SAN FRANCISCO—A U.S. Navy Zumwalt-class destroyer ship sailed into the Bay Area on the morning of Friday, October 2, in celebration of Fleet Week.
The ship —USS Michael Monsoor (DDG-1001) —was named after U.S. Navy SEAL Monsoor, a southern California man who was posthumously awarded the medal of honor because of his work during Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which he was killed on Sept. 29, 2006.
Today we welcomed the USS Micheal Monsoor for an Honor Sail to honor the strong relationship between the City and County of San Francisco and the Navy. Received by SFFD, USCG, USACE, and SFPF. pic.twitter.com/18MsZraN9Y
— Fleet Week SF (@FleetWeekSF) October 3, 2020
Fleet Week has various sponsors including KRON 4. The event will go on from October 9 through 12, and usually includes tours of amphibious carriers, destroyers and cruisers docked at the Embarcadero. This year it will transpire through online tours due to COVID-19 health concerns, according to KRON 4. These online events named “2020 San Francisco Fleet Week: The Virtual Experience”, include a veterans art exhibit, the “Honor Our Fallen” concert by country musician Tim McGraw, which pays tribute to fallen service members, and a webinar on STEM education.
According to Datebook, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said, “We know this isn’t what we’re normally used to, but we’re not letting that stop us from doing exactly what we do best, and that is celebrate the men and women of this country who, day after day, put their lives on the line in the service of others.”
Breed made the announcement for virtual fleet week at Yerba Buena Island on October 5 with civic and military leaders.
A Navy spokesman told Bay City News that the Monsoor would anchor near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge overnight and leave on the morning of Saturday, October 4.
