Why Did US Navy Give Away a Supercarrier For FREE? 

A vessel becoming a museum ship is extremely rare. I’m betting since WW2 at least 99% get scrapped or sunk.

my grandfather was a part of the commisioning crew of this carrier, and to see it being sold and scrapped for a penny after all the stories hes told me about it just hits differently

It's really sad to see 2 super carriers sold as scrap. When I was in the Navy I remember seeing USS KITTY HAWK in the bay. It's sad to think that future generations won't be able to see these ships. Would have been better to turn them into museums.

This same fate happened to USS Ranger, CV-61 in 2014. Ranger was also taken all the way around South America, up to Southern Texas, and scrapped in the same yards as Kitty Hawk. Which is also sad as Ranger had served in Korea waters, all of the Vietnam conflict, and Desert Storm. Just like handsome old ladies, these ships were taken for "cremation" after they had long been retired. Breaks a sailor's heart!

The main issue I have with the Kitty Hawk and JFK being scrapped is that they are the last conventionally powered Super Carriers. Nuclear Powered Carriers have been deemed too hazardous to be turned into museums. As learned when people wanted the Enterprise(65) saved. So really the Kitty Hawk and JFK were the last chance of ever having a Super Carrier museum.

Next time can I buy it??? PLEASEEEEEE

I spent 2 cruises on that ship as part of VFA-27. At the time, I thought it was a pretty rough job, but I have good memories of my time on that ship as I get older. I miss all the guys I worked with. But it’s simply not practical to keep the ship as a museum. All things must pass, and now we have new ships and sailors doing the job. Rest in peace, Hawk!

My dad served on the kitty hawk. Did 2 world tours on it. He was in charge of flight preps for a f14 and a few other planes. RIP 🪦

It has been beyond amazing getting to know the NWTY crew and finally hearing from people who share the same interest in machines, megastructures, and wacky Cold War engineering history that I love to shoot. All of you, fellow creators and commenters, are helping me find my creative voice and - more importantly - inspire me to complete the next trip and get the next shot. Thank you again for your inclusion!

Let's not forget that USS Forrestal's fate was the same. She was the first supercarrier. A better part of four years of my life was spent on board.

I remember seeing the Kitty Hawk, Ranger and Connie mored in San Diego Bay as a kid in the 60-70’s. Was hoping to be assigned to one of the 3 when i was transferred to Sea Duty as a Marine. Ended up in Alameda on the USS Coral Sea. And enjoyed every minute and made life time friends. The Enterprise was docked on other side of pier.

It broke my heart when I first heard that Kitty Hawk was closed to those that served at the decommissioning ceremony. Then if that wasn't bad enough, the Navy scraped her for a penny. This was my first carrier after get my wings. I loved every minute at sea on her, every takeoff and landing. My shipmates were family and whether you were enlisted or an officer, we had each others backs when anyone targeted or threatened us. We pulled together when needed, and when we crossed the equator, well lets just say it was fun being a shellback. To every man and woman who served, I say thank you and if we served on the hawk together, lets throw down some at a cook out.

If y’all want to support these museums that already hold these iconic ships they have RU-vid channels I highly recommend. Especially USS Texas because she is the last dreadnaught to exist in the whole world and is in disrepair.

Another reason floated by The Battle Ship New Jersey YT channel is that the designs of these air craft carriers are too similar to the current operating Nimitz and Ford classes, and thus, too much strategic information would be available to potentially hostile groups. Imagine finding out the reason an active duty super carrier was sank in combat is because enemies visited YOUR ORGS museum and gleaned enough relevant info.

I went on the Kitty Hawk when I was nine years old in San Diego, CA!! My uncle Tom was a combat photographer in Vietnam!! He was in Vietnam them but a friend in San Diego took my family on a tour of the Kitty Hawk!! Wish they would have made a museum of this ship!!

Great instructive video, thank you.

It’s really sad the Kitty Hawk is being scrapped. As the last conventionally powered aircraft carriers, it should have been preserved as a museum ship.

There's that many carriers at this point I always get confused between them

She was my first WESPAC in 1975 with VA-195 Dambusters. Nice memories.

Great video and information!

I have lived right next to the shipyard for most of my life and every time I went past the shipyard I would see the kitty hawk then one day it was gone it was really weird but now I know why and I even know it’s name. Thank you, NWYT this was fun to learn

This ship needs to be preserved it’s the last example of a non nuclear American super carrier.

