US Navy & Marine Corps 250th Birthday Ship Parade in Philadelphia

Navy and Marine Corps 250th Birthday Celebration

• 🇺🇸 The event marks the 250th birthday of the US Navy and Marine Corps, featuring a parade of ships on the Delaware River in Philadelphia.
• 👏 The ceremony was welcomed on behalf of Vice Admiral John Gubbleton, acting commander of US Fleet Forces Command, and included sailors, Marines, and international allies.

USS Lassen (DDG82) - Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer

• 🚀 The USS Lassen is an Arleigh Burke class flight 2A guided missile destroyer, homeported in Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
• ⚓ Commissioned on April 21st, 2001, it measures over 509 ft long, displaces 9,200 tons, and carries a crew of about 320.
• 🎖️ Named in honor of Lieutenant Commander Clyde Everett Lassen, a Medal of Honor recipient for heroism during the Vietnam War.
• 💥 Equipped with the Aegis combat system, it features a 5-in Mark 45 gun, vertical launch system for missiles like Tomahawk, and can embark MH60R Sea Hawk helicopters.
• 🌍 Notable missions include a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea and counter-narcotics missions in the Caribbean.

US CGC Lawson - Sentinel Class Coast Guard Cutter

• 🚢 The US CGC Lawson is a Sentinel class Coast Guard cutter, commissioned on March 18th, 2017.
• ⚓ Named after Lawrence Olawson, a United States Life-Saving Service station keeper honored for a heroic rescue of 18 crewmen.

USS Cooperstown (LCS23) - Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship

• 🌊 The USS Cooperstown is a Freedom class littoral combat ship, commissioned on May 6th, 2023, making it one of the Navy's newest additions.
• ⚾ Named after Cooperstown, New York, it honors military service members inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
• ⚡ Designed for speed, agility, and flexibility in missions close to shore, it is also capable of open-water operations.

Military Flyover

• ✈️ A military flyover accompanied the flotilla, featuring four FA18 Super Hornets from Carrier Airwing 3, two Marine Corps F-35 Lightning 2s, and two Marine Corps MV22 Ospreys.