commu- nism over free men by whatever means possible. These facts are entirely clear to us. What is needed is an i-qually clear demonstration of free world determination not to yit ' ld to either armed force or to coercion of any kind. Our conviction, our independence, i ur hrmness of be- lief, our determination to remain strong is being tested every day. For the loreseeable future, it is our special task to meet this test, to accept the challenge. This then, is why we have a SEVEVTH Fleet in the Western Pacific, to provide a needed strength and the readi ness to meet any and all contengencies...a powerful, flexi- ble, mobile self-sustaining instrument of enlightened nation- al policv. This, then, is whv KITTY ll.XWK deijlovcd. A helpin, hand