Seattle, Washington. (August 5, 2024): Seattle’s Seafair Fleet Week has arrived giving Washington citizens a chance to meet their Marines, Sailors, and Coast Guardsman and witness the latest capabilities of today's maritime services. In this photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jacob I. Allison, Navy Seaman Jaxon Moon celebrates after catching a fish at the famous Pike Place Market, much to delight of local spectators. Moon is a Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Electrical) Fireman assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson.

Seafair Fleet Week is an annual Seattle tradition that starts with a Parade of Ships through Elliot Bay followed by a week of public events including concerts, static displays, and tours of Navy and Coast Guard ships. The Fleet Week tradition began in 1950 when active military ships would dock in a variety of major cities for one week. Once the ships dock, the crews can enter the city and visit its tourist attractions. At certain hours, the public can take a guided tour of the ships.

This year’s events included exhibits from the U.S. Navy Applied Physics Laboratory, the Navy League, the Puget Sound Navy Museum, and the U.S. Marine Corps. The Marines put on an artillery static display, a military working dog demonstration, and pugil stick simulations. Sailors manned booths and had opportunities to speak with citizens about military life.

The concept of Fleet Week originated with then-U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his determination to create a sense of urgency among the U.S. public as war with Germany and Japan loomed. Roosevelt wanted to greatly expand the Navy but faced intense isolationism and economic concerns after the Great Depression. The first Fleet Week was held in June 1935 and involved 114 warships and 400 military planes and was described as the mightiest fleet ever assembled under the U.S. flag.