31st Annual Fleet Week Sails Into San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda
31st Annual Fleet Week Sails Into San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda
San Francisco and Neighboring Cities Celebrate Maritime History and Emergency Preparedness with a Weeklong Series of Events Highlighting the Humanitarian Assistance Capabilities of the Military and Joint Military/ Civilian First Responder Training and Education
Special Appearance by The Blue Angels
This Year’s Navy Ship Tours Along San Francisco’s Southern Waterfront, Pier 80 & the USS Makin Island at Pier 30/32
1 October 2012 – San Francisco, CA: Ahoy! The Fleet is in from October 4-8, 2012, San Francisco opens its arms and piers for the 31st annual Fleet Week (www.fleetweek.us). With more ships, more sailors, more Marines, more free family friendly events than ever this year’s Fleet Week has expanded to include neighboring cities: Oakland and Alameda. Continuing the focus on military/civilian cooperation in disaster preparedness, Fleet Week features training and education programs including peer-to-peer medical exchanges, the Senior Leaders Seminar, Urban Search and Rescue Training and much more. Plus, as usual, the skilled naval aviators of “The Blue Angels” will thrill with their extraordinary airborne maneuvers. In a change from previous years, for the 2012 Fleet Week, ships of the United States Navy, US Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy will be open for tours at San Francisco’s southern waterfront, docked at Pier 80 with the US Navy’s “Green Ship”, the USS Makin Island, open for tours at Pier 30/32. Added this year, demonstrations of military dogs in service at Pier 80.
San Francisco and Fleet Week share a long and storied history that originated in 1908 with the arrival of the “Great White Fleet” to the Bay during their round-the-world 14-month long voyage. Over the years, millions more San Franciscans have welcomed the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard making its Fleet Week one of the City’s most treasured traditions. Under the leadership of then Mayor Dianne Feinstein, the modern Fleet Week tradition began in 1981, honoring the dedicated men and women of the Armed Forces and their colleagues.
The San Francisco Fleet Week Association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor the dedication to duty and sacrifices of the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and to conduct and offer disaster preparedness training. Its honorary Co-Chairpersons are United States Senator Dianne Feinstein and former Secretary of State George P. Shultz.
Following is an overview of public events for San Francisco Fleet Week 2012. An up-to-the-minute schedule of public events is available online at www.fleetweek.us
Thursday, October 4
Sailors and Marines on Liberty in San Francisco, Interagency Softball Tournament & Tribute Concert at Marines Memorial Club
Highlights:
8am – 12pm: Softball tournament between visiting military teams and local law enforcement teams at US Coast Guard Island in Alameda.
8am – 4pm: Ships’ crews take part in area community outreach and service projects around San Francisco
1pm – 5pm: Air Show Rehearsal with the Blue Angels
Friday, October 5
Ship tours; The Blue Angels and PIER 39 Concerts
Highlights:
8am – 12pm: Softball tournament between visiting military teams and local law enforcement teams at Moscone Field in San Francisco 8am – 4pm: Ships’ crews take part in area community service projects around San Francisco
8am- 4pm: Weapons displays at Alameda’s USS Hornet Pier 9am – 5pm: Public tours of the United States Navy along with US Coast Guard and Canadian vessels at Piers 30/32 & 80 on San Francisco’s southern waterfront (check www.fleetweek.us for full schedule)
12pm-1:30pm: United States Navy Band Concert at Scott’s Outdoor Pavilion at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA.
12pm-2pm: The Air Force Band, “Mobility”, in concert at PIER 39
12:30pm – 4pm: Full Air Show, featuring the Blue Angels
3:30pm – 4:30pm: Navy Band “Southwest” in concert at PIER 39
5:30pm-6:30pm: 1st Marine Division Band in concert at PIER 39
7:15pm – 7:45pm: Blue Angels “Meet & Greet” at PIER 39
Saturday, October 6
Humanitarian Assistance Village, TRX on the Green Fitness Challenge, Fleet Week Parade, Air Show & Ship Tours Highlights:
8am – 4pm: Humanitarian Assistance Village with exhibits and activities on the Marina Green
8am- 4pm: Weapons displays at Alameda USS Hornet Pier
9:30am – 4pm: Military, Public and Civilian exhibits and education workshops on Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Response Capabilities at Marina Green.
10am: United States Marine Corps 1st Marine Division Band performs at the Powell Street Cable Car Turn Around in San Francisco.
10:30am: TRX on the Green Fitness Challenge with US Military on Marina Green, presented by 24 Hour Fitness
11am: Ships of the United States Navy along with US Coast Guard and Royal Canadian vessels set sail in the Parade of Ships
12:30pm-4pm: Full Fleet Week Air Show featuring the Blue Angels
1pm – 4pm: Public tours of the United States Navy along with US Coast Guard and Canadian vessels at Piers 30/32 & 80 on San Francisco’s southern waterfront (check www.fleetweek.us for full schedule)
1pm – 2pm: United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps “Band of the Golden West” in concert at PIER 39.
