Where did all these sailors come from?
Photo by DVIDSHUB 
Heading to the subway on my way home from work last night, I noticed that New York City seemed to be overrun with military personnel. My first thought as a paranoid city-dweller was, “Oh no – I haven’t seen the news today. Is something going on that I should be concerned about?” But when I overheard another civilian mention “Fleet Week,” things became clear…at least partially.
To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what Fleet Week was until I got home and looked it up on Yahoo! Answers. I’m embarrassed to admit that most of my awareness of Fleet Week comes from seeing that memorable “Sex and the City” episode where Carrie dances with a sailor and Charlotte has a run-in with an officer who’s not exactly a gentleman. Apparently, I’m not alone. Fortunately, there are more savvy (and less TV-addicted) minds out there to help us sort this out.
According to thecubn41980, “Fleet Week gives civilians an opportunity to take a look at military weapons, see demonstrations, look at some aircraft, and speak to service members about their experiences in the Marine Corps or Navy.” It also gives sailors an opportunity to spend some free time in the city where they’ve docked and visit its tourist attractions. They frequently get discounts to retailers and restaurants in the host city and there are a number of events, demonstrations, and parties in which to partake. Some commands allow sailors to stay with sponsors, family, or friends, but others require that they come back to the ship every night to sleep.
And though it’s generally considered to be the largest host city, New York City is not alone in welcoming the nation’s fleet: Among other cities, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle all host Fleet Week celebrations at different times of the year. So there’s no need to be paranoid – get out there and tour a warship, catch a military band performance, watch a flyover, or witness a tactical demonstration by the troops. If you’re lucky, you might even pull a Carrie Bradshaw and find a sailor to dance with. Just don’t be heartbroken when they’re back at sea next week.
Will you attend or have you ever attended a Fleet Week event? What’s been your experience?
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Not being an American, I haven’t attended fleet week, but I’ve done something similar once.
I found to be very interesting to watch and listen to the sailor’s experience.
funny! well yesterday on the news i saw a sailor being interviewed in NYC, she said she wanted to explore and such, however i can’t remember why they where there!
Im an ex sailor I was stationed in San Diego and i have been apart of this. Its nice that they have something so families and other civilians can witness what they do day to day.
Oh and personally i have no desire to dance with a sailor…I know how they really are LOL
I have attended three in NYC, one in SF. I loved NYC, the hospitality of the city was fully extended to me and my Shipmates. If I was still stationed on the east coast I would go again in a heartbeat. Thank you and your city for all the times I’ve spent there.
US Navy CPO
lolol I am a NYCer too! haha and yes on the subway, in midtown..even in my neighborhood in Brooklyn…there’s so many sailors!
But yes, I have seen signs for fleet week as well.
I’ve visited the ships during Fleet Week religiously since I was 12, but it wasn’t called Fleet Week back then. I’ve since became a naval engineer and now bring my son to visit the destroyers & frigates. It used to be a way bigger deal with a lot more ships coming from around the world.
I have been a part of 2 different Fleet Weeks. One in the early 90′s and most recently in 2006.
One of the other reasons for Fleet Week is not only for the American people to see what we do, but also allow other Navies to come to New York and interact with not just the military but also civilians to see how we live.
In 2006 I was on the Staten Island side and host to 8 different ships from 4 different countries. My duties were to coordinate community service events to get sailors out there and lend helping hands, while also bringing tour groups to the appropriate areas.
On a more interesting note, the woman who runs the Staten Island USO during fleet week is the person who was portrayed in the movie “Freedomland” as leader of the organization for finding missing children.
If you get a chance to, go to the USO on Staten Island and visit the ships there too. If it’s anything like it was in 2006, you’ll have a good time and stand in much shorter lines than on the Manhattan side.
Ya, i was supposed to attend fleet week in New York but it got cancelled, i heard it was a great experience, been a little over a year since ive been on a ship
Its fleet week! yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay
I attended my first fleet week in San Francisco in 1984, and the next year I was IN the Navy.
My next experience with Fleet Week was in 1991 when I was a 1st Class Petty Officer and just recently back from the Gulf War… I’m from the Bay Area, and my mother hosted our entire helicopter detachment (25 guys) at a large BBQ and pool party. I spent 4 days giving the public tours of the ship and our helicopter.
FUN seeing the little kids eyes light up at the uniform and the cool helicopter.
Just an aside… New York and San Francisco (liberal cities) STILL open their arms to the Fleet !! Perhaps it’s because we bring in $250 million in business each year… in the bars and restaurants and hotels and of course the tourists who come to San Francisco to SEE Fleet Week.
I went to Fleet Week SF in 2005 after I was out… and got homesick seeing the haze-grey ships, cream-colored bulkheads (walls), and being able to step through hatches without a pause. Also a nice chance to tour an Arleigh Burke class Destroyer (which was a new class).
