Brooklyn Boro

Thousands headed to Brooklyn for Fleet Week New York: Ships, activities

Red Hook expects boom weekend

May 24, 2016 By Mary Frost Brooklyn Daily Eagle
The USS Monterey, a U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser based in Norfolk, Va., sails down New York's Hudson River, part of Fleet Week NY 2008. AP photo by Richard Drew
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From its waterfront to its libraries, Brooklyn will be the host to a number of Fleet Week New York ships and activities this year. The event is expected to bring thousands of New Yorkers to Red Hook and other venues to tour ships and learn about our country’s marine armed forces.

Fleet Week New York, now in its 28th year, is the city’s celebration of the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. The six-day event launches with the Parade of Ships into New York Harbor on Wednesday, May 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Activities continue through next Tuesday.) Participating vessels in the parade range from the amphibious assault ship the USS Bataan to the guided missile destroyer USS Farragut.

The traditional “unofficial” Fleet Week kickoff takes place on Brooklyn’s Fort Hamilton Bluff, where a dramatic 11-gun salute will be fired off around noon.

As the parade of 14 ships passes under the Verrazano Bridge, the U.S. Navy ship USS Bataan will render an 11-gun salute to Fort Hamilton, and Fort Hamilton will return the same. Other ships include the USS Farragut, Bainbridge, Fort McHenry and Shamel, the USCGC Katherine Walker and Forward, the HMCS Athabaskan, Kingston and Moncton, USNA Yard Patrol Boats and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

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Red Hook events

Activities will take place across the city this year. For Brooklynites hankering to visit a naval vessel, two Navy destroyers and one Coast Guard cutter will be docked at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook for tours, which run from Thursday, May 26 to Monday, May 30 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

In addition, the U.S. Navy is presenting the Stewards of the Sea Environmental & Energy Exhibit at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. The exhibit showcases the Navy’s initiatives in environmental stewardship and energy conservation. “Stewie,” the Navy’s environmental mascot, will be available for photo ops.

Tours will also be offered on the oil tanker-museum Mary A. Whalen on Saturday, May 28, in honor of her 78th birthday. (Due to Navy security concerns, visitors must sign up in advance with PortSide NewYork on site, no walk-ups allowed.) More details available at http://portsidenewyork.org/portsidetanke/fleet-week-plus-tanker-tours.

On Saturday, VFW Post 5195 is throwing a street party at 325 Van Brunt St. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in honor of Fleet Street. A wreath laying ceremony will take place in honor of Memorial Day.

This is the first time Red Hook has participated in Fleet Week and Red Hook retail businesses expect a boom weekend. The three Fleet Week ships docked there will have 700 crew, and Port Authority police estimate 10,000-plus visitors coming to Red Hook over the five-day period, according to a spokesperson from the Mary A. Whalen.

Events across Brooklyn

Other Fleet Week events in Brooklyn include readings by service members in Brooklyn Public Library branches, open to all, and a welcome for service members at the Brooklyn Navy Yard (not open to the public).

On Saturday at 2 p.m., a free U.S. Fleet Forces Brass Band Concert takes place at Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

On Sunday, service members will participate in the annual Greenpoint Veterans Memorial Parade hosted by American Legion Post#1771. Parade starts at 9 a.m. at 519 Leonard St. |

Also on Sunday, from 11 a.m. to noon, Brooklyn War Memorial Honors 2016 will honor the living NY WWII veterans and conduct a wreath laying. Brooklyn lost 11,500 soldiers during WWII. The Brooklyn War Memorial is located at 195 Cadman Plaza West.

On Monday, service members will also participate in the 147th Kings County Memorial Day Parade, which kicks off at 11 a.m. at 101st St. & 4th Ave. in Brooklyn.

Numerous events will be held throughout the other boroughs as well, including parades, Coast Guard Drill Team performances, a Military Day at Battery Park, aviation events and more.

According to the Navy, roughly 4,500 sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen will participate in this year’s Fleet Week.

See http://www.fleetweeknewyork.com/fleetweeknewyork/events.html for a full calendar of activities.

 


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