Everett, Wash. Published: Wednesday, September 3, 2008
The USS Kitty Hawk dossier
May 21, 1960: USS Kitty Hawk is launched
April 29, 1961: USS Kitty Hawk is commissioned
Sept. 13, 1962: Kitty Hawk ventures into the Pacific, stopping in Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines
June 6-7, 1963: President John F. Kennedy makes overnight visit to Kitty Hawk, making the ship the "floating White House" for one night.
1963-1975: Kitty Hawk makes seven combat deployments to Southeast Asia.
March 21, 1984: A Soviet Victor I class submarine surfaces from beneath Kitty Hawk. A piece of the submarine's propeller lodges into the ship's hull and is still displayed in the commanding officer's in-port cabin.
Nov. 3, 1992: Kitty Hawk deploys to Somalia.
Aug. 11, 1998: Kitty Hawk arrives in Yokosuka, Japan, and deploys from the port for the next decade, becoming the only aircraft carrier permanently operating outside of the U.S.
Nov. 20, 1998: Kitty Hawk becomes the Navy's oldest active warship with the decommissioning of USS Independence in Bremerton.
October-December 2001: Kitty Hawk deploys to the Arabian Sea, sending Special Forces troops and helicopters to operations in southern Afghanistan.
February 2003: Kitty Hawk deploys to the Persian Gulf, taking part in the opening strikes against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime.
Aug. 7, 2008: Kitty Hawk arrives in San Diego from Japan, its first time back in its homeport in a decade.
