Wonder why it isn't mentioned? The fire started in a Marine Corps storeroom sometime after getting underway for WestPac in '76 and we fought it for 17 hours ... and we continued on to Pearl. There we took on a Bremerton yard team and continued our deployment. It took the electrical crew (EM & IC) about 5 days 24/7 to cut out all the burned thru cables - box both ends - splice new cable btwn.

I will look thru my file for dates if you would like?

I think the fire you spoke about occurred a bit later than 1976. I think it was in 1977, and IC2 Chris Kranenberg summed it up fairly accurately. His text follows:
Oct '77 Marine Storeroom Fire
Little, if nothing, is mentioned about the fire located in the Marine Storeroom above Engine Room #1 that ignited while navigating out of San Diego Harbor at the onset of the October 1977 WESTPAC. In fact, the incident is not mentioned in the declassified captain's report who was in command at that time. Knowing it was going to be a while before seeing US soil again, I was sitting in the auxillary conning room at the very forward of the ship with some fellow IC men looking through the port holes getting a last glimpse of city and shoreline. I was assigned to Engine Room #1 during special sea detail operations but found it more compelling to be in the auxillary conning room. While taking in the view, a call over the 1-MC beckoned the special firefighting team (SFFT) to investigate smoke in MMR1 (Engine Room #1). Realizing I was assigned to MMR1, and fearing the IC chief would call looking for me to find out what was happening, I quickly ran to the commonly used port side entrance of the engine room only to find the SFFT occupying the trunk. I quickly ran to the starboard side trunk entrance and opened the scuttle hatch located on the deck to descend by ladder to the next deck, closing the hatch each time prior to climbing down the vertical ladder. Upon opening a hatch several decks below, gray smoke filled the trunk. I climbed through the open scuttle and down the ladder and felt along the bulkheads of the trunk for warmth. Placing my hands on the padlocked entrance door of the Marine Storeroom indicated intense heat. I hurried up the ladders and ran to a SFFT scene leader, a chief, and told him I located the fire in MMR1 starboard trunk. He ran in a panic ahead of me passing MMR1 starboard entrance and ran into nearby MMR4 entrance. I yelled that he was at the wrong entrance, he turned and ran into the proper trunk. As he was descending through the hatch I said I would get the key to the storeroom from the Marine detachment berthing compartment. The Marine on duty in the berthing compartment didn't know the location of the key. I ran back to the trunk entrance to inform the chief but found the SFFT was lowering their equipment, so I went to the Forward IC Shop to wait out the fire. The IC switchboard was lit up with burnt fuse indicator lights, and the IC men on duty was turning off power to all circuits. The fire was fought for eight hours due to the electrician mates not figuring out how to secure power to several burnt main electical cables that were constantly arcing. The ship continued to steam toward Hawaii despite the situation. Once the fire was out, several Marines came in and gutted the entire storeroom so the IC men, Electrician Mates and the E-Division welder could begin restoration of the charred main wireway consisting of about 30 cables of various sizes (one cable had 300 conductors; a main telephone line). Several IC men (including myself) and EMs and the welder worked 48 hours straight to get the critical circuits on line. Letters of appreciation from the captain were place in the service records of many, but not all, due to quotas, who helped restore the electrical and communication circuits. The military and personal items in the Marine Storeroom were completely destroyed by the fire and/or extinquising water. In retrospect, this was an omen of things to come. The following WESTPAC of 1979 included the loss of six pilots, two due to a catapult failure while deployed in the Indian Ocean as a result of the captain ordering use of the faulty catapult because the ship had at the time two catapults non-operational and at least two had to be operational for the ship to be "war ready". A "jury rig" was installed as a temporary fix that proved fatal. After the two pilots were lost in plain sight of many (again, including myself), the ship was no longer "war ready" because the catapult was ordered shut down for proper repairs. No war was declared during the repair time of the catpult. In addition to losing the six pilots, the crew and helicopters lost during the aborted rescue mission to free the American hostages at the embassy in Tehran were initially deployed to the USS Kitty Hawk.

For the record, IC2 Bell, it is ICFN Kranenberg, not IC2 Kranenberg. You should know this since my Captain's Mast (reduction in rank; IC3 to ICFN, half pay for one month, 2 week restriction to ship) was indirectly a result of your antics!

