Editing USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) (section)

===1961 to 1964===
[[File:USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) and USS Turner Joy (DD-951) refueling from USS Kawishiwi (AO-146) on 23 April 1964.jpg|thumb|''Kitty Hawk'' and the destroyer {{USS|Turner Joy|DD-951|2}} refuel from {{USNS|Kawishiwi|T-AO-146|2}} in 1964]]

Following shakedown in the Western [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]], ''Kitty Hawk'' departed [[Naval Station Norfolk]], [[Norfolk, Virginia]] on 11 August 1961. After a brief stop at [[Rio de Janeiro]], Brazil, where she embarked the Secretary of the [[Brazilian Navy]] for a demonstration during an exercise at sea with five Brazilian destroyers, the attack carrier rounded [[Cape Horn]] on 1 October. She steamed into [[Valparaíso]], Chile, on 13 October and then sailed two days later for [[Peru]], arriving in [[Callao]] on 20 October where she entertained the President of Peru. At [[Naval Base San Diego|San Diego]], Admiral [[George Whelan Anderson Jr.|George W. Anderson]], [[Chief of Naval Operations]], landed on her deck 18 November to witness [[antisubmarine]] demonstrations by {{USS|Henry B. Wilson|DDG-7|2}} and {{USS|Blueback|SS-581|2}}, a [[Terrier missile]] demonstration by {{USS|Topeka|CLG-8|2}} and air demonstrations by ''Kitty Hawk''.

''Kitty Hawk'' entered [[San Francisco Naval Shipyard]] on 23 November 1961 for alterations. Following operations out of San Diego, she sailed from San Francisco on 13 September 1962. ''Kitty Hawk'' joined the [[United States Seventh Fleet]] on 7 October 1962, relieving {{USS|Midway|CV-41|2}} as the [[flagship]].

After participating in the Philippine Republic Aviation Week Air Show, ''Kitty Hawk'' steamed out of [[Manila]] Harbor on 30 November 1962 and welcomed Admiral [[Harry D. Felt]], Commander in Chief, [[United States Pacific Fleet]], for a demonstration of modern naval weapons on 3 December. The ship visited Hong Kong early in December and returned to Japan, arriving at Yokosuka on 2 January 1963.

In conjunction with Commander, Carrier Division Seven, ''Kitty Hawk'' carried out several exercises in January and February 1963.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/k/kitty-hawk-cv-63-ii/s62-m63.pdf |title=Aviation Historical Summary, USS Kitty Hawk, OPNAV Form 5750-2, 30 September 1962 – 30 March 1963 |website=U.S. Navy |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> On 4 January 1963, Operation Checkertail saw ''Kitty Hawk'' and three other attack aircraft carriers launch practice airstrikes against the Okinawa Air Defense Command. From 27 January – 2 February 1963, 'Picture Window III' saw 'foreign aircraft' intercepted and visually identified in the Northern Japan area. Though the official ship's papers released in 2011 do not identify the nationality, the 'foreign aircraft' in question were likely from the Soviet [[Far Eastern Military District]] or [[Soviet Naval Aviation]]. From 16–19 February 1963, Exercise 'Red Wheel' was conducted around Southern Japan also under the direction of Commander, Carrier Division Seven. It aimed to improve the [[United States Seventh Fleet]]'s ability to conduct conventional and nuclear warfare while maintaining defense against air and submarine attack. It also aimed to evaluate the capability of 'the HUK [Hunter-Killer] Group' to protect two CVA Task Groups. During these exercises, the ship visited [[Kobe]], [[Beppu]], and [[Iwakuni]] before returning to San Diego on 2 April 1963.

[[File:Pacific Fleet Exercises from the USS Kitty Hawk with Governor Brown.jpg|thumb|250px|President Kennedy and [[Pat Brown|Governor Brown]] of California review a fleet demonstration aboard ''Kitty Hawk'' on 6 June 1963]]
On 6 June 1963, President [[John F. Kennedy]], with top civilian and military leaders, boarded ''Kitty Hawk'' to witness a carrier task force weapons demonstration off the California coast. Addressing the men of the task group from ''Kitty Hawk'', President Kennedy told them that, as in the past, control of the seas still means security, peace, and ultimate victory. He later wrote to president and Madame [[Chiang Kai-shek]] who had witnessed a similar demonstration onboard {{USS|Constellation|CV-64}}: "I hope you were impressed as I was, on my visit to ''Kitty Hawk'', with the great force for peace or war, which these mighty carriers and their accompanying escorts provide, helping to preserve the freedom of distant nations in all parts of the world."

An F-4B Phantom II, aircraft no.401, while assigned to VF-114, made the ship's 16,000th trap on 17 August 1963.<ref name="DANFS"/>

Film director [[John Frankenheimer]] filmed shots for the movie ''[[Seven Days in May]]'' on board the vessel in 1963.

Following a series of strike exercises and tactics reaching along the California coast and off Hawaii, ''Kitty Hawk'' again sailed for the Far East. While approaching Japan, she learned an assassin had shot President Kennedy. Flags were at half-mast as she entered [[United States Fleet Activities Sasebo|Sasebo Harbor]] on 25 November 1963, the day of the President's funeral, and, as senior ship present, she had the sad honor of firing memorial salutes. After cruising the [[South China Sea]] and ranging to the Philippines in readiness operations with the 7th Fleet, she returned to San Diego on 20 July 1964.