Parade of Ships on the Delaware River honors 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy

 A Parade of Ships on the Delaware River on Thursday kicked off celebrations in honor of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and marked the start of the semiquincentennial of the United States.

To watch the parade on the river, hundreds gathered under a cloudless sky at Philadelphia’s Navy Yard and lined the fences along its Riverfront Greenway. Kids twirling handheld American flags, veterans and active service members, and parents recording the procession on phones watched the ships move upriver, in awe at the sheer size and stature of the vessels.

The four main ships on display were the USS Arlington, USS Lassen, USS Billing, and USS Cooperstown, with white-hatted sailors lining the decks of each ship.

Also featured were speeches from Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, concluding with a “Blessing of the Fleet” and a military flyover. 

But caught in the binoculars and cameras of paradegoers was not a flashy affair solely meant to show off the might and power of the U.S. Navy, but rather a symbolic remembrance of the individual service members who laid their lives down in the name of freedom.

The Navy’s fight for freedom began on the banks of the Delaware River in October 1775, after the Continental Congress established it following the start of the American Revolution. Since then, the Delaware River has played an integral role in the naval forces of the United States.

The Philadelphia Navy Shipyard operated as a naval base from 1801 until 1996, where it built and repaired ships. During World War II alone, the shipyard employed 40,000 workers, launched 53 ships, and repaired 574 ships.

While the yard doesn’t have nearly the same output as it once did — sustaining not only the U.S. Navy, but an urban economy as well — the Navy still operates three programs in South Philadelphia: the Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station, the Propeller Shop and Foundry, and the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility.

The 250th anniversary celebration for the Navy and Marine Corps extends to Oct. 16, with many events along the Delaware River in Philadelphia.

Tours of several naval vessels are available all week in the Philadelphia area, including two Delaware River mainstays: Battleship New Jersey and Submarine Becuna; as well as the four naval ships featured in the parade up the river.

A full list of events throughout the week can be found here.