Hundreds of spectators gathered along the Delaware River to watch the Parade of Ships, a maritime procession to Philadelphia. The parade is the first event of Homecoming 250, commemorating the historic anniversary of the Navy and the Marine Corps, with more celebrations to come throughout the weekend.
Many in the crowd also saw it as a sort of kickoff for the nation’s 250th anniversary, which will be celebrated all next year.
On a windy Thursday morning, visitors brought folding chairs, blankets and hot drinks to Fort Mifflin, which hosted one of several watch parties along the river. The parade began off New Castle, Del., at 8 a.m., with the ships arriving in Philadelphia about two hours later.
The ships were a mix of modern warships and a vintage World War II-era destroyer. The USS Arlington, USS Lassen, USS Cooperstown and USS Billings were among them. They will be docked along the Delaware River and open to tours Oct. 10-15.
While people waited, the Washington Crossing Fifes & Drums played 18th century marching tunes and jets performed flyovers overhead.
Military veteran hats dotted the crowd at the parade. Among them was Richard Lind, a retired member of the Air Force. The West Chester resident said he can trace his ancestry all the way back to the Revolutionary War. The 250th birthday of the United States is “pretty special” to him.
Herb Hays, a veteran of the Navy, hopes that the celebration will inspire younger Americans to both look into the country’s history and into serving in the military. He came with a group from the Aldan Memorial Legion Post 1000, a hub for retired service members in the Philly suburbs. One of the four men from Delaware County, Lawrence Albertoli, said he has a great appreciation for history.
“We’re a pretty young nation if you think about it, in terms of how old some of these other countries are,” Lind said. “It’s a big milestone.”
“I’m just here with some friends to celebrate the history of the Navy,” Albertoli said. “What better place to do it than right in Fort Mifflin.”
While many of the paradegoers were either former members of the military or had family that served, some were simply interested in the vessels.
Ryan Paredes has been working on museum ships since high school, starting with the Battleship Texas when he was 15 and later the USS Kidd in Louisiana. After moving to Philadelphia earlier this year, he started work at the Independence Seaport Museum. Paredes said the parade is a “can’t miss moment.”
“I’ve been working with museum ships for a decade and this just means a lot to me, especially just because it’s the 250th birthday of the Navy,” Paredes said.
When the ships did arrive, they were met with cheers and booming cannon salutes, one or two shots per ship, set off by the staff at Fort Mifflin. Servicemembers stood on the decks of the warships, waving to shore.
The parade drew a large crowd. Sam Brozina, the caretaker at the historic site, thinks that there’s already been an increased number of visitors to the fort, as the United State’s 250th anniversary season has begun. He said the event brings “the most welcome attention.”
With the major American anniversary imminent, Bob Dupre, a member of the Washington Crossing Fifes & Drums, said that celebrations like these could be helpful in a divided country.
“In our troubled times, it’s a good time to remember what our country is supposed to stand for,” Dupre said.
Homecoming 250 events this weekend
The 250th anniversary celebrations will continue in Philadelphia this weekend. Some highlights include tours of visiting Navy and Coast Guard ships, the 250 Gala at the National Constitution Center on Saturday and the “Victory at Sea” concert at Independence Mall on Sunday.
A full list of the events and ticketing can be found here.
The post Area residents gather along Delaware to kick off Philly’s celebration of Navy and Marines’ 250th anniversary appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY.
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