BOSTON—Early morning rain and overcast skies didn't dampen the patriotic spirit in Boston on Friday as spectators lined the pier at the Charlestown Navy Yard. They awaited the USS Constitution as it prepared to make its annual turnaround in Boston Harbor shortly before noon.
Under construction for maintenance and renovation, "Old Ironsides," as the ship is called, took to the seas for a shorter-than-usual excursion to celebrate the nation's birthday as part of Harborfest. The city-wide event July 1–6 includes festivities showcasing Boston's history as birthplace of the American Revolution.
This year, Vice President Dick Cheney paid a visit to the historic frigate to attend onboard military ceremonies. Before the cruise, the vice president greeted new American citizens who were sworn in at a ceremony held dockside.
Flanked by tugboats and escorted by Coast Guard and police boats, the Constitution was towed out into the harbor not far from the U.S. Coast Guard base, where it began its stately pirouette.
"It's pretty neat," said Linda Banks from Shrewsbury, who was a guest onboard last year's cruise and was now watching from a vantage point across the harbor. Linda's niece, 25-year-old Krystal Galewski, is a yeoman on the Constitution. For this cruise, Krystal was accompanied onboard by her mother, who is in the Army Reserve and was in Iraq last year at this time.
On the way back, the Constitution paused in front of the Coast Guard station to fire a 21-gun salute before returning to dock.
Old Ironsides will be shipshape for years to come after repairs are done. "We expect that these major repairs that are currently planned for USS Constitution will be one more step in the process of restoring her to her 1812 configuration and keep her sailing well into the 21st century," said Richard Whelan, director of the Naval Historical Center Detachment Boston, as quoted in a U.S. Navy release issued last August.
Built in Boston and launched on Oct. 21, 1797, the Constitution is the oldest commissioned ship in the U.S. Navy and the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. Its construction was authorized by the Naval Act of 1794, which called for six frigates to be built as naval armament against Barbary pirates as well as the British.
The Constitution, given its name by President George Washington, earned its famous nickname "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812 in a battle against the British Royal Navy frigate HMS Guerriere off the coast of Nova Scotia. According to the story, the British cannonballs bounced off the oak hull of the Constitution and one of the American crew members shouted, "Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!"
Feeds