MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Secretary of the U.S. Navy Carlos Del Toro, and Matthew Lewis, Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer of Norwegian Cruise Line, will hold a news conference Monday to announce the launch of Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet Week Miami.
“We are across this entire region,” said Captain Dave Hecht, a public affairs officer of the U.S. Navy. “We’ve got ship tours, which everybody, I hope, comes out to experience. But then, we’re in one part of Miami doing a volleyball tournament, we’re in an other part of Miami doing a 5K, we’ve got a dance contest. We’ve got helicopters landing in public parks and showing the kids what these helicopters can do.”
The event, spanning from May 5 to 12, is set to showcase a lineup of public activities, including free ship tours at PortMiami, and performances by the Navy and Marine Corps bands.
Fleet Week officially kicked off on Sunday at the Frost Museum of Science with a festive atmosphere, as guests enjoyed a performance by the U.S. Navy Band. The event provided an opportunity for the public to interact with sailors and Marines, alongside engaging in real K-9 training demonstrations.
“This is the first time in 20 years of my career that I’ve had the opportunity to come and bring the Marine Corps back home,” said U.S. Marines Chief Warrant Officer Mark Pellon. “I’m at the tail end of my career, but to kind of write this chapter at the end is incredible for me. It’s great to be a part of this community that’s obviously very familiar to me.”
The week-long celebration aims to enhance community engagement with the armed forces and provide educational experiences that highlight the military’s role in science and maritime security.
Over 3,000 members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard will participate in Fleet Week events across South Florida, bringing four Navy ships to PortMiami for public tours.
“One of the things that I think that a lot of people may not realize is Bataan right here, it’s been in the news because it was just in the Red Sea fighting off drones from Houthi rebels,” explained Hecht. “So this is a battle-tested crew, this is a battle-tested ship, and now it’s come home from a very hot area of the world. It’s a great opportunity to meet those people that are defending our nation.”
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.