USS America (CVA/CV-66) was one of three Kitty Hawk-class supercarriers built for the United States Navy in the 1960s. Commissioned in 1965, she spent most of her career in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, but did make three Pacific deployments serving in the Vietnam War. She also served in the Persian Gulf War's operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
USS America underway on 24 April 1983
America under construction at Newport News in 1961
America during her 1967 Mediterranean cruise
An F-4B Phantom of VF-33 waiting to be launched from America during her 1967 Mediterranean cruise; in the background is the Gearing-class destroyer William C. Lawe, and a Kashin-class destroyer of the Soviet Navy.
Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier
The Kitty Hawk-class supercarriers of the United States Navy were an incremental improvement on the Forrestal-class vessels. Three were built, all in the 1960s, Kitty Hawk (CV-63) (1961–2009), Constellation (CV-64) (1961–2003), and America (CV-66) (1965–1996), as well as the variant John F. Kennedy (CV-67) (1967–2007). All are now decommissioned.
USS Kitty Hawk conducting sea trials in the Western Pacific Ocean, May 2006
John F. Kennedy's smokestack tilts outboard to send stack gas away from the flight deck.
America's island in the mid 1970s, still equipped with AN/SPG-55 radar for Terrier.
Constellation's island in the early 1980s, note the different stack configuration from America and John F. Kennedy and alternate mounting of Terrier fire control radars
