New York .- New York celebrated this Saturday the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States with a parade of tall ships from around the world, as well as a display of the country’s naval and air military “power,” according to Vice President JD Vance, in a historic event that drew crowds of people to the streets despite the heat wave.
“It is very American to mark 250 years of U.S. history by showcasing the power of our naval and air forces for the world to see,” Vance said aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge in New York Harbor, where he gave a patriotic speech and thanked the participation of some 50 countries in the July 4th events in the city.
The USS Kearsarge paraded through the waters of New York at the break of dawn and is part of the representation of U.S. military ships participating in the International Naval Review, the seventh in the country’s history, alongside the USS Arlington, USS Iwo Jima, USS Farragut, USS Nitze, and USS Jason Dunham, among others.
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That display of maritime “cooperation” is part of the Sail4th250 events, which hosts “the largest flotilla of tall ships in history from around the world, creating a majestic nautical spectacle and a once-in-a-generation unforgettable event by land, sea, and air,” as described by the organization.
The countries that also joined the celebration
The star of the day is the more than 40 tall ships from 20 countries parading down the Hudson River, including several Latin American ones, such as Chile’s Esmeralda, Peru’s BAP Unión, or Argentina’s ARA Libertad, as well as the Spanish training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano, which flew their national flags.
Most of the sailboats, which travel the Hudson from the Verrazzano Bridge to the George Washington Bridge, and which are both historical and modern, will dock at different ports in the city and will be open for visits from July 5th to July 7th.
Above the vessels, the International Air Review was also held this morning, led by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels squadron, which performed acrobatics over the skyline, leaving trails of white, blue, and red, accompanied by more than a hundred aircraft from the U.S. and its allies.
The sailboat mishap
Some of the sailboats participated in a preliminary exhibition yesterday and were affected at nightfall by a sudden thunderstorm with gusts of wind, and according to Vance they suffered damage, but the thousands of sailors present in the city worked “12 hours non-stop” so that they would be ready again this morning.
The storm also damaged one of the special viewing areas for the parade on Governors Island, where tickets cost $200, and which, according to the organization, had to be closed to the public.
Tonight, as a closing event, the traditional fireworks display sponsored by the department store chain Macy’s is expected, which, in celebration of its 50th anniversary, will launch rockets from different points on the East River and the Hudson.
