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

==Post decommissioning==
[[File:Final Voyage of the Kitty Hawk-17.jpg|thumb|''Kitty Hawk'' being towed past the southern tip of [[South Padre Island, Texas]], by tugboat ''Michele Foss'' on 31 May 2022.]]
[[File:Final Voyage of the Kitty Hawk-04.jpg|thumb|''Kitty Hawk'' being towed in the Brownsville Ship Channel on 31 May 2022.]]
As the last conventional American aircraft carriers to be decommissioned, ''Kitty Hawk'' and {{USS|John F. Kennedy|CV-67|2}} were the last two carriers suitable for conversion into museum ships. Nuclear carriers, such as {{USS|Enterprise|CV-65|2}} and the {{sclass|Nimitz|aircraft carrier|4}}, require extensive disassembly to remove their nuclear reactors during decommissioning, leaving them in an unsuitable condition for donation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2012/10/22/enterprise-nimitz-class-carriers-wont-be-museums.html |title=Enterprise, Nimitz-Class Carriers Won't Be Museums |first=Michael Welles |last=Shapiro |website=Military.com |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref>

After ''Kitty Hawk'' was decommissioned, groups based in [[Wilmington, North Carolina]]<ref name="USN45202"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060125/NEWS/60124035/1015/news01 |title=New ship coming in? |first=Patrick |last=Gannon |date=25 January 2006 |newspaper=[[Star-News]] |access-date=21 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928042110/http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20060125%2FNEWS%2F60124035%2F1015%2Fnews01 |archive-date=28 September 2007 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wral.com/news/local/story/1225520/ |title=Ex-Sailors' Dream Is USS Kitty Hawk Moored in Wilmington |date=6 March 2007 |website=[[WRAL-TV]] |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> and [[Pensacola, Florida]]<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/DP/20130131/NEWS12/301310021/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628213218/http://www.citizen-times.com/article/DP/20130131/NEWS12/301310021/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-06-28 |title=Kitty Hawk |date=January 2013 |newspaper=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]]}}</ref> lobbied to acquire the ship after her release from the [[Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility|Navy Inactive Ships Program]].

By March 2017, the USS ''Kitty Hawk'' Veterans Association had raised $5 million in pledges to preserve the aircraft carrier as a museum ship. Members sought to donate $15,000 in memorabilia for display if it came to fruition.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/2017/03/15/group-wants-make-kitty-hawk-into-museum/99212664/|title=Group wants to make Kitty Hawk into museum|last=Friedrich|first=Ed|date=15 March 2017|newspaper=Kitsap Sun|access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref>

After President [[Donald Trump]] gave a speech on board {{USS|Gerald R. Ford}} and promised to build a 12-carrier navy,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/03/02/aboard-ford-trump-promises-12-carriers-record-navy-growth.html |title=Aboard Ford, Trump Promises 12 Carriers, Record Navy Growth |first=Hope Hodge |last=Seck |date=2 March 2017 |website=Military.com |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> US Navy officials extended ''Kitty Hawk''{{'}}s stay in the reserve inactive fleet and considered the possibility of recommissioning her to help with the buildup.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/11316/us-navy-looking-at-bringing-retired-carrier-uss-kitty-hawk-out-of-mothballs |title=US Navy Looking At Bringing Retired Carrier USS Kitty Hawk Out Of Mothballs |first=Tyler |last=Rogoway |date=8 June 2017 |website=The War Zone |publisher=The Drive |access-date=21 February 2019 |archive-date=28 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328215051/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/11316/us-navy-looking-at-bringing-retired-carrier-uss-kitty-hawk-out-of-mothballs |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 20 October 2017, ''Kitty Hawk'' was stricken from the [[Naval Vessel Register]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/2017/11/28/uss-kitty-hawk-veterans-devastated-aircraft-carrier-headed-scrapyard/836475001/ |title=USS Kitty Hawk veterans devastated the aircraft carrier is headed for the scrapyard |first=Julianne |last=Stanford |date=28 November 2017 |newspaper=[[Kitsap Sun]] |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> and on 25 October 2017, the Navy announced its intentions to dispose of her by scrapping.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/local/2017/10/24/former-uss-kitty-hawk-disposed-dismantling/795128001/|title=Former USS Kitty Hawk to be disposed of by dismantling|date=24 October 2017|website=Kitsap Sun|access-date=28 March 2019}}</ref>

On 9 March 2021, ''Kitty Hawk'' arrived at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard to be put in dry dock and have the hull scraped of marine life before being towed to her final destination.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/SavedNewsModule/Article/2524361/ex-kitty-hawk-cv-63-dry-docks-at-psns-imf/|title=Ex-Kitty Hawk (CV 63) dry docks at PSNS & IMF|publisher=navsea.navy.mil|date=4 March 2021|access-date=1 May 2021}}</ref>

On 6 October 2021, ''Kitty Hawk'' and [[USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67)|''John F. Kennedy'']] were sold for [[Penny (United States coin)|one cent]] each to International Shipbreaking Limited.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Colson|first=Thomas|title=The US Navy sold 2 obsolete aircraft carriers to scrap dealers for 1 cent each|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/us-sells-2-aircraft-carriers-1-cent-each-2021-10|access-date=2021-10-06|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Trevithick|first=Joseph|title=The Navy's Last Conventionally Powered Aircraft Carriers Have Been Sold For Literal Pennies|url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42643/the-navys-last-conventionally-powered-aircraft-carriers-have-been-sold-for-literal-pennies|access-date=2021-10-07|website=The War Zone|publisher=The Drive|language=en|archive-date=10 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010140456/https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42643/the-navys-last-conventionally-powered-aircraft-carriers-have-been-sold-for-literal-pennies|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 15 January 2022, ''Kitty Hawk'' left the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, under tow, en-route to Brownsville, Texas, for scrapping. As she is too big to transit the Panama Canal, she went instead by way of the [[Straits of Magellan]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Farley|first=Josh|title=Aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk departs Bremerton for Texas dismantling|url=https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/news/2022/01/15/old-carrier-uss-kitty-hawk-departs-bremerton-texas-dismantling/6534565001/|access-date=2022-01-15|website=Kitsap Sun|language=en-US}}</ref>

On 31 May 2022, ''Kitty Hawk'' arrived in Brownsville, Texas, for scrapping.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Carrier USS Kitty Hawk Arrives in Brownsville for Dismantling|url=https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/carrier-uss-kitty-hawk-arrives-in-brownsville-for-dismantling|access-date=2022-06-02|language=en-US}}</ref> Scrapping was mostly complete by early 2024, as shown by aerial footage posted online.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kitty Hawk Flyover 3/23/24 (YouTube, user @michaelfarrell3446)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYZ5sCBuqkY|access-date=2024-04-15|language=en-US}}</ref>

It was also announced that the [[Air Zoo]] in Kalamazoo, Michigan was donated the 60,000 pound anchor from the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) and several pieces of the carrier deck for outside display.  This will go on display in June 2024 with help of the USS Kitty Hawk Veterans Association.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Air Zoo receives historic 30-ton anchor from the USS Kitty Hawk |url=https://www.airzoo.org/news/posts/air-zoo-receives-historic-30-ton-anchor-from-the-uss-kitty-hawk |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=www.airzoo.org |language=en-us}}</ref>