Kitty Hawk Bids Australia Farewell as Brisbane Port Visit Concludes
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS070725-17
Release Date: 7/25/2007 2:08:00 PM
By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Adam York, USS Kitty Hawk Public Affairs
USS KITTY HAWK, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 left Brisbane, Australia, after a four-day port visit July 23, marking the carrier’s last visit to Australia.
During the port visit Kitty Hawk and air wing Sailors participated in five community relations projects, ran in a 5K run through Brisbane’s scenic waterfront, visited various tourist attractions ranging from zoos to theme parks and hosted ship tours for 3,500 Australians.
Navy Counselor 1st Class (SW/AW) Nadine Fridy visited the Australia Zoo, made famous by the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin.
“[The zoo staff] took really good care of the animals,” said Fridy. “I took a picture holding a python. It was huge!”
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 1st Class (AW/SW) Mark Monreal also went to the zoo and said they were able to meet Steve Irwin’s wife and kids.
Kitty Hawk and air wing Sailors visited Mater Children’s Hospital and Blue Care Nursing Home.
“We sat down with senior citizens and traded stories,” said Monreal, who participated in a community relations project at the nursing home. “One lady’s husband was in the [Royal Australian Navy], and she talked about all the places they’d been to.”
Midshipman Chris Bourque, who arrived on Kitty Hawk the day it pulled into Brisbane, said it was a very clean city, and he enjoyed the Australians.
“They would always come up to us and ask if we were from Kitty Hawk,” said Bourque. “They would give us directions and gave us free access to locations.”
Bourque and his friends rode on the Brisbane River’s “City Cat” tour boat. They also got to pet koalas and kangaroos at an animal sanctuary.
After Kitty Hawk’s departure from Brisbane, the carrier will be joined by other elements of the carrier strike group to begin preparations for Valiant Shield 2007. The major joint exercise will involve Kitty Hawk, USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) as well as forces from other services.
The Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group is on its summer deployment in the Western Pacific Ocean. The strike group is the U.S. Navy’s largest and includes the carrier, seven ships of Destroyer Squadron 15, two Aegis weapons system equipped guided-missile cruisers and CVW 5.
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