6pm: Speech at the Marines Memorial Club followed by a performance of the United States Marine Corps 1st Marine Division Band (free public event, but advance registration required via www.marineclub.com )
Sunday, October 7
Fitness Challenge, Military Dog Program & Italian Heritage Parade
Highlights:
8am – 4pm: Humanitarian Assistance Village with exhibits and activities on the Marina Green
8am- 4pm: Weapons displays at Alameda USS Hornet Pier
9am-12noon: Military dog program at Pier80.
9am – 4pm: Ships’ crews take part in area community outreach and service projects around San Francisco
9:30am – 5pm: Military, Public and Civilian exhibits and education workshops on Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Response Capabilities at Marina Green.
10am: TRX on the Green Fitness Challenge open to the public on Marina Green, presented by 24 Hour Fitness
11am-4pm: The Oakland Navy League BBQ at Pier 80 for visiting military and their families.
12pm-3pm: Pop Rocks Concert at PIER 39
12noon – 4pm* Full Fleet Week Air Show featuring the Blue Angels
* Including America’s Cup World Series Racing 2pm to 2:30pm.
12:30pm: Italian Heritage / Fleet Week Parade in North Beach, featuring the US Navy Band, and the USMC 1st Marine Division Bands
1pm – 4pm: Public tours of the United States Navy along with US Coast Guard and Royal Canadian vessels at Piers 30/32 & 80 on San Francisco’s southern waterfront (check www.fleetweek.us for full schedule)
4:30pm-7pm: Navy Band, Southwest at PIER 39
Monday, October 8
Navy Band Concert & “Band Challenge”
Highlights:
9am – 4pm: Public tours of the United States Navy along with US Coast Guard and Royal Canadian vessels at Piers 30/32 & 80 on San Francisco’s waterfront (check www.fleetweek.us for full schedule)
9am – 4pm: Ships’ crews take part in area community outreach and service projects around San Francisco
10am – 1:30pm: The 1st Marine Division Band will host a “Band Challenge” with young musicians from area high schools at the Band Shell in Golden Gate Park.
5pm: 1st Marine Division Band Tribute Performance at the Marines’ Memorial Club to Honor the Fallen (FREE public event, but advance registration required via www.marineclub.com)
Public Transit Information:
People are encouraged to take public transit to all destinations along the waterfront when possible. Men and women in uniform or with military ID ride free on any Muni vehicle, October 4 through 8. Avoid parking hassles and bike, walk or Go Green to Fleet Week on Muni. There will be extended service on MUNI to Pier 80 for ship tours as well as limited free parking at Pier 80. For Muni route and service information please visit www.sfmta.com/fleetweek
History of Fleet Week:
San Francisco and Fleet Week share a long and storied history starting with the arrival in the Bay of the President Theodore Roosevelt’s “Great White Fleet” in 1908. Comprised of 16 battleships of the Atlantic Fleet and various smaller vessels, this historic flotilla featured hulls painted white except for the gilded scrollwork on their bows. The 14-month long voyage from Hampton Roads Virginia to San Francisco was a showcase of American sea power with ships manned by 14,000 sailors. They covered 43,000 miles and stopped at 20 ports on six continents. The fleet arrived in San Francisco on May 6, 1908 from Magdalena Bay, Mexico and was greeted by a huge celebration hosted by the City of San Francisco. As each ship passed Fort Point it fired a 21-gun salute, which was answered with a salute from land. Crowds flocked to San Francisco to see the fleet. Transbay ferry traffic from May 5 to May 17 exceeded the normal business by 450,000 passengers. The heaviest travel day was on May 6 when 186,000 passengers were taken across San Francisco Bay to see the arrival of the fleet. It was one of the largest crowds of Californians ever assembled.
On January 18, 1911, the era of Naval aviation began in San Francisco Bay with the first-ever launch of an aircraft from the deck of a military vessel, the USS Pennsylvania.
Throughout the 20th Century, San Francisco was a major focus of naval operations, and served as the headquarters of the United States Naval forces under Admiral Chester Nimitz during WW II. A generation of “Liberty Ships” and other military vessels were built, launched, serviced, berthed and later retired at such historic sites at Mare Island, the Marin Shipworks, Treasure Island, Hunters Point Shipyard, Suisun Bay and the Alameda Naval Air Station.
About the San Francisco Fleet Week Association: San Francisco Fleet Week Association is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization governed by an all-volunteer board of Directors. The mission of the Association is to plan and operate the annual San Francisco Fleet Week, including the year-around Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response program – a national leader in planning, training and coordination with public and private-sector executives, leaders and first-responders.
About the San Francisco Fleet Week: San Francisco Fleet Week is the most important Fleet Week in the nation and one of the largest civic events in Northern California, bringing great publicity and economic benefits to the City and the region at large. San Francisco Fleet Week celebrates the young men and women of the U.S. Military and is host to the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response program with a mission to save lives and alleviate suffering by improving our nation’s preparedness to respond to disasters.