Sixteen square-rigged school ships sailed to New York for Operation Sail during the 1976 United States Bicentennial.
Operation Sail 1976 formed part of the celebrations for the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The event brought sailing vessels and naval ships from multiple countries to New York Harbor, where they participated in a major maritime display on Independence Day.
The 16 vessels were the principal tall ships listed in the official program as square-rigged school ships. They included the Italian ship Amerigo Vespucci, the German Gorch Fock, the Spanish Juan Sebastián de Elcano, and the United States Coast Guard cutter Eagle.
The 1976 event is a useful predecessor to the maritime celebrations planned for the 2026 America250 observance. Operation Sail events combine international goodwill, naval tradition, sail training, and public commemoration.