"Kitty Hawk" had a cameo appearance in the 1980 movie "The Final Countdown", standing in for . On her way home from her Western Pacific deployment, "Kitty Hawk" was filmed entering Pearl Harbor with the crew manning the rails as the ship passed the USS "Arizona" Memorial. (At the time of the filming, "Nimitz" was still an Atlantic Fleet, vice Pacific Fleet, aircraft carrier.) "Kitty Hawk" returned to San Diego in late February 1980 and was also awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation and the Naval Air Force Pacific Battle Efficiency "E" Award as the best carrier in the Pacific Fleet.