July 22, 2004

San Diego Likes A Good Party

(I rarely reprint entire articles, but this one....well, guess where we'll be tomorrow?)

By SETH HETTENA
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

CORONADO, Calif. -- The Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, will get a presidential-style welcome when it arrives at its new homeport Friday morning.

About 10,000 people are expected to pack the grandstands along the pier. On Friday night, the skies over the ship will explode with red, white and blue fireworks and President Reagan's voice, uttering some of his most memorable lines, will echo from loudspeakers across San Diego Bay.

Nancy Reagan is expected to make her first public appearance since her husband's death last month. A helicopter will take her out to the carrier shortly before it arrives.

The president's son Michael is also scheduled to attend the pierside ceremony, along with actor Tom Selleck and a half-dozen congressmen.

The USS Ronald Reagan - the first carrier to be named for a living president - set sail from Norfolk, Va., with 3,000 crew members on May 27, making the long journey around the tip of South America.

The ship's berth at Naval Air Station North Island will give it a prominent spot on the San Diego skyline. The USS Ronald Reagan is nearly 1,100 feet long and stands 20 stories above the waterline.

San Diego often throws a party when one of the region's three carriers returns home from months overseas, but civic groups have pitched in to create an unprecedented celebration. Interest in the arrival also soared after the June 5 death of the ship's namesake.

"It will be a home-porting unlike any other," said Navy Cmdr. Ed Buclatin, who has spent the past year working on the plans.

The Reagan will replace the USS Constellation, which was retired last year after 41 years of service.

Posted by DaGoddess at July 22, 2004 01:00 PM
Comments

Ah, man, I wish I could be there for that. I've never actually seen an Aircraft Carrier up close. It'd be a trip to see the USS Ronald Reagan. Have fun at the party. :)

Posted by: DakRoland at July 22, 2004 01:24 PM

Good to know you have that handy dandy camera of yours - for those of us that have to live thru you!!!

Have fun!

Posted by: Tammi at July 22, 2004 02:53 PM

Yeah, post pictures, please! That's such a cool thing to experience live while the rest of us will see it on the news.

Posted by: yayaempress at July 22, 2004 03:34 PM

Sounds like fun, but I wouldn't go. Too many people. Have fun!

Posted by: manda at July 22, 2004 03:44 PM

I am soooo in awe of you at this moment. What a remarkable event to be able to witness. I will anxiously await the pics.
M+

Posted by: M.Cross at July 22, 2004 04:59 PM

carriers are soooo cool. i got to land in a mail plane aboard the ike. get a catapult shot off of her too. there is some cool stuff in the navy.

wish i could see the reagan. take pics for me please.

Posted by: mlah at July 22, 2004 07:50 PM

Yes'm. Photoblog it as much as you can, please?

My heart will watch from across the bay on Harbor Island.


Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX

Posted by: Jim at July 22, 2004 08:02 PM

I just hope we get another Constellation; maybe a frigate, like the 1797 original.

Posted by: Mitch at July 23, 2004 06:03 PM

SOOOO????
How was it?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: SondraK at July 23, 2004 10:48 PM

Oh, Lord. To be there. Now. For Ron. How sweet is that?

Posted by: Velociman at July 23, 2004 10:59 PM

To see her sail....I wish I could be there...

Posted by: Orchid at July 24, 2004 01:49 AM