Veinticinco de Mayo's first call to action was to have been the Argentine invasion of Chilean territory during Operation Soberania (1978). While the operation was enacted, it was stopped a mere few hours after it had begun. It was not until the Falklands War of 1982 that the importance of Veinticinco de Mayo to the Argentine Navy was brought into play against opposing British forces. As it stood, ARA Veinticinco de Mayo stood with the light cruiser ARA General Belgrano were used in support of the initial landings. Their value was such that both vessels were specifically targeted by the British and this eventually led to the sinking of the Belgrano by the British (HMS Conqueror). The loss of the grand ship forced the Argentines to reel in their prized aircraft carrier for fear of another irreplaceable loss. This then resulted in her air wing operating from land bases for the duration of the conflict - which ended with a British victory.
ARA Veinticinco de Mayo continued in service after the Falklands War. In 1983, catapult support for the ex-French Etendards was finally added but the ship required more work in other quarters - and this amidst ongoing defense cuts in the Argentine military. She was eventually doomed to the scrap yard when pulled from active service in 1990, stripped of her useful components, and decommissioned from Argentine Navy service in 1997. She was delivered to India in 2000 where she was scrapped.
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