I’ve never been to a Fleet Week event, but I am a bit surprised to learn that someone who lives in NYC wouldn’t know about it. Are you new in town?
haha, when i read the title i instantly thought of sex and the city…nice to know i’m not the only guy who watches that
I live in Victoria BC Canada. Although we have not had an official “Fleet Week” as far as I know, we have had aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines stop here. Our town is then flooded with sailors. Well, with the carrier a whole bunch more than the sub! The Tourism Bureau just love it, as do the single women in town, the bars and restaurants, and oh yeah, the hookers. LOL
Surprisingly few incidences of violence or unusual trouble took place during those times. There was one incident where a “black man” was charged with a serious crime. The news “had to” report the man’s colour, as we had maybe 2 or 3 “black men” living in Victoria at the time. It was a novelty, I guess. I can’t remember if it was murder or rape, or both but it was a major crime. Can’t remember the results. But, it was an isolated incident. On a ship that has the population of a small city, it should be expected that there might be one or two bad apples in the barrel!
I came across the other one. I had purchased a nice black leather purse and matching knee high black leather boots for my wife’s birthday. Stopped at a bar and at one point went to the bathroom. Came back and they were gone. Yeah, stupid on my part, but I was used to little Victoria’s morals. Heck, we didn’t even always lock our doors at night. That was on Saturday. On Monday I phoned the store that I had made the purchase at. By the time that I thought of doing that, it was too late. The owner was a friend of my father. He checked with his staff and they told him that “a big black man” in sailor’s whites came in with the stuff and a receipt and wanted to exchange the black boots for white ones, and oh gee, this isn’t my wife’s size. Give me 4 sizes bigger for the big fat cow. Sorry, that last observation was just me being bitter and rude. I couldn’t afford another decent present for my wife. My fault for being naive and stopping for a beer on my way home.
I again stopped at a bar and then bought beer for a large table of black Marines, all looking great in their dress blues. When I told them what had happened, they expressed outrage and indignation and said that idiots like that not only made their racial heritage look bad, but tarnished the reputation of all armed forces members. They called the thief a “f***ing n**ger! I couldn’t believe that they used the N word! They couldn’t have been nicer to me! A good time was had by all. Well, except for my wife that wasn’t speaking to me at the time.
So, other than those two specific occurrences, I think that Victoria BC and most of the locals really enjoyed the visit of the American Navy. For the greatest part the personnel behaved themselves, had a good time and injected a whole bunch of money into our economy. On my part, the nice time that I had with the Marines outweighed the bad part of the isolated theft by one individual out of many thousands. And one day I hope to collect on the promise of a tour on one of those big ships!
saliors were the frist human beings to travel the oceans
I used to be really into things that honor or celebrate any of the US Army, Navy, Marines, Airforce, or any armed services. And I still honor the sacrifices they and their families have made to keep our nation as it is, and so we have the freedoms we do. Unfortunately the majority of my adult (and even middle school) “life” I have seen the way this country truly works, the way it really is, and who gets to live the so called “American Dream.” So I just don’t find myself so psyched to be an American anymore. I laugh at myself for ever being “proud to be an American.” I used to do my best to go to work, do my job, be respectful to people until given a reason not too, pay my taxes, but honestly, it’s a huge JOKE to do that. My hats off to anyone who makes it in the United States without giving a penny to help this country (taxes, donations) and I’ll be more than happy to skip “Fleet Weeks” or anything else of the nature. I will probably even skip the pledge of alligiance from now on.
Careful now, My nephew is one of those Sailors! God Bless America and may He watch over our men & women in uniform.
I noticed that too at times square. nice to know the answer – I wondered the same thing.
I attended several fleet weeks prior to World war 2. It was awesome. I knew how to make a lot of my friends jealous also. Ny uncle came into port one time He was Navy. I went abord his battle wagon with him. I was floating on clouds for a month after that happened.
I attended several fleet weeks prior to World war 2. It was awesome. I knew how to make a lot of my friends jealous also. Ny uncle came into port one time He was Navy. I went abord his battle wagon with him. I was floating on clouds for a month after that happened. I went army myself for World War 2
lol, Fleet Week is a chance for civilians to get a taste of the military lifestyle. I’m in the Navy and my squadron has something similar to Fleet Week nice a month in our hangar bay (HSC-23 stationed in Coronado, California). I was embarrassed myself when I asked a civilian, Why are you guys here? She looked at me like I was the dumbest person alive. Thanks for clarifying this information, I wish I could have read this beforehand.
wow. i had never heard of ‘fleet week’ before i stumbled upon it. But i want to see it, now. um… maybe i’ll visit NY this week…or maybe not (flight?money?what?). lol.
Fleet week it is awesome, it was better when they had the old battlewagons all lined up. What a site those huge 14,15,16 in guns. Boy back in the day…..
Oh well, sucks getting older. But there was nothing better to feel the old North Dakota go 15 feet back in the water firing a full broadside. You young people would not believe you eyes and you would have no ears. You can never know unless you have been on one. But there is nothing wrong with those huge aircraft carriers on fleet week, looks like you can have a ball game on one. Different generations one country.
