Hundreds of people gathered Tuesday at Isla Blanca Park near the Cameron County amphitheater to honor the arrival of the USS Kitty Hawk. 

The USS Kitty Hawk started her final voyage in early January and made the 16,000-mile trip to South Padre Island.

Kitty Hawk was commissioned in 1961 as the lead ship of the navy's second class and was later redesignated as a multipurpose aircraft carrier. She conducted six tours in Vietnam and was later decommissioned in 2009.

Many veterans gathered on Tuesday at Isla Blanca Park to pay their respects. 

"I'm from Tennessee,"  U.S. Navy Veteran Tommy Taylor said. "We drove 1,300 miles, basically we want to say goodbye to her."

Veterans who served on the ship in the 60's and 70's also paid a special tribute to her by taking a moment of silence.

"We all grew up on her," U.S. Navy Veteran Rickey Jones said. "Every man standing here, we grew up on that boat. And I want to thank all these guys for what you did, everything you guys have done. It's been an honoring serving with you."

She will be then taken to the Port of Brownsville where she will be recycled. 

Watch the video for the full story. 

Correction: It was a 16,000 mile trip not a 60,000 mile trip.