U.S. carrier Kitty Hawk leaves Japan ending 10-year mission

Wednesday 28th May, 12:07 PM JST

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11 Comments

USNinJapan2 at 08:40 PM JST - 28th May

So long Battlecat. Wish I could have gotten one last trap on your deck for old times' sake...
OssanULTRA at 09:39 PM JST - 28th May

With already 5 carriers now being used as museums and facing funding difficulties, I guess that any chances for her becoming as museum are pretty slim.
yabits at 09:56 PM JST - 28th May

As ex-Navy, I well recall the times my ship ran plane guard duty for the Kitty Hawk in the South China Sea.

Back then, she was affectionately called by other nicknames besides "Battlecat." Kitty-Crapper and Sh*tty Kitty being just two.
sailwind at 10:07 PM JST - 28th May

Good Gawd, what biased crap.

The 47-year-old vessel is expected to be decommissioned next year, the U.S. Navy said. The Kitty Hawk took part in many key U.S. military operations since being commissioned in 1961, such as bombings of Hanoi during the Vietnam War and the war in Iraq in 2003

47 years in commission, no mention of how she protected Japan, no mention of how she supported countless missions keeping North korea at bay, no mention as to she first on station when China threatened Tawain.... Nope, bombed Hanoi and bombed Iraq.........DISGUSTING Kyodo, totally DISGUSTING. Damn no mention either how she was the first on station supporting the tsunami victims in Thailand, least Kyodo forgets.
OssanULTRA at 11:39 PM JST - 28th May

Is it really bias? Or is it simply a matter of limited space to list everything that she has done over these decades?
capone at 12:46 AM JST - 29th May

no, its probably bias...why would there be limited space for this and twice the space for that article about stupid kitty-chan ?
VoXman at 01:08 AM JST - 29th May

I still say the Navy can do more towards improving its relationship with the local community by offering to make the Kitty Hawk a floating museum at say the port of Yokohama that would be open to kids and adults alike . I said this before! Paint the whole ship pink. Then along her port and starboard sides, paint all the characters from the Pokemon series. Then rechristen the ship the "Hello Kitty Hawk". Can you imagine the generations of kids that would have this wonderful image of their favorite characters and a US Warship combined in their little developing brains. Then whenever someone wants to get a group together to protest the George Washington, everyone will say ...oh no, no... I can't protest Hello kitty..... we love our kitty....
Alphaape at 01:22 AM JST - 29th May

I saw a few teary eyed ladies in the Honch on Tuesday night. Funny thing, after all the sailors had to be back on ship, I saw one or two get into cars with other guys, I guess the game will go on.

I guess next to go will be the Blue Ridge sometime in future. She is the last afloat Command Ship.

Politicians in D.C. have sunk more USN ships than the Soviet Navy ever did.
Taka313 at 06:48 AM JST - 29th May

USN, Battlecat? When I was onboard, she was the: Howling-growling, hissing-spitting, Kitty-battle-city.

I forget his name but the CO they had when I was onboard was a hoot. I used to love his morning briefs.

Taka
USNinJapan2 at 10:27 AM JST - 29th May

Taka313 Battle Cat's just another name we used to use in the air. Was the skipper CAPT Tom Parker?
Taka313 at 02:34 PM JST - 29th May

YEAH! That was him. Man, I used to love briefing that guy. You had to be on your toes, but if he trusted you, he was a super cool guy to work for.

Taka