USS Constitution went underway with Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer, Oct. 18, celebrating the Navy’s 244th birthday and the ship’s 222nd birthday.
The birthday of the U.S. Navy is Oct. 13, 1775, and USS Constitution was successfully launched on Oct. 21, 1797.
During his visit, the honorable Richard V. Spencer, spoke at the USS Constitution Museum as part of the Museum’s Leadership Speaker Series.
“I am profoundly grateful for all of you who work together to keep this story alive for those that visit here and remind them all of why we need to serve today,” said Spencer. “You keep the fighting spirit of ‘Old Ironsides’ alive and afloat and, as Secretary of the Navy, I cannot thank you enough for what you’re doing, because you do make an impact on our society.”
Spencer joined USS Constitution Commanding Officer Cmdr. Nathaniel R. Shick in laying a wreath in commemoration of the 75th commemoration of the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
“As we commemorate the Navy’s 244th birthday, the officers and crew of America’s Ship of State remain steadfast in our belief that there is no higher honor than to serve with our brothers and sisters across the naval services,” said Shick.
The ship fired a 21-gun salute at Fort Independence on Castle Island, which was returned by the 101st Field Artillery Regiment of the Massachusetts National Guard.
USS Constitution fired an additional 17-gun salute as she passed U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston, the former site of the Edmund Hartt’s Shipyard where USS Constitution was built and launched on Oct. 21, 1797.
USS Constitution, the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat, played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 to 1855.
Designated America’s Ship of State, Constitution and her crew engage in community outreach and education about the ship’s history and the importance of naval power to more than 500,000 visitors each year.
| Date Taken: | 10.18.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 01.27.2020 13:31 |
| Story ID: | 360512 |
| Location: | BOSTON, MA, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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