(2011 US Navy photo of USS Essex)
The Blue Angels aren’t all that the U.S. Navy is sending back to Seafair this summer, after a year away because of federal budget travails. The Seafair Fleet Parade of Ships is back too – with the ships planning to sail past West Seattle shores on their way around Elliott Bay starting around 10 am July 30th. We just received the announcement of which ships will participate – the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), and guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83). All three are homeported in San Diego; they’ll also be open for public tours July 31-August 3. The Parade of Ships will include U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian participation, too – more as it gets closer.
P.S. Last amphibious-assault ship to participate in the Seafair Parade of Ships was the USS Bonhomme Richard in 2011 – here’s our coverage from that year.
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