FOCUS: Ahoy!  It’s Navy Week in Charleston

The Navy commissioned the USS Charleston last week.Staff reports  |  America’s Navy sets sail for Charleston starting today Saturday with a bevy of Navy Week activities through Saturday.

As part of Charleston Navy Week are two free performances by the U.S. Fleet Forces Band at the College of Charleston.

Woodwind Quintet:  7 p.m. March 13, College of Charleston, Simons Center for the Arts Recital Hall, 54 St. Philip Street, Charleston. U.S. Fleet Forces Band. The quintet will perform with special guest artist, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg.

Brass Band:  4 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, College of Charleston, Cistern Yard, Charleston .  The Navy’s brass band will perform

Navy Week is an opportunity for Charleston to embrace the rich naval heritage of the Lowcountry, which has long had a significant Navy presence, particularly prior to the closure of  the Charleston Naval Base and Charleston Naval Shipyard in the mid-1990s.

One of the local hosts for Navy Week is Navy Rear Adm. Daniel Fillion, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business in 1984 at the College of Charleston.

More events

City proclamation:  March 11,  Patriot’s Point in Mount Pleasant.  Tecklenburg will present a city proclamation to Fillion. Sailors from the newly-commissioned USS Charleston will also be on hand. Fillion is a native of Goose Creek. He has served as an aviator in multiple helicopter squadrons, as the navigator on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and as the commanding officer of the USS Wasp. He has received numerous accommodations for his service, including the Defense Superior Service Medal and on three occasions the Legion of Merit.

First pitch.  Fillion will throw out the first pitch before the College of Charleston’s Cougar baseball team faces Charleston Southern University at CSU’s Neilson Field in North Charleston at 5:45 p.m. on March 13. The game will feature Navy-themed events, including a performance by the U.S. Fleet Forces Band.

Charleston Museum event.  The Charleston Museum will welcome the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) and the USS Constitution for Navy Week 9 a.m. to- 4:30 p.m. March 14.  Representatives from the NHHC will be on site to provide educational resources to visitors in celebration of Navy Week. Crew members from the USS Charleston will also be at The Charleston Museum from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to talk about the city’s brand-new namesake vessel.  More info.

Parade.  Charleston Navy Week concludes with Navy participation in the Charleston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 16.

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