On 6 June 1963, President John F. Kennedy, with top civilian and military leaders, boarded "Kitty Hawk" to witness a carrier task force weapons demonstration off the California coast. Addressing the men of the task group from "Kitty Hawk", President Kennedy told them that, as in the past, control of the seas still means security, peace and ultimate victory. He later wrote to president and Madame Chiang Kai-shek who had witnessed a similar demonstration on board : "I hope you were impressed as I was, on my visit to "Kitty Hawk", with the great force for peace or war, which these mighty carriers and their accompanying escorts provide, helping to preserve the freedom of distant nations in all parts of the world."