Servicemembers Draw Thankful Crowds With Fleet Week In Full Swing
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- All around New York City this weekend, men and women in uniform were out and about as Fleet Week was in full swing.
As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, from South Carolina to New York City, the Parris Island Marine Band put on quite a show in Times Square Friday night.
PHOTOS: Fleet Week 2015
The Marines, sailors and Coast Guardsmen were easy to spot in their uniforms, and they were drawing a crowd everywhere they went.
"New York's been great," said U.S. Marine Oscar Villarreal. "We went to Central Park. We had a great time there."
"We went to see the Statue of Liberty earlier this morning," said Miranda Brown of the U.S. Navy.
Most of the servicemembers were seeing the Big Apple for the first time ever.
"It's great. I mean, it's very intimidating at first; it's really huge. But it's great. I love it," Villarreal said.
And they weren't being stopped on the street to pose for a picture, the servicemembers were being stopped by those grateful for their service -- and also to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
"It gives me a good feeling, like this is what I'm fighting for," one servicemember said.
Fleet Week 2015 officially kicked off Wednesday with a parade of ships down the Hudson River. 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 runs through next Tuesday.
Ships are open for public tours all week.
For a full list of Fleet Week events, click here.
