Fleet Week Kicks Off With Parade Of Ships Down Hudson River
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Fleet Week 2015 officially kicked off Wednesday with a parade of ships down the Hudson River.
The three-hour parade began at 10 a.m.
PHOTOS: Fleet Week 2015
It featured nine military ships -- three Navy, two Coast Guard, and four Naval Academy -- to celebrate members of the U.S. Military Sea Services.
Fleet Week To Kick Off With Parade Of Ships Down Hudson River
CBS2's Meg Baker, 1010 WINS reporter Al Jones, and WCBS 880 reporter Alex Silverman were aboard the USS San Antonio for the event.
Fleet Week Kicks Off With Parade Of Ships Down Hudson River
Rear Admiral DeWolfe Miller is in charge, Jones reported.
"Eighteen-hundred Marines and Sailors and Coast Guardsmen ready to storm New York, but we are very very excited to be here," Miller said.
The great gray amphibious landing ship crawled toward the harbor with hundreds of Marines and Sailors ready to hit the town, Silverman reported.
"The city is really great about this so I'm waiting to see just all of us come off our ships and go into the city and just be accepted," said Machinery Repairman Michael Santoro.
Santoro grew up in North Carolina, but he has family in Yonkers.
"Yea, I've been calling them, I've been on the phone with them all week," he said.
Jorge De Jesus, a Marine from the Bronx, was getting ready to see his family.
"It's been a while as a matter of fact," he said, "I miss the Pizza from New York. Nothing better."
Fleet Week Kicks Off With Parade Of Ships Down Hudson River
Crossing under the Verrazano, passing Lady Liberty off the port side, then saluting in a ring around the flight deck as One World Trade Center came into view gave perspective to Chief Raul Rodriguez.
"We know New York City is a very patriotic city and ever since 9/11, the horrific event that happened, I'm proud to be serving for this country," Rodriguez said.
Flags waved in the wind as spectators of all ages waited at Pier 86 near the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum for the ships to pass on the Hudson River.
"It never ceases to amaze me, the outpouring of gratitude," Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian McNeal told CBS2's Andrea Grymes. "You get high fives, people want to buy you pizza, I just love coming to New York City."
Frank Doyle, of Columbus, New Jersey, sat with his son hoping to spot his sea cadet daughter.
"Yea, it's pretty neat. She's been out there for four days now. It's pretty cool," he said.
A cannon salute from Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn greeted the parade of ships led by the USS Stout, a naval destroyer, as they passed under the Verrazano–Narrows Bridge.
Joining the parade this year was FDNY Fire Boat 343, named to honor the 343 firefighters who gave their lives on 9/11, 1010 WINS' John Montone reported.
Nearly 1,800 sailors, Marines and members of the Coast Guard are expected to participate in this year's Fleet Week.
Naval Petty Officer Liam from Kansas, who was already in town Wednesday morning, said he loves New York City.
"Keep the love going, I've never felt this much love for the Navy actually. In all my travels...everywhere I've been in the U.S., New York has been the most accepting," Liam said. "Where I'm from we have a bit of a stereotype against big cities, I get up here and everybody is incredibly nice, incredibly accepting, it blew away my expectations."
Events over the next several days will give people in the Tri-State Area the chance to meet maritime members and see what they do. It's also a chance for everyone, including fellow veterans, to show their appreciation to those who serve, Grymes reported.
"I would tell them fair winds and following seas," said Navy veteran Phil Elsner.
Fleet Week runs through next Tuesday.