My brother served on USS JFK when she was brand spanking new. Saw her come into port in Pensacola circa 1969. Slow and easy because she was BIG! Damn, I must be getting old.

i saw the kitty hawk on a boat ride while on a class trip to Catalina island off the coast of long beach, California. apparently they made a pit-stop there to figure out whether or not this thing could fit through the panama canal. while on the boat I was trying to see the number on the sides of the ship to ID it, no luck. I conicidentaly came across this video and finally found out that it was USS kitty hawk, what luck man, the kitty hawk was one of my fav aircraft carriers swell.

It's disappointing that the kitty hawk is being scrapped. I hope that the JFK will be saved

I was stationed on cv64 and cv63 which is uss constellation and uss kitty hawk its sister ship. Both very massive ships. I loved my navy tours on those ships and sad to see there both now gone. I wish they would have tried to make them a museum so people can really see how big they are in person.

The Kitty Hawk was the last oil burner & as I saw ships that tied up right behind or in front of us, Oriskany, Constellation, etc. I thought "Man, that's when you know you're old when you ship get scrapped." I really felt it when I heard the KH was being scrapped.

Its final destination is in my town :D, I really cannot wait to see history come to a close directly in front of my eyes, though i do wish they'd keep it as a museum, it is still interesting to have such a historical ship so close.

My dad was an engineer for the scrapping of the USS Bon Homme Richard. I think it was also sold for a penny. I went to San Pedro with him a couple of times: I was only 10 at the time so I couldn't go on the boat, but one of the tug deckhands got an NES for the break room so I had something to do. It was amazing to see that thing come apart piece by piece. I know a few token things like the bell were removed and archived, but pretty much everything else went in the recycling bin. Also at least we have the Midway!

Good video, thank you

So sad to see these beautiful ships taken out and scraped. I remembered my father was so sad to see his beloved B-17’s scrapped after the war.

I think it’d be interesting + more economical if they removed certain non-sensitive items, equipment, and structures from decommissioned super carriers and made those into a small museum. Imagine for instance, removing the island from the deck and making that into a museum building on land, or using parts of the hangars/deck.

Reading some articles on the sale for a penny, it was mentioned that NAVSEA outright rejected the Kitty Hawk Veterans Association's bid to turn the ship into a museum. Which makes the sale to the shipbreaking company in Texas for a mere penny rather suspect, imo, because idk about you, but it reads to me like they never had any intention of seeing nonprofits oversee the continued maintenance and operations of a supercarrier to begin with, regardless of museum status. What they should have done instead was remediate the ship and scuttle it, to turn it into an artificial reef like the carrier USS Oriskany. That way, Kitty Hawk would at least be preserved in some form or another, even if it is at the bottom of the ocean.

That's AWESOME. I loved sailing, the best job and only job I ever liked was working on ships. 👍👍

I served on the Kitty Hawk & the guys who had been on there for a while said the ship DID go through the Panama Canal. They said the overhang of the flightdeck knocked all the "streetlights" down that was on each side. I'm sure Uncle Same got the bill.

i always had the fantasy to turn one of these carriers into a post apocalyptic themed apartment/mall with emergency services and a hotel. and of course, an anti zombie system. :)

Kitty hawk with that paint job and the fog makes it look like a ghost ship.

My dad served on that ship during the Vietnam war, I believe that you should make it into having two pontoons widening the deck for larger transport planes. Adding pontoons on either side will allow for gunners to be riding on top of them and rocket launchers.😊

I worked on the USS MISSOURI during it's remodel before re-commisioning. I was a Fire Watch for Welders working on the ship to keep the danger's of having a ship Fire. Will remember that ship until the day I die and I have a original News Paper clipping of a photo shot from above during it's time at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard while it was in dry dock.😎

I feel like they could maintain one nuclear supercarrier with the reactor tied to the citys power grid instead of decommissioned. That area would be a secure power plant, and other safe areas of the ship could operate as a museum, maybe even put a restuaraunt in the mess. Not only could the ship serve as a generator it could also be kept ready to enter service quickly if it's ever called for.

The Kitty Hawk sale "for a penny" was not actually uncommon. As I recall, Ranger (CV-61) among other Forestall/Improved Forestall class carriers had that happen to them as well.

As a young child I saw the Kitty Hawk under construction at the New York Ship Yard in Camden, NJ around 1959-60.

Good video, Thanks

Can the government not see that we need WAY bigger ports and boat building facilities I mean hell we should have a port to dismantle that ship.

