Thousands of San Diegans and visitors descended upon Naval Base San Diego on Saturday for a Fleet Week San Diego event that offered the public a rare opportunity to tour three active-service warships.
Meet the Fleet at 32nd Street marks only the second time that the U.S. Navy has invited the public inside the large, Barrio Logan-adjacent base for ship tours. And it is the first time that the base has partnered with The San Diego Fleet Week Foundation, the nonprofit that has been hosting local Fleet Week activities for 25 years.
This year, the Navy offered tours of the USS Jackson, an Independence-variant littoral combat ship; USS Chafee, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer; and the USS Michael Monsoor, a Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyer.
The ships, each with a different mission set, represented a good mix of the 60 ships homeported in San Diego, said Naval Base San Diego commanding officer Capt. Brian Bungay.
The idea, the commanding officer said, is to allow taxpayers to not only see where their tax dollars are being spent, but also interact with the men and women who are serving their nation.
“What I hope to demonstrate is that these are everyday Americans doing extraordinary things on the naval base, and they’re 18-,19-, 20- and 21-year-olds operating multibillion-dollar warships,” Bungay said. “We don’t want to be just in the community. We want to be a part of the community and improve those relationships.”
Retired Navy aircraft mechanic Richard Krasko, who served in the Navy for 24 years, said he brought his daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren to Meet the Fleet to see his “former world.”
“I was proud of what I did. I wanted my family to see what I did. … I just want to pass off the legacy,’” Krasko, a San Diego resident, said. “(Serving in the Navy) is a great thing to do for the country, and it’s a learning experience. I grew up quick. If I hadn’t done this, I probably would have been in jail.”
Following a tour of the USS Chafee, Krasko’s son-in-law, 36-year-old Joseph Tamayo, said he was impressed with what he saw. The tour included stops on the flight deck, the hangar bay, on the boat deck and at the forecastle. Photos were generally prohibited, but they were allowed on the forecastle, in front of the destroyer’s hallmark feature, its Mark 45 5-inch gun mount.
“That was fantastic,” Tamayo said. “(What stood out was) the knowledge from the first lieutenant, the way he explained things, knowing exactly what he did. And I thought the missile deck was pretty cool.”
For 34-year-old Navy Hospital Corpsman Gertrude Dadzie, who is stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Meet the Fleet was an opportunity for her husband to get a glimpse into her world. It was also the Menifee residents’ first adventure out of the house with their 7-week-old baby.
“My husband wanted to see the ships, so I took advantage of Fleet Week to bring him out here to see the ship and explore,” Dadzie said during a tour of the USS Jackson. “Look at him. He’s enjoying (taking selfies).”
Meet the Fleet also included an area with rides, inflatables, food trucks, vendors and live music from the Navy Band. The Navy said the event was expected to draw between 10,000 and 15,000 people.
Fleet Week San Diego started on Nov. 1 and continues through Nov. 15. Events are free and open to the public.