Once again, San Francisco's annual Fleet Week celebration is upon us. Here's a little background to put the event into context.
Officially named the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the name Blue Angels was actually chosen by one of the first squadron pilots and was inspired by a New York City nightclub. The Blue Angels have been a part of Fleet Week celebrations for many decades. Photo by Joel Williams
By Captain Ray
Published: October, 2016
Once again, San Francisco’s annual Fleet Week celebration is upon us. Here’s a little background to put the event into context.
It has long been the custom of the United States marine military forces (the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps and the United States Coast Guard) to visit various U.S. ports when returning from long overseas deployments. This gave the crew an opportunity to come ashore and see the sights of American cities. Sometimes the hosting city would even “adopt” the ship and its crew, hosting sporting events, discounting drinks for all those in uniform and performing other welcoming gestures.
In the summer of 1935, in conjunction with the California Pacific International Exposition, which was being staged to help the San Diego economy shake off the lingering effects of the Great Depression, San Diego had the honor of hosting the very first Fleet Week celebration.
This was also a time of great militarization in Germany and Japan, and the Soviet Union was showing strong nationalist tendencies under Joseph Stalin. Most citizens of the United States were more concerned with digging out of the Depression and felt well protected from these world events because of the great oceans on either side of the country.
President Franklin Roosevelt sensed these international threats, however, having previously served as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. It was his intention to expand the U.S. Navy, and he used the California Pacific International Exposition as a public relations springboard.
A color guard from the United States Marine Corps was scheduled to open the exposition. Not coincidentally, what was described at the time as “the mightiest fleet ever assembled under the U.S. flag” arrived in San Diego. The harbor filled with 114 warships, including 48 battleships, cruisers and aircraft carriers, delivering almost 60,000 officers and crew into a town with a population of about 150,000. These sailors (in uniform, of course) visited the exposition and were seen everywhere. In addition, some of the ships held open houses and invited the civilian population aboard for tours. And so the Fleet Week celebration was conceived.
In 1981, the name Fleet Week was revived and applied to a celebration in San Francisco. While it was not uncommon for U.S. Navy ships to visit San Francisco, this occasion was to be greatly expanded, advertised, and held in conjunction with the already popular Columbus Day festivities in early October. Coincidentally, this is often the very best weather of the year in San Francisco. Fleet Week has been held annually ever since, and continues to expand.
After San Francisco’s resurrection of this celebration, other port cities have picked up on this festivity and host a Fleet Week of their own. The very next year, which was 1982, New York City planned its Fleet Week around the Memorial Day weekend. Several Fleet Week celebrations have cropped up here on the West Coast integrated into existing local events: Portland, Oregon holds its Fleet Week in conjunction with its Rose Festival every June, Seattle couples Fleet Week with its Seafair celebration in July and August, and Los Angeles and San Diego host Fleet week around the Labor Day holiday.
Events like the parade of ships and the open house that these visiting ships host have become integral parts of Fleet Week activities. However, for most people the most exciting (but because of the noise, a bit controversial) event is the airshow put on by the Blue Angels. Officially named the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the name Blue Angels was actually chosen by one of the first squadron pilots. It was inspired by a New York City nightclub. The Blue Angels have been a part of Fleet Week celebrations for many decades, although they did not fly in 2013 because of sequestration.
So come on into San Francisco and enjoy the festivities. Parking is always tight, so look to using ferries, BART or other public transit to reduce your carbon footprint and lessen your stress level.
The following is a schedule of the main events and some activities at Pier 39. See www.fleetweeksf.org for more complete information.
