What You Need to Know: On May 14, 2005, the USS America (CV-66), a Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carrier, was intentionally scuttled after extensive live-fire testing by the U.S. Navy.

The USS America's sinking followed decades of service — and weeks of bombardment. Sinking an aircraft carrier proved harder than the US Navy thought.

Summary and Key Points: The USS America (CV-66), a Cold War-era aircraft carrier, was purposefully sunk by the U.S. Navy on May 14, 2005, after being decommissioned in 1996.