A 21-gun salute and Old Ironsides’ yearly Fourth of July turnaround in Boston Harbor drew large crowds to Castle Island.
As the United States celebrated its 249th birthday on Friday, the USS Constitution sailed into Boston Harbor on July 4th, among other occasions during the year.
The throng protected their ears during the salute, which was attended by members of the Mass National Guard’s 101st artillery.
The oldest commissioned warship still in service is the USS Constitution. Between 1797 and 1855, she aggressively defended maritime channels, playing a significant part in both the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812.
When British cannonballs were observed rebounding off the ship’s wooden hull during the War of 1812, the ship was given the moniker Old Ironsides.
