USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) Film "TASK FORCE 77"

USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63) Film "TASK FORCE 77"

DVD Content

The footage has not been edited. It has been left exactly as it was captured from the 16mm films.

All types of aircraft are seen in this film - F-4 Phantom , A3J/A-5 Vigilante, Grumman A-6 Intruder and EA-6B Prowler, Grumman E-2 Hawkeye, Vought A-7A Corsair II, Douglas EKA-3B Skywarrior 'Whale' and the mighty SH-3 Sea Kin (I flew in the Sea King). We get to follow the aircrews from briefing to cat shot and back on the ship. While the movie gives you an excellent understanding of the air operations it also shows you the daily operations of a carrier task force engaged in combat operations against Vietnam. The movie was primarily filmed aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CVA-63), with some footage of USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14), and USS Ranger (CVA-61). During the movie we get to meet Vice Admiral Ralph W. Cousins and his crew. We see crews loading and handling ordinance. Some crew members are identified. The film shows how deck crew members must work together to avoid getting killed. Commander Malcom Guess is a Squadron Executive Officer that is interviewed. We also watch crews preflight aircraft; work on the flight deck and get a great overview of routine carrier flight deck operations Some of the squadrons identified in this movie include VA-105, VAQ-131, VF-114, VF-213 and VA-112. One of the interviewed pilots states, You never get accustomed to a cat shot. Its like getting kicked in the chest with a Mack truck. Nice quote. We get to meet the commander of one of the groups destroyers, the USS Black (DD-666) and we see the USS Porterfield (DD-682). We see the SH-3 Sea King in its various rolls. It is even shown refueling from one of the ships while flying (HIFR). It lands on the USS Stanley (DD-478). A Russian trawler makes an intelligence visit and snoops around the carriers while they play with the trawler. You also get to meet the BARCAP air controller the Teddy Bear of the Tonkin Gulf. Towards the end of the film a sailor is blown from the deck of the aircraft carrier by jet exhaust. He is rescued and we see him getting off the helicopter.

This film, in my humble opinion, is the best navy made documentary film I have ever seen. Even if you never even saw the Kitty Hawk, this is a must see film for ANY Navy Veteran of the naval air war against Vietnam.

This was filmed in 1969

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General Notes and Ordering Information

Add $4.75 shipping per order. Payment can be made via Paypal talachan@verizon.net or send a check/money order/cash to:
Gary Schreffler
15707 Ambiance Drive
North Potomac, MD 20878

For orders outside the United States please e-mail me first at talachan@verizon.net for shipping total.

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Produced by GRS Videos (TM). GRS Videos is dedicated to the preservation of Naval Aviation film footage. This passion began when the son of a recently deceased Korean War veteran told me how he had thrown away all of those "old 8mm films of planes flying off of a ship". Yes, I cried. Our heritage MUST be preserved. As a veteran of Naval Aviation, I have a strong interest in ensuring that our stories are not forgotten. If you have footage (16mm, 8mm, VHS, Super 8, Beta, or Digital) contact me at PLAT_Collector@verizon.net. I will also gladly trade any footage I have for new footage (any format). So, if I have Naval Aviation footage you want, and you have something I do not have, contact me and I am confident we can work something out. I am always looking for new PLAT mishaps and home movies/video of carrier operations and life on carriers. All proceeds go into obtaining and preserving more Naval Aviation footage. Gary R. Schreffler served on USS Midway (with HS-12) from 1984-1991.