As someone commented on another video about these carriers, a reason they are being scrapped instead of becoming museums is its likely there are several parts of the design and layout that are still tactically significan to in service carriers. One was used in a sinkex to gather data so the Navy sees some tactical significance to these conventional carriers. Even if there's enough money to sustain the carrier as a museum, even with classified systems ripped out, its impossible to "hide" all aspects of the design. Very unfortunate that one of these couldn't be saved, same with Enterprise, but I feel there's a lot more behind the scenes going on in the decision other than straight money. At least I hope

So sad I cried she was home proud to have served in her airwing 79 - 82

I'm from Trinidad, would love to see this huge ship passing by

I was a part of the last crew to sail on board a frigate before it decommissioned. To be a part of that ships last crew to sail on it was a special feeling knowing that it had been all over the world with many missions. The ceremony is special and you are become a part of the ship’s history and the end of it at that.

I'm still struggling to understand the point though. If they were practically given away for free, and that was counted as a favor by the scrap yard, why couldn't they just stay afloat at any insignificant point at any coast, with nothing maintained but the outer paint with the interior sealed off, call it a day and make it a visit site with no interior visits, until some organization gathered enough money ? That way it doesn't cost anything pretty much and may even generate revenue to the navy, whie preserving them

The kitty hawk is still a beautiful ship despite it's age looks so majestic.

As a veteran of the USS Kitty Hawk, this video saddens me because she was my home for 3 years. I have alot of good and not so good memories while on board. She may not ever sail again, but in the hearts and minds of those who served on her she will be missed.

Actually several conventional carriers were commissioned after USS Enterprise.

You know what other ship shouldn't have been scrapped? Both USS Enterprises. The WW2 one was the most decorated ship of WW2.

love when the title of a video asks the viewers a question and the answer in legit in the thumbnail.

This is just amazing to me

Welp, my "I bought my first car for a dollar" story just got a lot less impressive.

"Everything is bigger in Texas" I wish I was born in Texas 😳

Thanks for this sad information! I spent a few years on board her.

I was apart of the final Kitty Hawk crew and apart of the decommissioning team. I remember the ceremony we had in Bremerton and everything. I never would've thought it would have went out like that. It was my first command made alot of memories on that ship.

Breaks my heart to see historic ships like these get turned into scrap metal

Another great video

Its excacly what i think, you have never surprised me

Excellent!

you can not turn a super carrier into a museum ship because that would give future adversaries a chance to decipher the engineering.......and build their own!

I am surprised: *1. They weren't repurposed* as helicopter carriers and/or assault support ships and/or disaster relief ships minus the internal amphibious bay - essentially helicopter landing pads, possibly with an external amphibious bay. If I recall, US carriers have been temporarily re-tasked as helicopter support ships (I think Afghanistan). *2. They weren't sold to an ally.* It is larger than India's, UK's, and France's carriers. Japan wants to convert 2 of its smaller "Helicopter Carriers" to VTOL aircraft carriers as their elevators, etc. "just happened" to be able to support VTOL F-35Bs. *3. Cost of maintaining a museum ship* - I would have never estimated anything close to $5 million.

Looks great.

wow it's a shame to see the kitty hawk go, I remember seeing it in Fremantle my 1st time on its way back from the gulf I couldn't get over how big it was i actually walked into a pole all the sailors we laughing at me, we went on board talked to the guys and every one of them wanted to go home had a look at the jets a memorable time

Atleast let the ship sail for the last time before it is turned into metal scrap Imagine the reaction of its past crew

I was saddened to see my ship the Constellation-CV-64 was being towed off the distance. I was flying my airplane along the coastline of Oregon at dusk seeing a silhouette of her with no life. Fairwell.

My uncle took me for a day cruise on the KittyHawk in the late 1990's before 9/11 changed everything, back when his air wing was stationed on it. Families of the crew were allowed on board and the ship left San Diego out into the nearby sea to have its pilots and a few smaller escort vessels put on a show. They made everyone vacate the angle deck and were using it to launch and recover planes for the airshow. The coolest part is that, once you're out at sea, the pilots had no speed limit they need to stay under. Two F-18s ended up making a supersonic pass right between the carrier and an escort cruiser and I'll never forget how it sounded - and felt - in my chest. Growing up in San Diego we had always seen the Blue Angels every year, but seeing an F-18 go supersonic with the shock cone, having them buzz you at "blink and you'll miss it" speed, and then realize they can go over twice as fast gives you an entirely new appreciation for it. Found out from my uncle later that the two pilots in question got reamed at because they were supposed to make the flyby higher up and out past the cruiser. My uncle also invited my grandfather (his father) for a Tiger Cruise in late 1999. A Tiger Cruise was when the Kittyhawk was coming home from deployment and had already offloaded crew that had transferred to different postings - usually dropping them off in Japan or Pearl Harbor - so there was extra room on the ship. Officers were allowed to invite a family member onboard the final leg from Pearl Harbor back to home port. He flew out there to meet my uncle, and it took a few days for the ship to arrive back home. She was an awesome ship, and it's sad to see she went like this.

