Please join us aboard the USS Hornet as we celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States Navy on the weekend of October 10th-13th.
All active duty and veteran military personnel will be allowed on for free the entire weekend.
We will have many exciting activities for our guests to enjoy on this weekend:
- We will be allowing extra access into various aircraft and large artifacts this weekend. You will be able to see into aircraft that you normally can’t see into! Each day there will be different ones so please ask when you get on board about which ones are available that day!
- The Hornet Legacy exhibit will be reopening in time for this event. The Hornet Legacy exhibit tells the story of all 8 ships named Hornet from the Revolutionary War to the USS Hornet CV-12 you are standing in!
- We will have a speaker from the Navy to give a presentation about some part of the Navy’s 250 year history every day at 1 PM in the Wardroom
- Friday Speaker: Chuck Myers “Homefront WW2”
- Saturday Speaker: Joe Martinez “History of the Seaking Helicopter/History of Aviator Nicknames”
- Sunday Speaker: Steve Leavell “History and Development of Aircraft Carriers”
- Monday Speaker: Keith Hedley “Collisions in the Navy after WW2”
- Watch for a glimpse of the Blue Angels from the Flight Deck on Friday the 10th, Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th
Also, on October 10th, we are having a Fleet Week themed Overnight! Spend the night on a retired Navy Warship and live like a sailor. More information HERE!!!
October 13th is the birthday of the Navy and the first two ships officially brought into the Navy were the USS Hornet and the USS Wasp in 1775.
On October 13th we will have a ceremony from 11 am to 12 noon celebrating the 250th birthday of the navy culminating with a wreath laying. We will be collaborating with the Daughters of the American Revolution and other guests.
Ships named Hornet have been in the US Navy since its inception during the Revolutionary War and all the way through the Vietnam War. History – USS Hornet Museum
While the birthday of the Navy is October 13th, the USS Hornet Museum will be open during Fleet Week on October 5th, 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th. Come down on any of these days to explore the USS Hornet CV-12 and learn about the history of the Navy and especially this historic ship. The USS Hornet CV-12 served with distinction in World War II, the Cold War, the Vietnam War and as part of the space race (Apollo 11 and 12 recovery ship). Our docents will be happy to share their extensive knowledge with you!
To enhance your visit, you can sign up for one of our special tours to either learn about the Life of a Sailor, the Island, the Engineering Spaces or the Weapons of the USS Hornet CV-12. You can also sign up for a private tour on October 7th, when we are closed to the public. Please go here for more information on private tours: Themed & Group – USS Hornet Museum