I am a bit confused by your posting. I was on the Kitty Hawk from Nov 71 to April 76. The Hawk went into dry dock, at Hunters Point, in early 73. She went in as a CVA63, but she came out as a CV63. She had her number one elevator enlarged and it was also hung to go up and down at a 6 degree angle. The jet blast deflectors were enlarged to accommodate the F14's, as were the catapults. The ship also had the ASW (anti-submarine warfare) equipment and rooms installed to make the ship the first Navy Multi-purpose carrier.
She did not carry any F14's on her cruises in 73-74 or 75. I do remember F14's practicing landings and take offs just a few weeks before the Hawk went into Bremerton Dry Dock (March 76) for an extended one year overhaul.

I was on the Hawk from 1972 to 1975 and I confirm Richard's post about Hunter's Point. After we left Hunter's Point we were involved in the Hawk's first RIMPAC in 1973. You can find more information by searching for USS Kitty Hawk in Wikipedea.

Kitty Hawk was changed to CV after/during the refit in 1973 at Hunters Point near San Frasisco .And was updated on two blast deflectors to accomodated F-14 fighters .
The fire in #1 main was at the beginning of the 73-74 cruise . In 1976 I left her in Bremerton in September during a major refit (almost everyone had to move off the ship ). There was no cruise in'76 .
Tim

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Replying to:

To anyone associated with this website:
Any idea why your ship's History skips the 1975 to 1979 period? This was my 1st tour aboard and there is no mention of her yard conversion CVA to CV in Bremerton or of the big fire at the beginning of her 76 cruise or anything for 4 years???

Also, I plan to attend the Bremerton 'DeCom'ceremony from San Diego...anyone else going from this area?

I joined The Navy as an OSVET on August 6,1976. After 3 weeks orienation in San Diego I went on leave and joind the Kitty Hawk in Bremerton in September. As far as I recall the ship was already CV-63. I was assigned to V-3 Division and We Grinded, Rust-proofed and painted the Hanger deck as well as many other Voids and compartments and pathways. In February 77 I went on 3 week leave, Got married on FEb. 11th and rejoined the Hawk in Coronado. We went on Westpac 77 in May.

I regret not ordering a cruise book but if anyone can tell me how I can get a copy or at least a copy of my division group photo. My EMail SteveAnnaIvan@Aol.Com

Time sure does fly, It seems as just yesterday.

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Replying to:

Kitty Hawk was changed to CV after/during the refit in 1973 at Hunters Point near San Frasisco .And was updated on two blast deflectors to accomodated F-14 fighters .
The fire in #1 main was at the beginning of the 73-74 cruise . In 1976 I left her in Bremerton in September during a major refit (almost everyone had to move off the ship ). There was no cruise in'76 .
Tim

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Replying to:

To anyone associated with this website:
Any idea why your ship's History skips the 1975 to 1979 period? This was my 1st tour aboard and there is no mention of her yard conversion CVA to CV in Bremerton or of the big fire at the beginning of her 76 cruise or anything for 4 years???

Also, I plan to attend the Bremerton 'DeCom'ceremony from San Diego...anyone else going from this area?

THERE IS A 1977-1978 WEST PAC CRUISE BOOK ON E-BAY RIGHT NOW IN THE EBAY STORE SECTION US NAVAL HISTORY STORE THE BUY ME NOW PRICE IS $289.00. I HOPE THIS HELPS ,I WAS ON THAT CRUISE AND HAD THE TIME OF MY LIFE

We went on the wespac cruise oct 1977 and got back may 1978

I also had the time of my life. unfortunately I had to make the most of it with my E-3 pay but non-the-less it was great. I wish I could do it again.

Thank for the Cruise book Info.

The change to CV occured just after I reported on board in DEC. 1972 .We went to Hunter's Point Shipyard near San Fransisco , California in the first part of 1973 . Part of the conversions made included 'jet-blast deflectors' and catapult upgrades to accomodate F-16 fighters .
I don't know about the fire you mentioned but , there was a major fire in #1 main machinery-room at the first segment of the first Westpac after the yard period in 1973 . We lost 7 guys in the fire .

Tim