Flyovers, drones to mark San Diego’s 250th birthday celebration of Navy, Marines

Sailors and Marines man the rails as the USS America entered Pearl Harbor in FIle photo courtesy of U S Navy Mayor Todd Gloria joined military and civic leaders on the Embarcadero Thursday to preview the upcoming th birthday of the Navy and Marine Corps during Fleet Week With the towering statue mimicking the famous World War II V-J Day kissing photo in the background Gloria and other community functionaries paid homage to the military They also discussed plans by the th Navy and Marine Corps Celebration Committee for the Nov event to be held on Broadway Pier Phil Kendro of the Soledad National Veterans Memorial Association during a Thursday downtown press conference called it the largest celebration on the West Coast commemorating the th birthday of both the U S Navy and Marine Corps in conjunction with San Diego Fleet Week Kendro added that the semiquincentennial celebration will be led by veteran organizations in collaboration with society partners and civic leaders It will be showcasing something unique that only San Diego can showcase he stated This once-in-a-lifetime event will feature a powerful lineup including aerial flyovers a dazzling drone show a live band great food and drinks and displays of the present day s and the subsequent day s military equipment Gloria announced that scant places in America are as closely connected to the Navy and Marine Corps as San Diego Dignitaries led by Mayor Todd Gloria gather to discuss plans for San Diego to celebrate the th anniversaries of the Navy and Marines Photo by Dave Schwab Times of San Diego Their presence defines our city s identity and strengthens our regional financial system and of subject makes all of us proud each and every single day the mayor continued We look forward to another great years The United States Navy and Marine Corps since their founding in have fought in countless battles and shaped American history San Diego s military roots began during the Mexican-American War in when sailors and Marines from the USS Cyane secured the town and soon after engaged in the Battle of San Pasqual and took a stand at Mule Hill The th century saw rapid progress with the arrival of the Great White Fleet in the establishments of Camp Howard by the th Marines in Naval Air Station North Island in and Naval Station San Diego and Marine Corps Base San Diego both in solidifying the region s strategic importance San Diego played a crucial role in WW II as a major staging point for Pacific operations building warships training aviators and preparing Marines for combat That legacy continued through the Korean and Vietnam Wars Desert Storm and into the post- era with local forces deploying around the globe In the modern day San Diego remains the largest concentration of naval power in the world anchoring missions across the Indo-Pacific and standing as a cornerstone of American defense