18 Sept 1962, Kitty Hawk refueling operations with destroyers USS McKean (DDR-784) on left and USS Harry E. Hubbard (DD-748) on right. Since this carrier is conventionally powered, it requires regular fuel delivery to maintain on-station deployment. To circumvent this fueling limitation, first nuclear powered carrier is USS Enterprise (CVN-65) commissioned in Nov 1961 and still on active duty, its nuclear power rods are replaced circa every decade. Note supercarrier Enterprise is the 8th US vessel to bear its name. USS Enterprise - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uss_enterprise

Most famous Enterprise vessel was WW2-era US carrier CV-6 (or the "Big-E") in Pacific Theater operations with major battle engagements including Midway - Guadalcanal - Philippine Sea - Leyte Gulf - Okinawa. For a period in Fall 1942, it was the only functional carrier in the entire Pacific as other US carriers were either sunk or underwent battle repairs. Ironic postwar fate befell upon the Big-E, with decommission in 1947 and lack of private preservation funds, carrier was scrapped in 1960. Its surviving artifacts include the ship's bell, one-ton ship stern's nameplate, and anchor. USS Enterprise (CV-6) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Enterprise_%28CV-6%29

1960s-era Kitty Hawk flight deck has a faded brown color from excessive sunlight and pitted with exhaust burns from plane launches. Carrier's CVA-status is demonstrated with a complement of attack aircrafts parked on flight deck, including A-3 Skywarrior, A-1 Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom, F-8 Crusader fighters in foreground, and A-3 Skywarrior bombers in background. US carrier pilots wear military patches on their uniforms indicating its home carrier. Since carrier is named after North Carolina locale where Wright Brothers flew the first controlled-powered airplane in 1903, the patch is Wright Flyer machine over the Kitty Hawk sand dunes. Top patch show 1960s design, bottom is current design. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Hawk%2C_North_Carolina