FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – About 1,200 servicemen and women with the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard arrived Tuesday morning at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale in three battleships and a U.S. Navy Virginia-class attack submarine to celebrate Fleet Week.
Ensign Henry Streater, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy, gave a tour of the USS New York, an amphibious transport dock ship with 7.5 tons of steel from the World Trade Center.
“The motto of the ship is ‘Never Forget,’ and you almost get chills when you walk on the ship,” Streater said.
The other ships are the USS Cole, the guided-missile destroyer attacked in 2000 in Yemen; and USCGC Tampa, a medium endurance cutter.
The public tours are from Wednesday to April 29. Organizers require a free ticket to tour the ships and will release these online 48 hours in advance of each group tour’s appointment.
Touring the submarine requires a reservation to enter a ticket lottery. The schedule of events included a 6:40 p.m., Tuesday visit to the LoanDepot Park, for the game between The Miami Marlins and Cincinnati Reds.
The long list of daily events includes golf, concerts, community service, receptions, lunches, breakfasts, dinners, school visits, yoga, and a 5K.
The fleet’s departure starts at 6 a.m., on April 30.