The Parade of Ships and the Blue Angels kicked off the 2023 weekend of events honoring the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Fleet Week runs from October 2-10 and includes ship tours, air shows, a free concert series and more. Friday’s Parade of Ships was lead by the San Francisco Fire Department with its fire boat spraying jets of water into the air.
The USS Navy ship John P. Murtha LPO-26, second from left, followed by USS Navy ship Paul Hamilton DDG-60, left, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche WMSL-751, right, and USCGC Benjamin Bottoms WPC-1132 seen from the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, take part in the Parade of Ships during San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Held annually in the fall, fans can catch the popular U.S. Navy Blue Angels performing acrobatic maneuvers in Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets during air shows along the San Francisco waterfront.
The 2023 show lineup includes an F-35B demo and “Fat Albert,” a United States Marine Corps Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules used by the Blue Angels for transporting equipment, spare parts and support personnel between shows. The air show presented by United Airlines also features one of their 777 commercial airliners, the U.S. Navy Leap Frogs Parachute Team and more Navy and Coast Guard aircraft.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the C130-J Fat Albert, right, practice over Treasure Island in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. San Francisco Fleet Week takes place from Oct. 2-10, and features three air shows this weekend. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
“San Francisco Fleet Week offers the public an opportunity to take a tour of the ships and interact with service members as they showcase their ships’, units’, and services’ capabilities,” said Brian O’Rourke, Fleet Week Core Planner and Media Relations Officer in a press release. “It also gives the public a chance to gain a better understanding of how the sea services support the national defense of the United States and protect freedom of the seas.”
The San Francisco Fire Boat, far right, followed by the USS Navy ship John P. Murtha LPO-26, front left, USS Navy ship Paul Hamilton DDG-60, left, US Coast Guard Cutter Waesche WMSL-751, second from left, and USCGC Benjamin Bottoms WPC-1132 seen from the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, take part in the Parade of Ships during San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) US Navy Lt. Andrew Kelly, front, along with Lt. Commander Taylor Baggett, Chief Petty Officer Gary Mitchell and Warrant Officer Scott Johnson, aboard the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, salute as they render honors to military dignitaries watching from the San Francisco Yacht Club during the Parade of Ships as part of San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The Blue Angels fly over San Francisco City Hall during a memorial service for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. It was Feinstein who brought the Blue Angels back to San Francisco when she was mayor 40 years ago. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) The U.S. Navy Blue Angels practice over San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. San Francisco Fleet Week takes place from Oct. 2-10 and features three air shows this weekend. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) The U.S. Navy Blue Angels fly past the Transamerica Pyramid as they practice over San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. San Francisco Fleet Week takes place from Oct. 2-10 and features three air shows this weekend. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Michael Roosevelt, left, grandson of former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, San Mateo Mayor Lisa Diaz Nash and U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Taylor Baggett converse aboard the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, during a fundraiser cruise from Jack London Square in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Potomac participated in the Parade of Ships as part of the San Francisco Fleet Week. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Visitors board the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, during a fundraising cruise from Jack London Square in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Potomac participated in the Parade of Ships as part of San Francisco Fleet Week. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The U.S. Navy Blue Angels practice near the Bay Bridge in this view from Treasure Island in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. San Francisco Fleet Week takes place from Oct. 2-10 and features three air shows this weekend. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) The U.S. Navy Blue Angels practice over San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. San Francisco Fleet Week takes place from Oct. 2-10 and features three air shows this weekend. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) A US Coast Guard crew navigates past the Yerba Buena Island to watch over the Parade of Ships during the San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., seen from the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Cptn. Tom Howard, left, navigates the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, as volunteer Joe Winkel announces the lineup of ships participating in the Parade of Ships during the San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Spectators watch the U.S. Navy Blue Angels practice from Treasure Island in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. San Francisco Fleet Week takes place from Oct. 2-10 and features three air shows this weekend. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) The USS Navy ship John P. Murtha LPO-26 seen from the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, as they take part in the Parade of Ships during San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) A U.S. Coast Guard crew speeds along the San Francisco Bay as they watch over the Parade of Ships during San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., seen from the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ John A.B. Dillard Jr seen from the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, take part in the Parade of Ships during the San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) A visitor looks on aboard the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, as they take part in the Parade of Ships during the San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Chris Simpson Brent, of Tiburon, U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Taylor Baggett and U.S. Navy Lt. Andrew Kelly, enjoy the cruise aboard the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, during the Parade of Ships as part of San Francisco Fleet Week in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) The U.S. Navy Blue Angels practice over San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. San Francisco Fleet Week takes place from Oct. 2-10 and features three air shows this weekend. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) Former Oakland council member Abel Guillen, left, and Ford Roosevelt, grandson of former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt smile as they board the historic U.S. Presidential yacht, the USS Potomac, during a fundraiser cruise from Jack London Square in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. The Potomac participated in the Parade of Ships as part of the San Francisco Fleet Week. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
