USS Constitution goes underway in Boston Harbor to honor Vietnam veterans

BOSTON - The USS Constitution went underway in Boston Harbor Friday in honor of Vietnam veterans.

Passengers packed the 226-year-old U.S. Navy ship as it left Charlestown Navy Yard.

Old Ironsides then fired off a 21-gun salute off Castle Island's Fort Independence.

A USS Constitution crewmember, Seaman William Cooke, was the first American service member to be buried in Vietnam back in 1845. Cooke died after a long illness during the ship's World Cruise while it was anchored off Da Nang, Vietnam.   

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