Tall Ships Parade 7-4-1976.

Navies traditionally believe that nothing builds discipline like a cruise on a full rig ship so quite a few navies maintain them. The US Coast Guard ship Eagle led the parade. Tall ships parades are held periodically around the world and of course 1976 it was held in New York.

This ship has an interesting history. It was built in the 1930s in Germany and christened the Horst Wessel. After the war, we took over the Horst Wessel wessel and rechristened it the Eagle.

A more complete and annotated set of web pages is online at https://stevedutch.net/wtc1976/wtc002.htm.

Spain's entry.

Norway sent a Viking ship.

Germany's entry The Gorch Foch.

Chile's entry was controversial because the Pinochet regime was in power and it was alleged the ship had been used as a prison ship.

Japan's entry. There was a strong wind blowing down the Hudson that day so some ships had their sails furled or turned sideways into the wind.

Italian jokes were a thing in 1976 and when Italy's entry failed to turn up on time there were jokes that they had sent a submarine instead. She actually had some engine problems and dropped out of line. So here's the Amerigo Vespucci.

The Soviet Union sent two ships and here is the USS Wainwright passing the parade in review with the Kruzenshtern in the background.

Well, of course they got a salute

And what would a parade be without the Goodyear blimp?

And for a few days, New York City became a small town. Contrasting 1976 with today just about makes me cry.

Celebrate America by blowing part of it up.