During the 1976 United States Bicentennial, Operation Sail’s tall-ship parade first gathered in New York City.
Operation Sail, often shortened to Op Sail, brought an international fleet of historic sailing ships to the United States for the Bicentennial. The ships assembled in New York Harbor on Independence Day, July 4, 1976, creating one of the celebration’s most recognizable maritime spectacles.
The event was larger than a simple sailing exhibition. Many nations also sent naval vessels to New York for an International Naval Review. President Gerald Ford sailed down the Hudson River aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Wainwright to review the visiting fleet. The review concluded near Liberty Island, placing the ships against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty.
Operation Sail later continued in Boston, where the tall ships gathered about a week afterward. That follow-up stop is a common source of confusion, but New York City was the parade’s first major gathering point during the Bicentennial.