Blog editor note: There will be an audio feed of the arrival of the fleet on the W2LIE.net website at http://www.w2lie.net/news.php.
NORFOLK (NNS) -- A flotilla of U.S. Navy ships and thousands of Sailors and Marines set sail May 19 from Norfolk, to participate in the 21st Fleet Week New York, which will take place May 21 - 28.
The ships heading up the East Coast for the Fleet Week commemoration are the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), guided-missile cruisers USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and USS Monterey (CG 61), and the guided-missile destroyers USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) and USS Nitze (DDG 94).
The ships will parade into New York Harbor Wednesday morning, May 21. Following the parade, Kearsarge and Leyte Gulf will berth in Manhattan, and Monterey, The Sullivans, and Nitze will berth at Staten Island.
A U.S. Coast Guard cutter will also participate in Fleet Week, and three Canadian navy vessels will join Wednesday's Parade of Ships.
Hosted nearly every year since 1984, Fleet Week New York is the city's celebration of the sea services. This event also provides an opportunity for the citizens of New York City and the surrounding tri-state area to meet Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, as well as see, first-hand, the latest capabilities of today's maritime services.
In addition to public visitations of participating ships, May 22 – 27, there will be a number of exhibits showing off the technology of our maritime services and the skilled expertise of our service members. More information is available on the official Fleet Week New York Web site at www.fleetweek.navy.mil.