What Did You Do In The War, Daddy?: A Look Back At The Aircraft Carrier USS Kitty Hawk And Ships Of Task Force 77 During The Vietnam War

 I served proudly as a teenage sailor (from 17-years-old to 19-years-old) on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) during the Vietnam War in 1970 and 1971. 

The Kitty Hawk was the Flag Ship of Task Force 77, which served on “Yankee Station” in the Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea off the coast of North Vietnam. 

I came across a video about Task Force 77 and the Kitty Hawk that old and young sailors, as well as those interested in history, may enjoy.    

Made in the 1970s, TASK FORCE 77 presents a detailed view of the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier battle/strike force of the United States Seventh Fleet, operating with three aircraft carriers and support cruisers and destroyers. The USS Kitty Hawk is the focus of the film, but other aircraft carriers are shown as well. One section of particular interest is interception of the Task Force by a Soviet trawler at the 18:00​ mark, and work by the ships in the vanguard to prevent it from monitoring them. At the 25 minute mark, an incredible rescue is seen as an airman is thrown overboard by jet blast, and then pulled out of the sea by whale boat and rescue helicopter. 

You can watch the video via the below link:

U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER STRIKE FORCE "TASK FORCE 77" 76194 Xx - YouTube 

Above and below are photos of Kitty Hawk air operations from the aircraft carrier’s 1970-1971 cruise book:

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