I have personally attended Fleet Week in New York and Boston while I was still in the Navy. Although we (my friends and I) did a lot of site seeing, we spent the majority of the time drunk.
I had a great time in New York and I have never been treated so good in my life. That uniform (Dress Whites) brought respect which some did and some didn’t deserve but it made us all feel like we were floating on cloud nine. Thank you New York for taking care of your military!
none
I was gonna tell you they were all coming from my house! I guess Fleet Week is a decent explanation too, I love Fleet Week, even though it’s always followed with “can’t walk right and my farts make no sound” week!
Must be a time to get together with friends and celebrate with them.My Dad was a sailor i will ask him about fleet week.
I live in NYC, and Fleet Week is fun for us as well. It’s the start of Summer and thousands of young men and women are running around the city, exploring, enjoying life, excited to be here. Their enthusiasm makes the city a happier place for a few days. We like our home, and we want the people who are serving our country to like it, too!
I remember when our ship, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, had something similar. It hosted a three-day cruise called the Tiger cruise, in which family and friends could come aboard and view the ship from the inside while out to sea for the later part of one day, the next day, and up through the mid-afternoon on the third day. They would serve food that normally wouldn’t be served.. On the cruises, it actually tasted great, and every other time, pluh. But, to be fair about it, that wasn’t such a bad deal. I brought my friend and her parents. We all enjoyed it.
It wasn’t until after that that I would remain stuck on for another six months visiting Europe and the UAE.
I am a navy vet and yea fleet week i NY is so much fun. I’m originally from Brooklyn so it was nice to share this with friends and family.
lso remember it’s Memorial weekend so the Navy especially likes to get involved.
I’ve never been to Fleet Week in NYC, but did a couple in SF, and a couple “Sea Fairs” in Seattle. We also did a similar type of open house when we were in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. It was always a lot of fun, and most of the guests that came to see the ships were really impressed (of course, we also spent a lot of time getting the ship ready for these).
haha i was thinking the same thing,they were everywhere! oh yes they were everywhere♥♥♥! they were at 106&park. i didnt dance with one but i did talk with one {he was fiiiiiiiine} NAVY HERE I COME!!!!!
I am a Navy vet and I know Fleet week should be enjoyed by all. it´s too bad some of you ran into some of the lower examples out there though, but I promise you, that´s not the norm-we never acted like that!
I did fleet week last back in the 1990′s. Not to knock it’s value, but the line to get on some ships was huge and the weather was pretty uncomfy. food vendors took advantage of the situation selling soda and snacks at gouging prices. I admit I loved it mostly for the Aircraft Carriers that came in It;s cool to think of the the jets I’d seen now banished from NavAir like the F-14 and the Corsair. Now that there aren’t any conventionally powered CV’s (plz correct me if I;m wrong), it seems that carriers have become non-grata here in NYC.
I happened to be up there one weekend visiting when it was going on and it was a lot of fun! I noticed a lot of the sailors did not speak English but were all very friendly. It was very similar to the “sex in the city” episode in that all of the sailors are “lookin for a party!”
i still dont get what it is, like why do they have fleet week
THE END. .
I love a man in uniform, they are so sexy. Too bad Im in Michigan this week and not in New York.
i was in fleet week this year, serving on USCGC Katherine Walker. fleet week is an amazing event for the us military to reach out to civilians so they can have a better idea of what we can do and what we are
San Francisco has been celebrating Fleet Week for a long time. I remember about 20 years ago one of the secretaries in our firm organized a “take a sailor home for dinner” nights so the sailors could have a home cooked meal and participate in a family, if only for one evening. However, since they closed the Alameda ship yards and Mare Island, not as many ships stop so in the last few years there haven’t been as many seamen and seawomen on the streets during Fleet Week. I know in the city it is a big celebration, certain ships are open to the public, there are events, etc.
The military was great for me, paid my food, housing, exercise and even college. Can’t beat that, especially in these economic times where even new grads are having a tuff time finding a job.
I was in NYC yesterday and saw 2 military helicopters ( the long ones) and 2 regular ones fly over Roosevelt Island. I had no idea what was going on and was really confused. And with all of the sailors I do finally understand why everyone is here.
All those sailors came from semen some 18 or move years ago. Why are they in NYC — it is that annual return of the ships — called Fleet Week.
Be polite and buy one or two of these brave sons and daughters of America a drink or a meal. They are risking their lives, fortunes and sacred honour to protect you and yours in this nation.
I participated in Fleet Week /Mother of all parades in 1991…hosted by the Mayor and Zach and Elizabeth Fisher. It was the grandest of all as we were welcomed home from Desert Storm.
The USS America was the centerpiece and was visited by over 25000 guests. The city put on the best (and last as I know it) ticker tape parade…which was led by Colin Powel and Gen Swartzkopf with SecDef.
There have been no carriers since due to the Navy restrictions on Nuclear Powered Carriers in heavily populated areas. Sad but true.
Kent Ewing
Commanding Officer USS America
Captain/USN/ret