Sixteen tall ships sailed to New York for the 1976 Operation Sail celebration, a precedent for America250 events.
Operation Sail 1976 formed part of the United States Bicentennial, which marked the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The participating vessels joined a grand parade of sailing ships in New York Harbor.
The 16 ships were the relatively small number of tall ships still operating around the world at that time. They represented multiple countries, including Italy, Norway, Poland, Chile, Colombia, Spain, Portugal, and the United States.
The 1976 event is relevant to America250 because it shows how a previous national anniversary used maritime history and international participation. Operation Sail 2026 is planned as part of the 250th-anniversary observances, linking the two commemorations.