Epic video!!!!

Literally watched the kittyhawk carrier sit in the pier for months at PSNS. She was in really bad condition. Tbh the maintenance cost would’ve far exceeded the purchase price.

Just remember that if you cut Alaska in half, Texas would be the third largest state. Everything is smaller there.

I grew up see in the kitty hawk moored at north island in san diego. I'm sad to they did This to such a beautiful lady I grew up wanting to visit but never could.I could just see it from across the bay or from the Coronado bridge or point loma.

Efforts were made to save a Super Carrier as a museum. But no museum could convince the navy they had the funds necessary to maintain the ship as a museum. The biggest museum ships are the Iowa Class Battleships. Those museums are stretched very thin when it comes to funding for maintenance as a museum. A super carrier is even bigger than a Battleship. So the Navy needed to be extra sure a museum could handle the size. Unfortunately, all proposals to save a super carrier failed. The Navy thought it would be best to scrap the super carrier instead of handing it off to a museum that doesn't have the funds to maintain. The last the thing the Navy wants to do is come back in 10 years to find that the museum couldn't afford to maintain the ship and the Navy had to tow it away before it sinks. Unfortunately This has actually happened to several museum ships.

it's insane to me how being cut up and sold for scrap is viewed as more dignified than being a museum ship with substandard care. The pyramids aren't perfectly preserved either but they're a wonder of the world all the same

The fact that we get free videos on RU-vid by Not What You Think is truly a gift. 👏 👏 👏

Yet there is the USS Midway, which is a museum stationed in San Diego. I really recommend visiting, it's amazing!

I was part of the carrier airgroup on board such a shame that she was turned into scrapped, and of course, none of us were giving the opportunities to get a piece of her. The people on board were told not to take anything from the ship because it was all going to be used for a museum ship or else we would’ve taken brass fittings.

Would’ve been interesting to have it used for live fire practice to see truely how durable our ships are.

It should've been USS Enterprise, that way USN can avoid the huge deactivation cost of nuke fueled carriers

It was right across the street from the house, miss seeing her every day, it was a sad day when she got towed away

I sailed on the kitty hawk, Ranger, Connie, Carl Vinson. Also the standley, fort fisher, California, dextrous and boxer.

I wonder what other military vehicles would be worth a penny in the future 🤔

damn, i'd buy that and donate it to out contry

I was on the USS Forrestal CVA59. Which was the firs Super carrier It was also scrapped in Brownsville. Every time I shave I like to think I may be using the Forrestal.

6:46 that is really funny... gave me a good laugh... Beauty and Beast are excellent names...especially for those trucks

Imagine a Pirate Group steal the Carrier and be the second private company to own a navy , beside Pepsi Soviet Submarine fleet

The fact that the pacific fleet carriers were retired while stuck on the west coast given the significant logistics of getting them to proper scrappage facilities shows a truly alarming negligence by the US DoD. Their final operational voyages should clearly have been to the Texas yards.

My dad was on the Kitty Hawk from 62 to 66 told me many stories, Kennedy and Bob Hope were both on the ship while he was there. Damn shame, hate that he is gone but glad he didn't have to see his ship disrespected

I went on the uss midway and wow was it cool the first time I’ve ever been able to be on the flight deck we toured the whole thing it was so cool I would go back any time

What a shame they're getting scapped, better visit all the museums while I can

Too bad we'll never see mobile museum ship. Could you imagine a museum ship going on world tour? Bringing it's history to other parts of the world.

Uss America.. CV 66 It was a kitty hawk class They took it off the east coast and sunk Remember seeing it in 1987 across the Elizabeth river docked at Norfolk Naval yard going thru an overhaul. What a massive ship

Im from chile, few days ago, i saw kitty hawk, here in valparaiso.

I mean it's better than when they decided to take a battleship run on for being unthinkable and drop two nuclear bombs on it and didn't even think it so then they fired upon it with Iowa class battleships as well as many other ships for 5 days until it was sent by torpedo

When the US can spend trillions on pointless wars and can’t use a portion of their GDP on at least saving a single ship is just sad.

My dad served on Borge the Kennedy and the Kitty Hawk, he was devastated when they got scrapped

Well come to Evansville Indiana we have lst 325 which had a mission or what not at Normandy Beach they do offer tours for 15 a person

A interesting price but I'll buy it lol