New York City hosted the first gathering of tall ships for Operation Sail during the 1976 U.S. Bicentennial.
Operation Sail, commonly shortened to Op Sail, brought an international fleet of tall-masted sailing ships to the United States as part of the anniversary celebrations. The ships first gathered in New York City on Independence Day, July 4, 1976, before the event continued in Boston about a week later.
The New York festivities included an international naval review in New York Harbor. President Gerald Ford sailed aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Wainwright and reviewed the visiting fleet, which included vessels and warships from multiple countries.
Operation Sail was not the same event as the American Freedom Train, which toured the contiguous United States carrying historical objects. Both were major bicentennial attractions, but Operation Sail centered on ships, maritime ceremony, and international participation.