The international tall-ships parade held in New York Harbor for the 1976 U.S. bicentennial was called Operation Sail.
The 1976 edition brought sailing ships from several countries to New York for a Grand Parade of Sailing Ships on Independence Day. The event was designed as a maritime celebration of the bicentennial and highlighted historic-looking square-rigged vessels alongside supporting ships.
Sixteen tall ships participated in the main parade. They included Italy’s Amerigo Vespucci, Norway’s Christian Radich, Poland’s Dar Młodzieży predecessor Dar Pomorza, Chile’s Esmeralda, and the United States Coast Guard’s Eagle. The wider Op Sail fleet also included 113 supporting vessels.
The ships later gathered in Boston about a week after the New York event. Operation Sail was not limited to 1976; related editions have been held in later years, including 1986, 1992, 2000, and 2012, often alongside major national or international celebrations.