Mid-1960s, launching A-4 Skyhawk ground-attack jets, note number 304 painted both on plane surface and inner red flaps. Blast shield is raised in preparation for next launch to deflect jet exhaust. This was a common scene during escalation of Vietnam conflict from mid-1960s to early 1970s. Longest-held US Prisoner of War pilot from these strikes is LTJG Everett Alverez of Carrier Air Wing 14 (CVW-14) squadron from USS Constellation (CVA-64), shot-down flying an A-4 jet on August 1964 during strikes against North Vietnam oil and naval facilities in Loc Chao and Hon Gai regions. List of United States Navy aircraft wings - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Navy_aircraft_wings

During US military involvement in region from 1964-1975, North Vietnam communist regime equipped with advanced jet fighters, radar stations, and surface-to-air missile batteries, mostly supplied by the Soviet Union. China and Eastern European Warsaw Pact nations also contributed arms and munitions to her war effort. North Vietnam - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Vietnam

With Kitty Hawk being the only forward-deployed carrier based in Yokosuka-Japan (located near western entrance of Tokyo Bay, south of Yokohama). US forces have been there since Japan's WW2 surrender in 1945 (photo inset : raising stars & stripes in base takeover). It has be asserted that a conventional (diesel-powered) rather than nuclear carrier was selected for this base to avoid conflicts with Japan's postwar pacifist constitution, which specifically forbid usage - station - transport of nuclear weapons on her territory. Majority of modern US carriers are nuclear powered and do carry tactical nuclear weapons. Declassified Cold War documents in 1990s revealed that US stationed tactical nuclear weapons on ships anchored offshore Japan, hence officially abiding the legal definition of Japan's law by not stockpiling these weapons on land. Takeover of Yokosuka Naval Base, 30 August 1945 - www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/japansur/js-6o.htm