The 1963 Presidential Fleet Review: John F. Kennedy visits the USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63)

Photos by CAPT Hap Hill USN (Ret)

The Rehearsal: June 4-5

View from the press helicopter approaching the USS Kitty Hawk

USS Columbus (CG-12)

Three Whales and a Scooter

Flight Deck of the Kitty Hawk

VADM Paul Stroop, Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific, plays the role of JFK

Stand-ins for the rehearsal

D-Day: June 6, 1963

The official party arrives aboard the Kitty Hawk

Senior Chief Walker escorts the Commander-
in-Chief past the Flight Deck sideboys

A fly-by salute gets the President's attention

The President addresses the officers and
men of the USS Kitty Hawk

Commandant of the Marine Corps David Shoup and Under Secretary of the Navy Paul Fay
meet with the reporters

SECNAV Fred Korth, Army Chief of Staff GEN Maxwell Taylor,
ADM George W. Anderson, Chief of Naval Operations,
VADM Robert Keith, Commander FIRST Fleet, and
CDR William E. Donnelly, Jr., Executive Officer, USS Kitty Hawk

Inspection by the Commander-in-Chief

President Kennedy meets the flight deck crew

Manning the rails just before snapping to attention for the President and his official guests

(L-R) GEN David Shoup, Paul Fay, unknown, Governor Pat Brown, President Kennedy, ADM John "Savvy" Sides, Commander-in-Chief, US Pacific Fleet, Fred Korth, GEN Maxwell Taylor, ADM George Anderson

The new carrier fighter: the F-4 Phantom II

The A-5 Vigilante: the fleet photo recon aircraft

President John F. Kennedy sits in the Captain's
chair watching carrier flight operations

Ships in review for the President

Back on Shore

KOGO Channel 10 technicians set up equipment
before an interview with CDR Hap Hill